Totally agree with you. For those who have the funds and ambition to take on a very expensive machine, that the parts come from China, go for it. I too have been dehydrating foods for 25 plus years on an old American Harvest dehydrator. If we can not use the stuff and rotate every year no more than 7 years we did not like it to begin with. Rotation is key, cooking at home and using the foods one stores.
It may be different rate issues where you are, but I have a usage meter on my freeze dryer that can measure the total use during a cycle, and a 24-39 hour session, once I work the cost per watt use, comes out to ~$1.18- ~$1.43 currently. It has actually enabled us to empty one of our upright freezers, put all that meat into long term storage buckets in mylar bags, and give that freezer to our son and his wife, which means we no longer pay for the constant electricity for a third freezer.
We love that fruits, veggies, and meats don't sit in our freezer for 6-12 months anymore (we are paying power that entire time). Instead we pay for 1-2 days of power with our freeze dryer and the food goes on the shelf.
@@nrgltwrkr2225 No problem. There's usually around a 10 week waiting period. If you get one you will not regret it. Food is going to keep going up so that's my opinion 👌
I have had dehydraters for years. Gave an old Wards big Bro dryer to a friend a while back. Have dried pumpkin, squash and many types of veggies over the years. Drying squash now. Putting in jars. Kids gave me a sealer 2 years ago. Great to store in sealable totes. Sealed med. Supplies. Flour. Beans. rice. Gave daughter a 6 shelf dryer as she started storing. Bought another one for my use. Stores have many bare, short shelves here now. Buy mixed veggies from Aldis, dry. Cheaper than big stores. Get busy folks. 86 years young,remember WWII shortages. Coming soon to us.
Absolutely! Those just getting into stocking & storing food NOW are Very Late to the game ... And I Pray ... Not Too Late. YAH Bless His People! Shalom.
Dear Heidi, you have saved me days and days of research by sharing all your experience with us in this video. It is exactly what I needed. Thank you for the details.
Hi Heidi!! Hope you and Patrick are doing great! Thank you so much for doing this video. I always have you playing in the background when I’m working in the kitchen because I I always learn so much from you! I don’t normally get a chance to comment but I wanted to comment about this because this is such an important topic I’ve been seeing so many people get freeze dryers and I’ve really been wondering as to what they think when comparing it to dehydrated food. I also wondered about the power usage. This was great and so helpful! Thank you! Love, Mary❤️🤗❤️
I agree! Your videos are just what I’ve been looking for, and thought I may have to make all these videos myself! Lol I’m so glad I found your channel. I actually heard of you from Mary’s Nest! I love watching both of you!!! Thank you both for your videos!
Lol ☺️ Heidi introduced me to Mary's channel. There are many more. But I usually hang out here or there. More than anything I think you get motivated and focused when you have so much to do.
Alaska Prepper did a video this morning using his freeze dryer on beef cubes and chicken. He broke it down in cost between doing it himself and buying the products. He also determined how long it would take for him to pay off the freeze dryer with the savings. Might be helpful for anyone considering purchase. Another channel did a video about storing milk and decided freeze dried powder retained the best flavor. Thank you; your videos have helped me so much!
As she mention everyone has their own preference. For me to do freeze dried milk it would be nasty. To freeze dry you can only use skimmed milk no fats are allowed.
Yes, it is important to reduce the amount of fat in foods to be freeze dried however you can freeze dry whole milk. Having fat in a FD product reduces the shelf life of that item. At that point it is as so many have said...personal preference. If all I had was powdered milk available from the store, I would never drink milk again, but that’s just me. So I am thrilled with the flavor of my freeze dried whole milk and will just store and rotate accordingly!
Thank you so much for this video. I recently got my first dehydrator and have been stressing over getting a freeze dryer, which I could never afford. This video has made me realize that for the $5000 + it would cost me to get and maintain a freeze dryer, I could purchase another dehydrator and many canning jars to stock my pantry. And buy freeze dried items that I can't dehydrate in #10 cans on Amazon. I just came across your channel today and I am so glad I did. Again thank you. 🙂
Very detailed summary I appreciate this information very much. Not everybody is as detailed as you are and that's one thing we like about your Channel. May God bless you and your husband and family!
I have a FD and just bought a new dehydrator. I really like both, but you nailed it in this video on them both. Also, I would like to add the cost of any extra trays, mats or other accessories are very costly.
and dealing with the company. I like both too, but dehydrators are much easier to deal with if something happens to them and cheaper to replace. Also, one can dehydrate without buying dehydrator.
We had a freeze dryer for a month. We got rid of it because of the reasons you've stated. After we used it a couple of weeks, we just couldn't see the benefits over our dehydrating and/or canning. Thank you for sharing your opinion. I feel guilty when talking to others, because we chose to get rid of the freeze dryer.
I used to feel the same way about Instant Pots. I bought one with huge expectations and the only thing I think it's good for is making yogurt and maybe as a slow cooker.
@@tracyflenner Wow, I bought one thinking it was stupid - but I can not cut open my favorite spaghetti squash and it makes my chicken bone stock in so little time compared to watching the stove for hours on end. And, Now I am using the crockpot on it to keep my canning stuff warm to put it up. IT gives me more space on the stove top.
So glad I found your video explaining the difference between dehydrated and freeze dried. Was leaning towards a freeze dryer, but they are more expensive. Decided to go with an upgraded dehydrator based on the information in the video. Thx for your knowledge.
What an awesome explanation of the difference between these two methods of food preservation! The only people on YT that I know that have a freeze dryer are those that were gifted them by the company for promotion. I did check into the price and a freeze dryer is unaffordable for me - nearly $3,000.00. I have been feeling bad about the nutritional loss of dehydrating food until today! Thank you so much Heidi for yet another wonderful and very informative video!!!
And that $3000 is for the smallest one that really does not hold much at all. Another point I forgot to cover is just how small those trays are because the machine itself takes up most of the space
@@RainCountryHomestead Medium is $2695 right now - but still question it on a limited budget. Why else would you want one - do have your own farm? chickens? etc.? special diet?
I would assume that by the time one adds tax on to that, it is still pretty close to $3000. Funny thing is I was still on the fence before compiling information for this video but after doing so I realized it was not worth the investment for us and even since then have learned more information that have me absolutely not interested.
Great comprehensive video! This is why people refer to this as YT University. I agree, they both have pros and cons, you just broke it all down. Be blessed and much love ❤️ 🌿
I’m pretty excited. I just ordered my first dehydrator ever. I’ve been watching lots of videos and want to try my hand at it. Best of all-I used my bonus points so I only paid $35 for a really nice six tray Corsori! I’m pretty pleased with that. 😂
The Canadian Prepper did a video on food preservation. He skipped dehydrating. I pointed this out in the comments. Got some good replies for that. Dehydrating holds more nutrition than canning. So I ferment for short term and dehydrate for long term. Simple and sweet. Don't make things hard, costly, and complicated. Like how God intended.
I surely just saved that money. I was on the fence about purchasing a fd im sticking with my dehrdrator. Its a lot of maintenance and they are noisy. Sprom ace wise take up a lot of room and from what i have seen in fb groups if there are issues your out that money most times.
@@jmrdrgz completely irrelevant, but how do you know he doesn't want us to reach them? There's no commandment saying "though shalt not go beyond thy atmosphere". I think he made it as a challenge, or an opportunity. Back in topic, have you tried dehydrating food, or any of the other discussed methods? Do you have a preference?
Once again you have helped me think through things better. I do see folks trying to follow after one another just like a trend which is sad to me. I use my dehydrator and it works fine for me. I have friends who own a freeze dryer and I can buy products from them if need be, which in turn helps them with the investment they have made. Blessings to you dear Lady❤🙏
@@tabandken8562 I would not take offense to that, for some, yes, they are following a trend and we also know that there are many smart enough to do their own research to make sure it is wise choice. This is why I recommend trying freeze dried foods first, even though buying them can be expensive, to try them in small amounts first is far less expensive than investing in a freeze dryer to find there are only a few things you care for (if any) freeze dried. Some people do not like ANY thing freeze dried. It is all a matter of choice. As for me, I realize exactly how much I am spending and I am not spending anywhere near the amount that people wrongly assume that I do. I certainly have not spent enough to pay for a freeze dryer. I am glad I bought what I did to try out and am glad I learned how much I really do not like any vegetables freeze dried and the few things I DO like freeze dried I either cannot get fresh in a good organic form here or cannot grow so I would still have to purchase those items anyway then go through the work and energy of freeze drying. When it really comes down to it though, we could live quite happily never having any freeze dried foods and this I have learned through by trial and error. If I had invested in a freeze dryer to find this out, that would have been a much bigger waste of money for me but for those who love all their freeze dried foods, then it is a wise investment for them. No judgement on my part for sure
@@tabandken8562 Ah yes, the dairies, I do not think to count those but yes, I have done the price comparisons. We do not have diary animals so I still have to buy milk, cheese, and butter anyway. Comparing the price of the dried diary products to what I pay locally for quality whole milk, then figuring in the cost and time to dehydrate or freeze dry myself, there is little to no difference in cost. Since my recent dehydrating eggs experiment has been a major success, I am going to try dehydrating milk but only as an experiment to see how well it works since, as I said, I still have to buy milk anyway, I will still be stocking up on the powders for long term storage, I just want to try it so I can share with others my results. The egg powder I made myself from my own chicken eggs tastes way better than the ones I bought from another company, I am curious to see how home dehydrated whole milk will compare to the ones I purchase. Then I plan to share my results with those who cannot afford a freeze dryer but have dairy animals and lots of milk to put up.
@@tabandken8562 I get that on the not trusting, I often feel the same way, wondering if they foods I buy is just a waste of money because how do we really know how organic and so on each thing is but since we took ourselves off thyroid meds 9.5 years ago, I do try to do my best because I want to stay pharma free.
We have had our freeze dryer for 6 months and absolutely love it. It's been in almost constant use. We also have an Excalibur dehydrator it also has it's place.
Thank you for the information. I love my dehydrator, been drying things I've never done before. I love how you can store s lot of food in a small space.
I’ve watched Living Traditions Homestead with their freeze dryer which they are over the moon with but they have an out of the house space for it. They are young and able bodied. I am struck by a couple things : it seems like the labor is intensive , I have some disabilities so I felt I had to consider that. They are very excited about the shelf life and I am 72.5 years I personally don’t think it would ever pay for itself even nearly. I suppose my kids could inherit food I had prepared but that seems a bit of negative energy use for my body energy. I agree people are made to feel they have to have it and not just the freeze dryer.
They also grow a huge amount of food. Plus eggs from their chickens. The only way it would pay off for me is if I freeze dried a ton of meat. I’m 72 and don’t like meat that much,lol. Taste change.
@@bettypierce5323 I know what you mean, I don’t much care for meat when it’s fresh so I’m sure I wouldn’t have need of lots dehydrated, frozen, canned or freeze dried! You know I often wonder how LTH folks eat all the food they grow and put up. There’s only 4 of them and 1 daughter is off to college. We actually didn’t even eat all we put up last year.
me too and I am alone - only reason I deal with it is because of my diet - plant based, my own chicken eggs and nuts and seeds. I find it very easy to put food in it, not all the prep like for canning and no lifting. Labor is the main reason I like it. I have a 90% or so disabled right arm. Canning is labor intensive and I am almost 80 and should be dead - like a number of times - only God knows my time. But, the freeze dryer once set up is so much easier to prep for. I do have to blanch potatoes, but other than that, it is so easy.
@@rhondaroland1079 They do grow an abundance. The girls while not fat do look well fed. They do share plenty with family, friends, church members as well. They also want a huge supply to fall back on in case of bad crop seasons, injuries, whatever. Their freeze dryer works out great for them.
We have one and love it. We have found it to be much easier than canning or dehydrating and prefer the end result much more. Higher nutrition and better taste. It was an investment, but we have had it 4 years now and well worth it.
I’ve had a freeze dryer for about 6 months and I love it!! It was expensive, but it’s been in constant operation since it arrived. I store everything in mylar bags with oxygen absorbers. I’ve been very happy with it, but I understand that not everyone is able to afford the up front expense.The bulk, light sensitivity, weight and breakability of glass jars were big issues for me.
@@nrgltwrkr2225 I have had one for 2 years and have put up enough freeze dried meals for a family of 5 for 3 years I put up about 40lbs of food a week I just did 160 chicken eggs in one batch = 20 pints we bought a large and would of went bigger if I could its about .50 cents for o2 absorber and 1 qt. bag its about 3 dollars in electric per batch and we average about 12 batches a month at 15-20lbs per batch. we mostly do meals soup, chili. chicken broccoli and rice casserole,
Love your comment Chlo Yo ... I love my bottles but I get where your coming from, There is a ongoing cost and maintenance on glass bottles that you dont have with mylar...
I have trying to decide if the cost of the freeze is really worth it for me. The answer was no because it is just me. I can dehydrate what small quantities I will need. Thank you Heidi. I love your channel. God bless you.
I really appreciate that you share your experience and that you are curious, it saves me so much money! LOL! After a little research, I discovered that some freeze dryers require a certain humidity, temperature and maintenance that was more than I was willing to deal with. It definitely isn't an off-grid appliance like dehydrating and sun drying- even a dehydrator uses so much less energy that can be maintained with solar power. Another point of interest for me is that it is difficult to process very much at a time and can take 24 hours to process the batch and can also make the room hot. So when I would use it most, during summer with my garden production, I want a larger batch capability and definitely don't want my house hotter. Since attention to having things on hand has come to the forefront, there is a company that has sent free freeze dryers, (among a lot of other appliances, etc.) to people that have an audience, and don't get me wrong, I really appreciate it and wouldn't say no to receiving a free one myself. However, I think it gives the impression that the content creator likes the item whether they do or not. I think it is a wonderful method of preservation, just not for me. Thank for sharing, I love the ideas you have for the use of the freeze dried or dehydrated food. Especially banana cream pie, oh my!
Girlfriend-I am so happy to see this video. I’ve been talking with my partner about investing in a freeze dryer based on so many people acting like it’s the only quality way to preserve food. But, in my mind I truly haven’t felt good about over $5,000 being put into a machine when we have so many other expenses right now-not to mention the process is rather time consuming to me. I do understand in about 50 or so purchases of bulk freeze dried products, I will have paid for a machine. But, some choices aren’t all about the money-it’s about the labor. I’m a very busy chef and business owner, and I cook every single day for work and for my family. I just don’t have the desire to put any additional work into anything but some basic water bath canning, pressure canning, and buying freeze dried food. I don’t feel so bad about my choices to buy already freeze dried or dehydrating anymore!❤
This video is almost two years old and I have learned so much more since that has solidified my decision. I cover these in another video that will be publishing later in September. I was even recently offered a free one to review and I turned it down because I want to continue to help people to find ways to put up food while also saving money, which is not going to happen with a freeze dryer!
@@RainCountryHomestead thank you for that. I would get so depressed when I'd watch some of the "big utubers," and their freeze dryer videos. Not that they made me feel that way, but I just felt "left out," with so many people getting them, as well. I'm very thankful for finding your utube channel. Going to binge watch this winter, as I plan my large garden, and herb garden next Spring, Lord willing! Love your videos on herbs, vinegars, medicinal herbs, and everything. Thank you for passing on the wisdom. I'm also going to copy the written format, so if anything happens, I'll have it in a binder, with page protectors.
The timing for this video worked out perfectly for me. I'm 71 & after watching Living Traditions, I looked into getting one & was floored by the price. Then I saw the title of your video & decided to watch. What you said makes perfect sense to me so I will be getting a dehydrator. It makes a LOT more sense for us. This info is very helpful, thank you!!! I've been so disgusted with GMOs being shoved on the public, livestock loaded up w/hormones & antibiotics. It just makes sense to put up our own food & since the canning jars have been magically removed from the stores, canning is no longer an option unless you already have them. Guess it's gonna be Mylar bags & 5 gal buckets for us.
Thanks for your honest overview. Over on another channel I just watched my first freeze dryer video. Then watched another. Not only did both videos come across as veiled advertisements presented as "reviews," but even the comments from users in the comment sections looked fake and fabricated. They want you to pay, what, $4K for a machine, plus go to all that trouble and listen to all that noise? For what? I can't see that you could ever save enough on freeze drying sale items and leftovers to pay for one. The only advantage is to put the food back for several years, which is a big thing, but there has to be a better way.
Thank you for doing this video! I was kind of feeling bad about not having a freeze drier, but after this video and spending time carefully considering this matter I am completely satisfied with my decision to stay with dehydrating only. I’m sure I will be able to talk this over with my husband and he will come to the same conclusion. I love when I can be so happy about not having something! Thanks again.
Thanks for the video Heidi, I'm still leaning towards the freeze dryer mostly because I over cook and hate the waist. A freezer can only hold so much. All of your points were very good and for me it's the freeze dryer.
Thank you very much your talk Heidi. It brought many things to view that I did not realize I had been really wanting a freeze dryer but has lowered down on my list if not dropped off for right now because of some of the points you made. I think right now my better investment would be a better dehydrator. Thanks a lot for all your research and all the things you do
This was so incredibly helpful to someone new to preserving foods. Thank you for breaking this down so anyone could understand it regardless of their skill level.
I loved this video and agree with you. I do have a freeze drier ( I bought it 3 months ago after a couple of years of debating weather it was worth it) and use it almost constantly this time of year BUT it takes much longer to freeze dry food then they say! I also have found many foods that are better dehydrated then freeze dried. The freeze drier is easy to use and has very little maintenance but I feel there is still a lot of room for improvements they have not perfected the machine yet. If I was to purchase it again though I would have bought the large and not the medium.
Great tips!!! Thank you!! I was considering a FD too. I have always canned, froze and fermented. I decided to get a dehydrator, extra jars, tattler type lids and a pump. I am looking forward to growing and dehydrating my own medicinal herbs, as well as Zuc and carrots, berries and some leafs for powders. I also bought several fruit plants. Honeyberries, gogi berries, elderberries, pears and plums. I will buy dehydrated herbs for this winter as I learn about this new method of food preservation. Bought 4 new lasting books on herbs and gardening might even take a class. I feel great about my extra spending, toward lasting things and increasing my skills which is priceless. Love your channel. Thanks for all you do!
Thank you, Heidi. I am so grateful to you for explaining the differences When I first started putting food by I was working so what I couldn't grow and can myself I started buying freeze dried, not a lot but some. Now that I am retired I can't afford it but only occasionally and very little. I do dehydrate and absolutely love it. Especially ingredients for soups and stews. That being said I was still worried about shelf life. I had assumed it was only a years or so on the dehydrated. Thank you so much for the info because there is no way I can afford a freeze dryer. I live alone in a very rural area so I spend a lot of time watching videos at night on prepping, homesteading, and putting food by. Seems like most everyone has gone to freeze drying. That leaves me out. Again, thank you and I love all your videos. God bless....
Thank you Heidi. I love your videos because they are informative and practical. There is no way one of those fancy freeze driers would be cost effective for just my husband and I. At our age I will stick to my traditional methods of canning, dehydrating and purchase freeze dried here and there if I choose. Again, I appreciate your practicality.
I appreciate seeing this video, packed full of great information about preserving food. I just bought a dehydrator. and also was finally able to obtain the FoodSaver lids, along with my brake bleeder. I'm loving it! Been preserving food like crazy.💚
I have a Harvest Freeze dryer and absolutely love it ... and also love to dehydrate. Both have their place. It’s a choice that each should make for themselves and no should should feel a need to defend their decision they made that are best for them. For us - just to FD eggs and milk make it worth it for us - although I am using it for a lot of other things too. But will always use and love my dehydrator too!
@@snorman1951 What is jerky you buy from the store? Dehydrated (not freeze dried) meat. I have made plenty of this and stored it for years in jars with no issue. The only thing with dried meats is they do not rehydrated as well as freeze dried, other than ground meats. In the past few days I have been dehydrating eggs from our own chickens and have thus far made simple scrambled eggs and pancakes from them and they were great. I will be moving on and doing more baking with the egg powder. What I can say with absolute certainty is that my own powdered eggs taste WAY better than the kind I have bought in the past. Even though I have no need to powder milk since I have to buy it anyway, I am still going to try dehydrating some just to try it and see how it turns out. There are plenty that have done this very thing for themselves.
@@RainCountryHomestead Thank you for the reply. I'm still nervous. Darcy from The Purposeful Pantry is my dehydrating guru and she won't do eggs meat, or milk. I figure the jerky makers know what they're doing and I'm a beginner and mostly clueless. I would have no idea whether my efforts were golden or poison. From what I have read, there is a risk. And I'm not sure one can tell good from bad. Any ideas on that?
@@snorman1951 Even the most experienced dehydrator, canner, and so on, are going to have their own thoughts and opinions that may or may not be based in fact. Much of what many people do or do not do is based on myths handed down through generations such as "Never stack your jars" (myth) yet the most experienced and knowledgeable canners still refused to stack their jars because it was what they were taught. I have been dehydrating meats long before I even had a dehydrator or got into dehydrating fruits, herbs, and vegetables. Native Americans, dehydrated meats long before that without the use of either a freeze dryer or dehydrator. There is a lot of fear induced on people when it comes to food preservation and most of the time it is based on a lack of understanding or myths. However, you have to make the chooses that are best for you. Just remember, everything in life comes with a risk, even just getting out of bed in the morning or buying that pre packaged food, be it jerky or a bagged salad, from the store. Those that "know what they are doing" have been the worst offenders at killing people because of E. Coli in their food and you are more likely to get botulism from store bought canned foods than home canned. Just some things to consider.
You just got a sub because we have the same dehydrator. That made me smile. The content and I've been having this conversation with myself. Thank you for this pro/con.
Great job, Heidi. We bought a FD 4 years ago and it still has not paid for itself - between the original cost, electricity, oil, multiple pumps (hundreds of dollars), and replacement parts. Maybe some people have better luck. You’re right, if you can’t grow your own food, then there is that expense, not to mention the time involved. Time wasted trying to get help from Harvest Right is also a very frustrating factor. I will also add that if someone wants to get a FD, be selective on what you dry. Fruit is great, making raw liver treats for the dog is great. Extra eggs work great to powder for scrambling and cooking. Gives meat longer shelf life and saves freezer space. High fat content shortens shelf life. We got ours for 3 households, but have had so many problems that we’d have been better off taking that money and buying commercially prepared freeze dried food. Thanks for the great videos 😊
It is an issue. I keep putting up with it due to my dietary needs and disability that makes canning difficult - not impossible - but difficult and draining.
Sorry to hear that you've had so much problems with your FD. Me and my husband have been thinking about one for several years but been holding off due to the cost. When it comes to fruit we prefer FD. Due to watching this video today and reading the comments I think we can do without. And be like Heidi and just purchase the things that we feel like we absolutely have to have FD.
The replacement parts and pump replacement cost is something people just do not take into consideration. You are not the only one to post about this. It seems that it is not like a refrigerator that you just plug in and forget about for a decade.
@@marthaadams8326 there are a lot of people all over who is looking to learn canning by having someone be there hands on. Maybe you could teach someone and have someone to help you with your canning at the same time. Worth a try, thinking outside of the box here.
I just want to tell you I really appreciate your video. I have been going over the pros and cons of getting a freeze dryer. You are the first to express reasons for not getting one. Thank you 👍
I am glad you are happy with yours but just to clear up a couple points in case anyone else many have missed them: The only nutrients they measure are A and C, these are the same ones that get lost as soon as you cook those same freeze dried items. Canned and dehydrated foods still preserve all their proteins, carbs, minerals, and most vitamins. Canned foods, if properly done and no seals are lost, can last indefinitely. I think many do not realize this. Dehydrated foods can last as long as freeze dried as far as never spoiling but they can lose quality quicker than freeze dried if not properly stores.
I like canning, and don’t find it difficult but the flavors and textures of some of the foods do change. I would never can green beans for instance, as the taste is just too different from fresh. But I love the soups I’ve canned, as well as spaghetti sauce and chicken. I’m glad you like your freezer dryer!!! They’re on my radar....
@@highlandscommunityclub1160 I BOUGHT IT FOR $6000 with all the bells and whistles it arrived late 2 mths plus never worked correctly they always told me it was something i did wrong alot alot of food wasted.the ceo horrible monster of a man.truly it does not freeze dry it drys super well....
Your video is so jam packed with good, helpful information! I’m so glad I came across it. I’ll be a new subscriber starting today, and you just saved me $3000 as I realize now I don’t really need the freeze dryer to get the food preservation I want.
Great Info!!! I have been researching and contemplating the freeze dryer, I like dehydrating for now, I would rather put the funds into more solar panels, I can keep it on the maybe list.😊
We put the money into solar and still dehydrate. Would not change a thing we have an inexpensive way to store all foods and our dehydrator does large quantities at a time.
Thank you for this video. I have been on the fence for a couple of years now, and your video just made up my mind. I have heard so many things about food not being healthy when you dehydrate it. I can now say I can buy two large dehydrators and will not lose any of my garden from now on. And my grandkids will love the healthier snacks.
I was just thinking about a freeze drier and wasn’t really convinced on it so glad you did this video I think I will stick with my Excalibur dehydrator which I 💕. It really does come down to your preference and how much you want to invest in a machine…always look to the maximum benefit it gives . Great info Heidi 👍😊
Just my two cents because I own a freeze dryer. We use it 2 times a week and it has been hugely worth it. We basically freeze dry anything that we would otherwise waste.
I'm looking to buy my first dehydrator. Would you recommend your Excalibur? and if so, what model? I plan to dehydrate herbs and vegetables from my garden. I also have chickens.
We ordered a freeze dryer, and have had a dehydrator for years. I love my dehydrator and will always have it. I wanted a freeze dryer so I can keep full meals shelf stable longer, and because I think freeze drying has a better quality for long term storage. After Covid I stopped worrying about the money of preserving food as much as availability of food. My dehydrator cannot be replaced by the freeze dryer - I use it for so many things, including drying bottles out, craft projects, rising bread, incubating yogurt, etc . .
@@jeannemiller306 I remove the trays from my Excalibur. Make the yogurt mixture. Put in mason jars of your choice (I prefer 1/2 pint jars). Add the lid. Place on the floor of the dehydrator. Set temp for 110 F. Run the dehydrator until the yogurt is set. About 9 hours, give or take, depending on the condtions where your dehydrator is operating. Hope this helps.
Thank you for this video. I can’t afford a freeze dryer nor do I have the space. I have been dehydrating for 2 years now and love it. I do buy the freeze dried fruits and make snack bags for the kids in the car on the way home.
We just bought a freeze dryer this winter. Electricity bill only went up $5 with non stop use. I love FD biscuits and gravy with eggs, FD guacamole, sour cream...even TACOS! LOVE IT!
Heidi, it is great that you did a video on this! It is great to get your opinion on this. I have looked into a freeze dryer and they sure are pricey!! I dehydrate and I as well buy from Mother Earth and it is great! Thank you for telling me about Mother Earth and I do purchase from them too. What a good point Heidi, with dehydrating with zucchini, I know it is amazing how many zucchini you can fit in a qt jar. I find that with many things as well. Heidi, what good information on this subject and the time you put into.
And this was just the part one. Since making this video I learned even more and had quite a few people share their bad experiences with them and with the terrible customer service. Several now only have a very expensive paper weight. Here is the part 2: ruclips.net/video/j4XNsip1vmY/видео.html
Great comparison's. We researched the freeze dryers for a few years. I joined a FD group on social media and the brother in law got one also. We finally got one and love it. It is another tool I use along with canning and dehydrating. I can dry pounds of cooked meats and vegetables in much less time and the average electric cost per load is around $2. Meats are more safely stored when FD, imho. With canning jar shortages such an issue and the fact that the lids will not hold a vacuum for more than a few months, the storage of items in heat sealed mylar bags works very well. Definately a large up front expense. As a complimentary tool to have in our arsenal, it is quickly paying for itself. Rehydrating foods is so easy and the flavors are exactly as the food was going in. Much less space required for storage also. At the cost of commercially prepared FD foods, we are saving a lot. Thanks for the video!
@Rain, I see you and ALL these other great YTers and keep thinking how wonderful it would be to have some y'all close enough and willing to let me help and learn face to face and hands on. I enjoy your video's so much.
Thank you so much for so much information. I just started prepping, and at first it can get expensive, but I know it will be totally worth it. Starting at 56 is a little crazy, but I am doing it, and learning so much from you. I was wondering about the freeze dried machine, they are very expensive, so I think I will buy a dehydrator or two, and skip the freeze dried machine.
One of the issues with putting up one's own food is starting up. Even if you buy canners, all the equipment and special things you put in the food to make it and the time and all the jars, and then the lids - it really is a shock. I had sold all of my jars and the canner when I retired and went on the road in an RV - things changed and I had to buy all of the equipment again and it really adds up. The dehydrators are so advanced from the first one I got at Walmart a long time ago. I like my excalibur, but there are some new ones on the market (but expensive) that have some nice changes (upgrades). I have had my excalibur for years and it is still going. Like everything else, one step at a time. And, your body can't just change what it eats over night, so slow is good and once you have the equipment, you can learn all kinds of new things to do with it. And, the bottom question is what do you like to eat - don't think that you are going to suddenly change a grocery store diet for home made. Do it easy and make it easy on your GI system. Of course, it is far more healthy to grow and cook your own food.
@@marthaadams8326 thank you Martha for the advice. The learning part was overwhelming, and like you said figuring out what to store, and save to eat was also and still is a challange. You don't realized how bad you eat, until you find out what fresh food is actually like. Learning about what to can and store that I would actually like to eat was interesting. Learning about all the herbs that nature has to offer, was a wake up call. I am fascinated, and have been working at trying so many new things. Heidi is my go to for everything, the experience she has is admirable, and the fact that she is willing to share all of it with anyone willing to learn is truly a blessing.
I’m right there with you, starting at 56! Although overwhelming at times, gardening and preserving is going to give me WAYYY more back than I’m putting in. One day, and one informed decision, at a time. One big upside of starting now is the universe of free info/tutorials available at our fingertips!
Even since posting this video well over a year ago, I have learned even more that cemented my decision against one. Much of it being testimonies of those who bought one and they ended up having to send them back multiple times for repairs and also that shortly after shooting this video I started dehydrating even more things like raw eggs, bone broth, yogurt, milk, and much more
This is so timely…we (me) have been thinking about freeze dryers. Alaska Prepper had a video posted today about cost and at what point it pays for itself. It made it seem attractive but our diet is not that meat centric that I can justify. I dehydrate and can right now so I’m happy for both videos, as it has helped me make a decision. Thank you!
I have never had freeze dried meat but feel pretty certain I would prefer my home canned meats over freeze dried any day and they are ready to use as is.
@@RainCountryHomestead my husband has used it a few times for backpacking trips but he was never very happy…it was good. This year I started pressure canning and have done chicken, pork, and beef (on sale). I had a few failures at the beginning but we ate those and he loves them. Did sweet corn and green beans too. Your videos are so helpful! ♥️👍
Thanks for pointing out the pros and cons. I had been wishing for the money for a freeze-dryer, but also the time, energy, and work seemed excessive, plus the more and more freeze-dried foods I try, I am not wild about the texture. I saw on a video that you just dehydrated your broths...hmmm.I don't know if I am brave enough for that.Canning them certainly takes up a lot of space. I use an electric dehydrator and realize that I was making it run on way too high of a setting. The fact that I can do not only fruits and vegetables, but sour cream and eggs has been fantastic.I will try cheese with your method and cotton cloth, ( which is where I had a problem before.)
I bought a freezer drying a couple months ago and I try to use it for something at least every other day. I love freeze dried bananas. Due to the canning lid and jar shortage I thought this would be a good back up and the food would last longer. I've done strawberries, zucchini, oyster mushrooms that I found growing on a log in my yard, buttermilk, raw milk, whey, cheddar cheese, tomatoes. I can't list everything but I can keep that thing going every day if I wanted to. It costs on average about a dollar each time you run it. It's not for everyone but I'm really happy with mine.
Great! Seriously thinking of getting one. I have goats and chickens so far on my property. Was wondering how it turned out FD fresh goat milk? Do y'all FD meats... goats, pork, etc? Been thinking about getting a few pigs to add to my property.
@@sn-dlouwhothatswho180 I haven’t done goat milk, only raw cow milk and it turned out great. It gets light and fluffy. I put it in my food processor to powder it and put into Mylar bags for storage.
I have been drying foods and herbs for over 40 years. I agree with you. I purchase freeze dried when I don't grow certain items. You really give a good over view of each process. Thank you.
Thank you so much for this video! I was stressing about this very subject! AND I went to the Mother Earth Products website (I already used your link last year so no discount this time) and I bought the mango, pineapple and other organic freeze dried items because last year I kept checking and they only ever had corn! So thanks for that!
Thank you for your wisdom on this matter. I have a dehydrator and will be using it much more now! End of garden is near, here ,so I can preserve much more.
Ms. Heidi THANK YOU! I feel like people are on this bandwagon and it's definitely the new "gotta have item" and most people aren't having sincere conversations about long-term costs, maintenance, parts, etc. That cost benefits analysis is the first crucial point. The second is, if you aren't rotating your food pantry then all you're doing is storing food long term. Buying freeze-dried food is still cheaper, by a wide margin and financially it makes more sense. Thirdly, if you are Canning, Dehydrating, using long-term storage preparation (oxygen absorbers, mylar bags, etc) and freezing in a traditional freezer a freeze dryer doesn't make financial sense, it would be a redundancy or a nice to have option *if* you can afford it. If you're looking for that, then it's still more costly than buying freeze-dried but at least it's an honest conversation with yourself, although an *extremely expensive* one. Lastly, if you are looking to rotate your pantry and cook your food for quick meals, Canning is your best bet for convenience. Again, THANK YOU for speaking up! Ms. Heidi honest videos like this are why I love your channel 👏👏👏 ❤️
Great video,yes I was so glad to watch your video as didn’t want to purchase such an expensive product as every one seems to have one ,well at 71 I wouldn’t get my money out of buying one great video just found your channel,such great information
Thanks Heidi! Great explanation and comparison between freeze drying and dehydrating. After watching this video I feel fine about not being able to afford a freeze dryer and I love dehydrating foods since I have a small house and very little storage. Didn’t realize that most FD foods take up more space than dehydrated . I’m sticking with my jars and my brake bleeder(which my husband built)😊
Thank You sister, I needed to hear this because I just bought a new Eletric Fryer & Dehydrator. Your advice keeps this man from spending money. As Mark Twain said, common sense is not all the time common practice". God Bless and Merry Christmas, Joseph
I absolutely love my FD and wouldn't be without it, But I love dehydrator too. Both are excellent and both have their place. I have replaced 90% of canning this year with freeze drying and what a blessing!
@@nrgltwrkr2225 well, I upgraded to the premium pump. And that made it 1 month! So, I put that on the shelf and ordered the standard pump. I'm probably the only person that prefers the standard pump over the premium pump. 😆
@@nrgltwrkr2225 I am not one to complain and although I should have talked to customer service, I just replaced it with a standard pump, myself, and now I'm a happy camper!. I have heard customer service is very good. If you get on the "Retired at 40" Mewe or FB group, lots of people talk about the oil less pump.
Great video; well-spoken, informational, bullet-pointed, no rambling. It's great news that the FoodSaver lids run out of stock often -- means that people are wiser than I thought.
When we were raising goats and milk goats, I came very close to getting a freeze dryer. I ended up using my army of dehydrators, pressure canner and freezers to preserve the meat. As goat meat is a naturally lean meat, they dehydrate well. Made a lot of pemmican with dehydrated goat and grass-fed beef tallow (from friend in trade for goat meat). I can, freeze and dehydrate the foods I grow/forage. When tropical fruits & vegetables come on sale/in season, I do them also. A freeze dryer is now is very low on my wish list.
an alternative to making pemmican is to make Machaca. does not use any tallow. you start with Jerky. over dry it. break it up. shred it by pounding, or blender. do long term storage with glass jars or mylar, oxygen absorbers.
I did not know that about freeze-dried taking up the same amount of space, although I should have noticed it with things like corn and berries. Space is my biggest issue right now. Thank you for this video! Think I'll stick with my big, noisy 9-tray Excalibur dehydrator.
Thanks so much for this video. I too have been going back and forth on this one… but the investment for me would be just under $8000 AUD ( That’s a Harvest right medium sized unit for domestic use) That’s a HUGE amount of money. Especially on a widow’s pension of under $30,000 per year. By the time we pay for the shipping, factor in the profit margin for the Australian Affiliate, the GST (tax) and the exchange rate- it is prohibitively expensive! I love the idea of freeze dried veggies and especially eggs and chicken. But, I can buy SO much food for the same amount of money🤷♀️
If GESARA every goes in effect, it might not be such a huge exchange to get it. Yes, my eggs from my own chickens could not be replicated by any big business (I have eaten both).
Thanks for this video. All these youtubers buying freeze driers that most of us can't afford, but we can afford a dehydrator. I have a dehydrator & can't afford a freeze drier. I've just been dehydrating & vacuum sealing them.
I think a lot of them had the f.d. GIVEN to them because of the large audience and you should take note that the company replaces them every 2 years or so.
@@marthaadams8326 and I bet they sign a release that they can't talk about how often they stop working. I got my dehydrator at a yard sale 20+ years ago and it still works. My HR FD died after 12 months.
Thank you for this helpful information. I have been weighing the decision to purchase a freeze dryer. I did just watch a video where a family uses both a dehydrator & freeze dryer. They performed a test with a meter to measure the power usage of each. The cost of power was approximately $1.07 dehydrator vs. $1.23 freeze dryer per batch. They used unfrozen foods in both. My idea would be…if you are prepping wanting some peace of mind for food security for a certain amount of time buy the food. If you are homesteading and plan on it being a way of life buy the freeze dryer. They’re expensive so perhaps go in with 1-2 relatives or small group to share the cost.
Though one can still dehydrate almost anything one can freeze dry. Since shooting the above video, I have dehydrated milk, cheese, bone broth, raw eggs, sausage, yogurt and more. One point that I forgot to make is that freeze dryers have very little space in them compared to dehydrators so you put up a lot more food in one run on a dehydrator as opposed to a freeze dryer. Also, many things can be dried without the need for even an electric dehydrator which saves even more money. It is the way people all over the world preserved meats, berries and more for at least hundreds of years to get them through the hard winter months and they did not even have electricity
@@RainCountryHomestead I love watching your channel and all the helpful information you give viewers. It’s inspiring to see all you’re doing. I especially liked your video using colloidal silver for cleaning and your washer station!!
I love my dehydrated food. I started two years ago and most of what I have is from then. All of it looks beautiful, still. Even the meats are pristine. I did put breadcrumbs in the chicken and ground beef. But it doesn't smell rancid at all, after two years. My kale is bright green, my carrots, bright orange. I was inspired by your dehydrating of meat. I can't cycle through much of this, by myself, so I am counting on it to last some amount of years. And my eggs and cheese are also perfect looking. The freeze dryer has always turned me off for some reason. I know it wouldn't be bad to have, but I don't think I ever want one.
I use a dehumidifier to dry my foods. I took a hanging closet type thing and fixed screen trays in it and hung it in a small closet. The bottom is open so I make sure it hangs to the floor. I put a small dehumidifier in the bottom. It works great without using heat. It does take longer but I can dry a lot at one time.
Freeze dryers absolutely have their place. I have been dehydrating for twenty years and have it down to an art. I choose to continue to dehydrate.
Could you tell me how long mixed vegetables will last dehydrated with an oxygen obsorber?
How did you acquire a freeze dryer 20 years ago? The Harvest Right in the comparison has only been available for 8 years.
@@priusdwelling504 read their.comment again. It says they dehydrate. Not freeze dry. 20 years of dehydrating.
@@priusdwelling504 he said freeze driers have their place but he would rather stick to dehydrating.
Totally agree with you. For those who have the funds and ambition to take on a very expensive machine, that the parts come from China, go for it. I too have been dehydrating foods for 25 plus years on an old American Harvest dehydrator. If we can not use the stuff and rotate every year no more than 7 years we did not like it to begin with. Rotation is key, cooking at home and using the foods one stores.
It may be different rate issues where you are, but I have a usage meter on my freeze dryer that can measure the total use during a cycle, and a 24-39 hour session, once I work the cost per watt use, comes out to ~$1.18- ~$1.43 currently. It has actually enabled us to empty one of our upright freezers, put all that meat into long term storage buckets in mylar bags, and give that freezer to our son and his wife, which means we no longer pay for the constant electricity for a third freezer.
We love that fruits, veggies, and meats don't sit in our freezer for 6-12 months anymore (we are paying power that entire time). Instead we pay for 1-2 days of power with our freeze dryer and the food goes on the shelf.
@@nrgltwrkr2225
I love my freeze dryer!
yea I was actually just guessing
@@nrgltwrkr2225
I have the small one. It's ok but I wish I would have bought the medium size.
@@nrgltwrkr2225
No problem. There's usually around a 10 week waiting period. If you get one you will not regret it. Food is going to keep going up so that's my opinion 👌
I have had dehydraters for years. Gave an old Wards big Bro dryer to a friend a while back. Have dried pumpkin, squash and many types of veggies over the years. Drying squash now. Putting in jars. Kids gave me a sealer 2 years ago. Great to store in sealable totes. Sealed med. Supplies. Flour. Beans. rice. Gave daughter a 6 shelf dryer as she started storing. Bought another one for my use. Stores have many bare, short shelves here now. Buy mixed veggies from Aldis, dry. Cheaper than big stores. Get busy folks. 86 years young,remember WWII shortages. Coming soon to us.
Absolutely! Those just getting into stocking & storing food NOW are Very Late to the game ...
And I Pray ... Not Too Late. YAH Bless His People!
Shalom.
Best , most fair video on the subject. Amazing how logical a perspective can be when not sponsored by a product such as the freeze dryer.
Dear Heidi, you have saved me days and days of research by sharing all your experience with us in this video. It is exactly what I needed. Thank you for the details.
Hi Heidi!! Hope you and Patrick are doing great! Thank you so much for doing this video. I always have you playing in the background when I’m working in the kitchen because I I always learn so much from you! I don’t normally get a chance to comment but I wanted to comment about this because this is such an important topic I’ve been seeing so many people get freeze dryers and I’ve really been wondering as to what they think when comparing it to dehydrated food. I also wondered about the power usage. This was great and so helpful! Thank you! Love, Mary❤️🤗❤️
I agree! Your videos are just what I’ve been looking for, and thought I may have to make all these videos myself! Lol I’m so glad I found your channel. I actually heard of you from Mary’s Nest! I love watching both of you!!! Thank you both for your videos!
Lol ☺️ Heidi introduced me to Mary's channel. There are many more. But I usually hang out here or there. More than anything I think you get motivated and focused when you have so much to do.
Thank you Mary! Hope you are doing well my friend! 🥰
@@loboalamo Yes!
Alaska Prepper just did a video is it worth the investment freeze drying? Watch his video!!!
Alaska Prepper did a video this morning using his freeze dryer on beef cubes and chicken. He broke it down in cost between doing it himself and buying the products. He also determined how long it would take for him to pay off the freeze dryer with the savings. Might be helpful for anyone considering purchase. Another channel did a video about storing milk and decided freeze dried powder retained the best flavor. Thank you; your videos have helped me so much!
Thank you so much ! I just flip off the freeze drying channels. Sooo many. Now it is fermenting. Like everything, good to know, but not for all
The home f.d. is not good for milk.
Home freeze dryer is great for milk. Best flavor!
As she mention everyone has their own preference.
For me to do freeze dried milk it would be nasty. To freeze dry you can only use skimmed milk no fats are allowed.
Yes, it is important to reduce the amount of fat in foods to be freeze dried however you can freeze dry whole milk. Having fat in a FD product reduces the shelf life of that item. At that point it is as so many have said...personal preference. If all I had was powdered milk available from the store, I would never drink milk again, but that’s just me. So I am thrilled with the flavor of my freeze dried whole milk and will just store and rotate accordingly!
Thank you so much for this video. I recently got my first dehydrator and have been stressing over getting a freeze dryer, which I could never afford. This video has made me realize that for the $5000 + it would cost me to get and maintain a freeze dryer, I could purchase another dehydrator and many canning jars to stock my pantry. And buy freeze dried items that I can't dehydrate in #10 cans on Amazon.
I just came across your channel today and I am so glad I did. Again thank you. 🙂
Very detailed summary I appreciate this information very much. Not everybody is as detailed as you are and that's one thing we like about your Channel. May God bless you and your husband and family!
I have a FD and just bought a new dehydrator. I really like both, but you nailed it in this video on them both. Also, I would like to add the cost of any extra trays, mats or other accessories are very costly.
and dealing with the company. I like both too, but dehydrators are much easier to deal with if something happens to them and cheaper to replace. Also, one can dehydrate without buying dehydrator.
We had a freeze dryer for a month. We got rid of it because of the reasons you've stated. After we used it a couple of weeks, we just couldn't see the benefits over our dehydrating and/or canning. Thank you for sharing your opinion. I feel guilty when talking to others, because we chose to get rid of the freeze dryer.
I used to feel the same way about Instant Pots. I bought one with huge expectations and the only thing I think it's good for is making yogurt and maybe as a slow cooker.
@@tracyflenner Wow, I bought one thinking it was stupid - but I can not cut open my favorite spaghetti squash and it makes my chicken bone stock in so little time compared to watching the stove for hours on end. And, Now I am using the crockpot on it to keep my canning stuff warm to put it up. IT gives me more space on the stove top.
@@marthaadams8326 Great idea to use the Instant Pot to keep foods warm for the canner. I'm going to use that trick.
@@tracyflenner please boil eggs in your instant pot. You'll never hard boil them any other way. The egg shells come off in 2 pieces every time.
Oh wow i have 3 instant pots and can’t live without them. They do so much, definitely the best and most versatile tool in my belt.
Thanks you for being so clear, concise, to-the-point and not being "chatty" - and mentioning details not everyone covers.
So glad I found your video explaining the difference between dehydrated and freeze dried. Was leaning towards a freeze dryer, but they are more expensive. Decided to go with an upgraded dehydrator based on the information in the video. Thx for your knowledge.
What an awesome explanation of the difference between these two methods of food preservation! The only people on YT that I know that have a freeze dryer are those that were gifted them by the company for promotion. I did check into the price and a freeze dryer is unaffordable for me - nearly $3,000.00. I have been feeling bad about the nutritional loss of dehydrating food until today! Thank you so much Heidi for yet another wonderful and very informative video!!!
And that $3000 is for the smallest one that really does not hold much at all. Another point I forgot to cover is just how small those trays are because the machine itself takes up most of the space
@@RainCountryHomestead Medium is $2695 right now - but still question it on a limited budget. Why else would you want one - do have your own farm? chickens? etc.? special diet?
I would assume that by the time one adds tax on to that, it is still pretty close to $3000. Funny thing is I was still on the fence before compiling information for this video but after doing so I realized it was not worth the investment for us and even since then have learned more information that have me absolutely not interested.
Home Depot frequently runs specials 24 months same as cash so this is how I got mine.
Great comprehensive video! This is why people refer to this as YT University.
I agree, they both have pros and cons, you just broke it all down. Be blessed and much love ❤️ 🌿
Thank you, Heidi. I decided I would never have a freeze dryer the first time I checked and saw the price. Very good information. 😃
Yeah, a couple of years ago we bought a real nice used car for the same price it would cost us to buy a freeze dryer! haha
I’m pretty excited. I just ordered my first dehydrator ever. I’ve been watching lots of videos and want to try my hand at it. Best of all-I used my bonus points so I only paid $35 for a really nice six tray Corsori! I’m pretty pleased with that. 😂
Nice!
While I don't agree with everything you say, you provide a lot of priceless info and do a phenomenal job of explaining things.
The Canadian Prepper did a video on food preservation. He skipped dehydrating. I pointed this out in the comments. Got some good replies for that. Dehydrating holds more nutrition than canning. So I ferment for short term and dehydrate for long term. Simple and sweet. Don't make things hard, costly, and complicated. Like how God intended.
I watch him too so have you dehydrate your food, is it better? I don't want to pay 2300.00 for a freeze dryer
GOD GAVE US STARS TO TRAVEL TO THEM.not simple.
@@ashyslashy5818 He gave us stars for signs, not to travel to them.
I surely just saved that money. I was on the fence about purchasing a fd im sticking with my dehrdrator. Its a lot of maintenance and they are noisy. Sprom ace wise take up a lot of room and from what i have seen in fb groups if there are issues your out that money most times.
@@jmrdrgz completely irrelevant, but how do you know he doesn't want us to reach them? There's no commandment saying "though shalt not go beyond thy atmosphere". I think he made it as a challenge, or an opportunity.
Back in topic, have you tried dehydrating food, or any of the other discussed methods? Do you have a preference?
Once again you have helped me think through things better. I do see folks trying to follow after one another just like a trend which is sad to me. I use my dehydrator and it works fine for me. I have friends who own a freeze dryer and I can buy products from them if need be, which in turn helps them with the investment they have made. Blessings to you dear Lady❤🙏
Love that you are buying from a friend, what good deal for both of you!
@@tabandken8562 I would not take offense to that, for some, yes, they are following a trend and we also know that there are many smart enough to do their own research to make sure it is wise choice. This is why I recommend trying freeze dried foods first, even though buying them can be expensive, to try them in small amounts first is far less expensive than investing in a freeze dryer to find there are only a few things you care for (if any) freeze dried. Some people do not like ANY thing freeze dried. It is all a matter of choice. As for me, I realize exactly how much I am spending and I am not spending anywhere near the amount that people wrongly assume that I do. I certainly have not spent enough to pay for a freeze dryer. I am glad I bought what I did to try out and am glad I learned how much I really do not like any vegetables freeze dried and the few things I DO like freeze dried I either cannot get fresh in a good organic form here or cannot grow so I would still have to purchase those items anyway then go through the work and energy of freeze drying. When it really comes down to it though, we could live quite happily never having any freeze dried foods and this I have learned through by trial and error. If I had invested in a freeze dryer to find this out, that would have been a much bigger waste of money for me but for those who love all their freeze dried foods, then it is a wise investment for them. No judgement on my part for sure
@@tabandken8562 Ah yes, the dairies, I do not think to count those but yes, I have done the price comparisons. We do not have diary animals so I still have to buy milk, cheese, and butter anyway. Comparing the price of the dried diary products to what I pay locally for quality whole milk, then figuring in the cost and time to dehydrate or freeze dry myself, there is little to no difference in cost. Since my recent dehydrating eggs experiment has been a major success, I am going to try dehydrating milk but only as an experiment to see how well it works since, as I said, I still have to buy milk anyway, I will still be stocking up on the powders for long term storage, I just want to try it so I can share with others my results. The egg powder I made myself from my own chicken eggs tastes way better than the ones I bought from another company, I am curious to see how home dehydrated whole milk will compare to the ones I purchase. Then I plan to share my results with those who cannot afford a freeze dryer but have dairy animals and lots of milk to put up.
@@tabandken8562 I get that on the not trusting, I often feel the same way, wondering if they foods I buy is just a waste of money because how do we really know how organic and so on each thing is but since we took ourselves off thyroid meds 9.5 years ago, I do try to do my best because I want to stay pharma free.
@@RainCountryHomestead What did you do to take yourself off thyroid meds??
We have had our freeze dryer for 6 months and absolutely love it. It's been in almost constant use. We also have an Excalibur dehydrator it also has it's place.
Taste wise, is it worth it
@@joyaustin6581 YES
U are very important person in the healthy system in the planet.simple living and have everything for living.we also learn something from u.thanks sis
Thank you for the information. I love my dehydrator, been drying things I've never done before. I love how you can store s lot of food in a small space.
I’ve watched Living Traditions Homestead with their freeze dryer which they are over the moon with but they have an out of the house space for it. They are young and able bodied. I am struck by a couple things : it seems like the labor is intensive , I have some disabilities so I felt I had to consider that. They are very excited about the shelf life and I am 72.5 years I personally don’t think it would ever pay for itself even nearly. I suppose my kids could inherit food I had prepared but that seems a bit of negative energy use for my body energy. I agree people are made to feel they have to have it and not just the freeze dryer.
They also grow a huge amount of food. Plus eggs from their chickens. The only way it would pay off for me is if I freeze dried a ton of meat. I’m 72 and don’t like meat that much,lol. Taste change.
@@bettypierce5323 I know what you mean, I don’t much care for meat when it’s fresh so I’m sure I wouldn’t have need of lots dehydrated, frozen, canned or freeze dried! You know I often wonder how LTH folks eat all the food they grow and put up. There’s only 4 of them and 1 daughter is off to college. We actually didn’t even eat all we put up last year.
me too and I am alone - only reason I deal with it is because of my diet - plant based, my own chicken eggs and nuts and seeds. I find it very easy to put food in it, not all the prep like for canning and no lifting. Labor is the main reason I like it. I have a 90% or so disabled right arm. Canning is labor intensive and I am almost 80 and should be dead - like a number of times - only God knows my time. But, the freeze dryer once set up is so much easier to prep for. I do have to blanch potatoes, but other than that, it is so easy.
@@rhondaroland1079 They do grow an abundance. The girls while not fat do look well fed. They do share plenty with family, friends, church members as well. They also want a huge supply to fall back on in case of bad crop seasons, injuries, whatever. Their freeze dryer works out great for them.
We have one and love it. We have found it to be much easier than canning or dehydrating and prefer the end result much more. Higher nutrition and better taste. It was an investment, but we have had it 4 years now and well worth it.
I’ve had a freeze dryer for about 6 months and I love it!! It was expensive, but it’s been in constant operation since it arrived. I store everything in mylar bags with oxygen absorbers. I’ve been very happy with it, but I understand that not everyone is able to afford the up front expense.The bulk, light sensitivity, weight and breakability of glass jars were big issues for me.
@@nrgltwrkr2225 I have had one for 2 years and have put up enough freeze dried meals for a family of 5 for 3 years I put up about 40lbs of food a week I just did 160 chicken eggs in one batch = 20 pints we bought a large and would of went bigger if I could its about .50 cents for o2 absorber and 1 qt. bag its about 3 dollars in electric per batch and we average about 12 batches a month at 15-20lbs per batch. we mostly do meals soup, chili. chicken broccoli and rice casserole,
Love your comment Chlo Yo ... I love my bottles but I get where your coming from, There is a ongoing cost and maintenance on glass bottles that you dont have with mylar...
@@notsoshortbus1651 How do you freeze dry soup?
@@Jan-qq9xc harvest rightruclips.net/video/sufjzzfZL7k/видео.html
Why not just can the chili and soup?
Granted, if I had a freeze drier, I'd use it every chance I got.
Excellent research, and a fair look at both dehydration and freeze-dried processes, costs and more.
I have never seen a video explaining the pros and cons in such an informative way. thank you 😊
I have trying to decide if the cost of the freeze is really worth it for me. The answer was no because it is just me. I can dehydrate what small quantities I will need. Thank you Heidi. I love your channel. God bless you.
I really appreciate that you share your experience and that you are curious, it saves me so much money! LOL! After a little research, I discovered that some freeze dryers require a certain humidity, temperature and maintenance that was more than I was willing to deal with. It definitely isn't an off-grid appliance like dehydrating and sun drying- even a dehydrator uses so much less energy that can be maintained with solar power. Another point of interest for me is that it is difficult to process very much at a time and can take 24 hours to process the batch and can also make the room hot. So when I would use it most, during summer with my garden production, I want a larger batch capability and definitely don't want my house hotter. Since attention to having things on hand has come to the forefront, there is a company that has sent free freeze dryers, (among a lot of other appliances, etc.) to people that have an audience, and don't get me wrong, I really appreciate it and wouldn't say no to receiving a free one myself. However, I think it gives the impression that the content creator likes the item whether they do or not. I think it is a wonderful method of preservation, just not for me. Thank for sharing, I love the ideas you have for the use of the freeze dried or dehydrated food. Especially banana cream pie, oh my!
Girlfriend-I am so happy to see this video. I’ve been talking with my partner about investing in a freeze dryer based on so many people acting like it’s the only quality way to preserve food.
But, in my mind I truly haven’t felt good about over $5,000 being put into a machine when we have so many other expenses right now-not to mention the process is rather time consuming to me. I do understand in about 50 or so purchases of bulk freeze dried products, I will have paid for a machine. But, some choices aren’t all about the money-it’s about the labor. I’m a very busy chef and business owner, and I cook every single day for work and for my family. I just don’t have the desire to put any additional work into anything but some basic water bath canning, pressure canning, and buying freeze dried food. I don’t feel so bad about my choices to buy already freeze dried or dehydrating anymore!❤
This video is almost two years old and I have learned so much more since that has solidified my decision. I cover these in another video that will be publishing later in September. I was even recently offered a free one to review and I turned it down because I want to continue to help people to find ways to put up food while also saving money, which is not going to happen with a freeze dryer!
@@RainCountryHomestead thank you for that. I would get so depressed when I'd watch some of the "big utubers," and their freeze dryer videos. Not that they made me feel that way, but I just felt "left out," with so many people getting them, as well. I'm very thankful for finding your utube channel. Going to binge watch this winter, as I plan my large garden, and herb garden next Spring, Lord willing! Love your videos on herbs, vinegars, medicinal herbs, and everything. Thank you for passing on the wisdom. I'm also going to copy the written format, so if anything happens, I'll have it in a binder, with page protectors.
The best news today! God is Good All The Time! 👍
This was chocked full of helpful information. Thanks Heidi for all that you do and God is good all the time.
The timing for this video worked out perfectly for me. I'm 71 & after watching Living Traditions, I looked into getting one & was floored by the price. Then I saw the title of your video & decided to watch. What you said makes perfect sense to me so I will be getting a dehydrator. It makes a LOT more sense for us. This info is very helpful, thank you!!! I've been so disgusted with GMOs being shoved on the public, livestock loaded up w/hormones & antibiotics. It just makes sense to put up our own food & since the canning jars have been magically removed from the stores, canning is no longer an option unless you already have them. Guess it's gonna be Mylar bags & 5 gal buckets for us.
Thanks for your honest overview. Over on another channel I just watched my first freeze dryer video. Then watched another. Not only did both videos come across as veiled advertisements presented as "reviews," but even the comments from users in the comment sections looked fake and fabricated. They want you to pay, what, $4K for a machine, plus go to all that trouble and listen to all that noise? For what? I can't see that you could ever save enough on freeze drying sale items and leftovers to pay for one. The only advantage is to put the food back for several years, which is a big thing, but there has to be a better way.
I concur, I been going back and forth on a freeze drier and I just can’t justify the cost. I still am very intrigued in them .
Same for me 3to 6 grand is alotta money that i could put towards farm equipment or building equipment or seed or shoot savings
I've had mine for 3 yrs & I can completely justify the cost. But then again I've been smart with my $ so im financially freed to make such purchases
@@renardoshuler5337 my concern are all the reports of vacuum problems. It sounds like quality control is an issue.
Thank you for doing this video! I was kind of feeling bad about not having a freeze drier, but after this video and spending time carefully considering this matter I am completely satisfied with my decision to stay with dehydrating only. I’m sure I will be able to talk this over with my husband and he will come to the same conclusion. I love when I can be so happy about not having something! Thanks again.
I so agree!
Thanks for the video Heidi, I'm still leaning towards the freeze dryer mostly because I over cook and hate the waist. A freezer can only hold so much. All of your points were very good and for me it's the freeze dryer.
Thanks for the honest take on Freeze Drying vs Dehydrating.
Thank you very much your talk Heidi. It brought many things to view that I did not realize I had been really wanting a freeze dryer but has lowered down on my list if not dropped off for right now because of some of the points you made. I think right now my better investment would be a better dehydrator. Thanks a lot for all your research and all the things you do
This was so incredibly helpful to someone new to preserving foods. Thank you for breaking this down so anyone could understand it regardless of their skill level.
I loved this video and agree with you. I do have a freeze drier ( I bought it 3 months ago after a couple of years of debating weather it was worth it) and use it almost constantly this time of year BUT it takes much longer to freeze dry food then they say! I also have found many foods that are better dehydrated then freeze dried. The freeze drier is easy to use and has very little maintenance but I feel there is still a lot of room for improvements they have not perfected the machine yet. If I was to purchase it again though I would have bought the large and not the medium.
Great tips!!!
Thank you!!
I was considering a FD too. I have always canned, froze and fermented. I decided to get a dehydrator, extra jars, tattler type lids and a pump. I am looking forward to growing and dehydrating my own medicinal herbs, as well as Zuc and carrots, berries and some leafs for powders. I also bought several fruit plants. Honeyberries, gogi berries, elderberries, pears and plums. I will buy dehydrated herbs for this winter as I learn about this new method of food preservation. Bought 4 new lasting books on herbs and gardening might even take a class. I feel great about my extra spending, toward lasting things and increasing my skills which is priceless.
Love your channel. Thanks for all you do!
Thank you, Heidi. I am so grateful to you for explaining the differences When I first started putting food by I was working so what I couldn't grow and can myself I started buying freeze dried, not a lot but some. Now that I am retired I can't afford it but only occasionally and very little. I do dehydrate and absolutely love it. Especially ingredients for soups and stews. That being said I was still worried about shelf life. I had assumed it was only a years or so on the dehydrated. Thank you so much for the info because there is no way I can afford a freeze dryer. I live alone in a very rural area so I spend a lot of time watching videos at night on prepping, homesteading, and putting food by. Seems like most everyone has gone to freeze drying. That leaves me out. Again, thank you and I love all your videos. God bless....
Thankyou for this, I'm pretty sure I will never want a freeze dryer now. You've saved me a lot of money and time.
Thank you Heidi. I love your videos because they are informative and practical. There is no way one of those fancy freeze driers would be cost effective for just my husband and I. At our age I will stick to my traditional methods of canning, dehydrating and purchase freeze dried here and there if I choose. Again, I appreciate your practicality.
Thanks for addressing this issue, Heidi! It's helped me to look at it differently and thus make my decision easier.
I appreciate seeing this video, packed full of great information about preserving food. I just bought a dehydrator. and also was finally able to obtain the FoodSaver lids, along with my brake bleeder. I'm loving it! Been preserving food like crazy.💚
thank you for the video. i don't know much about either dehydrating or freeze drying and that helped.
I have a Harvest Freeze dryer and absolutely love it ... and also love to dehydrate. Both have their place. It’s a choice that each should make for themselves and no should should feel a need to defend their decision they made that are best for them. For us - just to FD eggs and milk make it worth it for us - although I am using it for a lot of other things too. But will always use and love my dehydrator too!
Well said! No one on either side should feel they have to defend their choice as what is best for each will vary.
Meat, milk, and eggs make the freeze dryer tempting. I'm not sure I want to risk those with a dehydrator.
@@snorman1951 What is jerky you buy from the store? Dehydrated (not freeze dried) meat. I have made plenty of this and stored it for years in jars with no issue. The only thing with dried meats is they do not rehydrated as well as freeze dried, other than ground meats.
In the past few days I have been dehydrating eggs from our own chickens and have thus far made simple scrambled eggs and pancakes from them and they were great. I will be moving on and doing more baking with the egg powder. What I can say with absolute certainty is that my own powdered eggs taste WAY better than the kind I have bought in the past.
Even though I have no need to powder milk since I have to buy it anyway, I am still going to try dehydrating some just to try it and see how it turns out. There are plenty that have done this very thing for themselves.
@@RainCountryHomestead Thank you for the reply. I'm still nervous. Darcy from The Purposeful Pantry is my dehydrating guru and she won't do eggs meat, or milk. I figure the jerky makers know what they're doing and I'm a beginner and mostly clueless. I would have no idea whether my efforts were golden or poison. From what I have read, there is a risk. And I'm not sure one can tell good from bad. Any ideas on that?
@@snorman1951 Even the most experienced dehydrator, canner, and so on, are going to have their own thoughts and opinions that may or may not be based in fact. Much of what many people do or do not do is based on myths handed down through generations such as "Never stack your jars" (myth) yet the most experienced and knowledgeable canners still refused to stack their jars because it was what they were taught. I have been dehydrating meats long before I even had a dehydrator or got into dehydrating fruits, herbs, and vegetables. Native Americans, dehydrated meats long before that without the use of either a freeze dryer or dehydrator.
There is a lot of fear induced on people when it comes to food preservation and most of the time it is based on a lack of understanding or myths.
However, you have to make the chooses that are best for you. Just remember, everything in life comes with a risk, even just getting out of bed in the morning or buying that pre packaged food, be it jerky or a bagged salad, from the store. Those that "know what they are doing" have been the worst offenders at killing people because of E. Coli in their food and you are more likely to get botulism from store bought canned foods than home canned. Just some things to consider.
You just got a sub because we have the same dehydrator. That made me smile. The content and I've been having this conversation with myself. Thank you for this pro/con.
Great job, Heidi. We bought a FD 4 years ago and it still has not paid for itself - between the original cost, electricity, oil, multiple pumps (hundreds of dollars), and replacement parts. Maybe some people have better luck. You’re right, if you can’t grow your own food, then there is that expense, not to mention the time involved. Time wasted trying to get help from Harvest Right is also a very frustrating factor.
I will also add that if someone wants to get a FD, be selective on what you dry. Fruit is great, making raw liver treats for the dog is great. Extra eggs work great to powder for scrambling and cooking. Gives meat longer shelf life and saves freezer space. High fat content shortens shelf life.
We got ours for 3 households, but have had so many problems that we’d have been better off taking that money and buying commercially prepared freeze dried food.
Thanks for the great videos 😊
It is an issue. I keep putting up with it due to my dietary needs and disability that makes canning difficult - not impossible - but difficult and draining.
Sorry to hear that you've had so much problems with your FD.
Me and my husband have been thinking about one for several years but been holding off due to the cost.
When it comes to fruit we prefer FD.
Due to watching this video today and reading the comments I think we can do without. And be like Heidi and just purchase the things that we feel like we absolutely have to have FD.
The replacement parts and pump replacement cost is something people just do not take into consideration. You are not the only one to post about this. It seems that it is not like a refrigerator that you just plug in and forget about for a decade.
@@marthaadams8326 there are a lot of people all over who is looking to learn canning by having someone be there hands on. Maybe you could teach someone and have someone to help you with your canning at the same time. Worth a try, thinking outside of the box here.
Thank you. I don’t feel so bad now knowing that it might not be cost effective especially w/ all the problems. I don’t want any work at 73.
I just want to tell you I really appreciate your video. I have been going over the pros and cons of getting a freeze dryer. You are the first to express reasons for not getting one. Thank you 👍
I LOVE my freeze dryer! It retains the most nutrients. I find it WAY easier than canning. Longest shelf life. Fun!
I am glad you are happy with yours but just to clear up a couple points in case anyone else many have missed them: The only nutrients they measure are A and C, these are the same ones that get lost as soon as you cook those same freeze dried items. Canned and dehydrated foods still preserve all their proteins, carbs, minerals, and most vitamins. Canned foods, if properly done and no seals are lost, can last indefinitely. I think many do not realize this. Dehydrated foods can last as long as freeze dried as far as never spoiling but they can lose quality quicker than freeze dried if not properly stores.
I like canning, and don’t find it difficult but the flavors and textures of some of the foods do change. I would never can green beans for instance, as the taste is just too different from fresh. But I love the soups I’ve canned, as well as spaghetti sauce and chicken. I’m glad you like your freezer dryer!!! They’re on my radar....
I WASTED ALMOST $6K WORST CUSTOMER SERVICE ON THE PLANET.
@@ashyslashy5818 what happened?? I do canning and dehydrate and was thinking of getting a freeze dryer.
@@highlandscommunityclub1160 I BOUGHT IT FOR $6000 with all the bells and whistles it arrived late 2 mths plus never worked correctly they always told me it was something i did wrong alot alot of food wasted.the ceo horrible monster of a man.truly it does not freeze dry it drys super well....
All the Time, God is good; keep being a blessing, enjoy life and have a bless day
Great video as always! Your my favorite on youtube right now... You are helping me in numerous ways. Thanks to God for his teachers! 🙏📖🙌
Your video is so jam packed with good, helpful information! I’m so glad I came across it. I’ll be a new subscriber starting today, and you just saved me $3000 as I realize now I don’t really need the freeze dryer to get the food preservation I want.
Totally agree with you. Don't need a freeze dryer. Dehydrating is so much fun and using the solar oven makes it free for me.
Thank you for your honesty
Great Info!!! I have been researching and contemplating the freeze dryer, I like dehydrating for now, I would rather put the funds into more solar panels, I can keep it on the maybe list.😊
I really agree with you on the dehydrated and solar. We all have to really think about our future.
Our choice as well! 😂
We put the money into solar and still dehydrate. Would not change a thing we have an inexpensive way to store all foods and our dehydrator does large quantities at a time.
Thank you for this video. I have been on the fence for a couple of years now, and your video just made up my mind. I have heard so many things about food not being healthy when you dehydrate it. I can now say I can buy two large dehydrators and will not lose any of my garden from now on. And my grandkids will love the healthier snacks.
I was just thinking about a freeze drier and wasn’t really convinced on it so glad you did this video I think I will stick with my Excalibur dehydrator which I 💕. It really does come down to your preference and how much you want to invest in a machine…always look to the maximum benefit it gives . Great info Heidi 👍😊
Just my two cents because I own a freeze dryer. We use it 2 times a week and it has been hugely worth it. We basically freeze dry anything that we would otherwise waste.
I have 2 excaliburs, think I'll stay with them.
I'm looking to buy my first dehydrator. Would you recommend your Excalibur? and if so, what model? I plan to dehydrate herbs and vegetables from my garden. I also have chickens.
Totally off topic. You have the most amazing hair!
We ordered a freeze dryer, and have had a dehydrator for years. I love my dehydrator and will always have it. I wanted a freeze dryer so I can keep full meals shelf stable longer, and because I think freeze drying has a better quality for long term storage. After Covid I stopped worrying about the money of preserving food as much as availability of food. My dehydrator cannot be replaced by the freeze dryer - I use it for so many things, including drying bottles out, craft projects, rising bread, incubating yogurt, etc . .
Drying bottles! What a great idea.
Yeah good idea drying bottles
If you don't mind saying I'm interested in how you incubated your yogurt
@@jeannemiller306 I remove the trays from my Excalibur. Make the yogurt mixture. Put in mason jars of your choice (I prefer 1/2 pint jars). Add the lid. Place on the floor of the dehydrator. Set temp for 110 F. Run the dehydrator until the yogurt is set. About 9 hours, give or take, depending on the condtions where your dehydrator is operating.
Hope this helps.
Thank you for this video. I can’t afford a freeze dryer nor do I have the space. I have been dehydrating for 2 years now and love it.
I do buy the freeze dried fruits and make snack bags for the kids in the car on the way home.
I have had my freeze dryer for a year, use it constantly and love it.
It is a good thing to be pleased with one's investments :)
We just bought a freeze dryer this winter. Electricity bill only went up $5 with non stop use.
I love FD biscuits and gravy with eggs, FD guacamole, sour cream...even TACOS! LOVE IT!
Heidi, it is great that you did a video on this! It is great to get your opinion on this. I have looked into a freeze dryer and they sure are pricey!! I dehydrate and I as well buy from Mother Earth and it is great! Thank you for telling me about Mother Earth and I do purchase from them too. What a good point Heidi, with dehydrating with zucchini, I know it is amazing how many zucchini you can fit in a qt jar. I find that with many things as well. Heidi, what good information on this subject and the time you put into.
finally!!! thank you for an unbiased comparison.
all I've found is YTs with obvious promotional units they are promoting.
And this was just the part one. Since making this video I learned even more and had quite a few people share their bad experiences with them and with the terrible customer service. Several now only have a very expensive paper weight. Here is the part 2: ruclips.net/video/j4XNsip1vmY/видео.html
Great comparison's. We researched the freeze dryers for a few years. I joined a FD group on social media and the brother in law got one also. We finally got one and love it. It is another tool I use along with canning and dehydrating. I can dry pounds of cooked meats and vegetables in much less time and the average electric cost per load is around $2. Meats are more safely stored when FD, imho. With canning jar shortages such an issue and the fact that the lids will not hold a vacuum for more than a few months, the storage of items in heat sealed mylar bags works very well. Definately a large up front expense. As a complimentary tool to have in our arsenal, it is quickly paying for itself. Rehydrating foods is so easy and the flavors are exactly as the food was going in. Much less space required for storage also. At the cost of commercially prepared FD foods, we are saving a lot. Thanks for the video!
@Rain, I see you and ALL these other great YTers and keep thinking how wonderful it would be to have some y'all close enough and willing to let me help and learn face to face and hands on. I enjoy your video's so much.
Thank you so much for so much information. I just started prepping, and at first it can get expensive, but I know it will be totally worth it. Starting at 56 is a little crazy, but I am doing it, and learning so much from you. I was wondering about the freeze dried machine, they are very expensive, so I think I will buy a dehydrator or two, and skip the freeze dried machine.
One of the issues with putting up one's own food is starting up. Even if you buy canners, all the equipment and special things you put in the food to make it and the time and all the jars, and then the lids - it really is a shock. I had sold all of my jars and the canner when I retired and went on the road in an RV - things changed and I had to buy all of the equipment again and it really adds up. The dehydrators are so advanced from the first one I got at Walmart a long time ago. I like my excalibur, but there are some new ones on the market (but expensive) that have some nice changes (upgrades). I have had my excalibur for years and it is still going.
Like everything else, one step at a time. And, your body can't just change what it eats over night, so slow is good and once you have the equipment, you can learn all kinds of new things to do with it. And, the bottom question is what do you like to eat - don't think that you are going to suddenly change a grocery store diet for home made. Do it easy and make it easy on your GI system. Of course, it is far more healthy to grow and cook your own food.
@@marthaadams8326 thank you Martha for the advice. The learning part was overwhelming, and like you said figuring out what to store, and save to eat was also and still is a challange. You don't realized how bad you eat, until you find out what fresh food is actually like. Learning about what to can and store that I would actually like to eat was interesting. Learning about all the herbs that nature has to offer, was a wake up call. I am fascinated, and have been working at trying so many new things. Heidi is my go to for everything, the experience she has is admirable, and the fact that she is willing to share all of it with anyone willing to learn is truly a blessing.
I’m right there with you, starting at 56! Although overwhelming at times, gardening and preserving is going to give me WAYYY more back than I’m putting in. One day, and one informed decision, at a time. One big upside of starting now is the universe of free info/tutorials available at our fingertips!
A pretty convincing summary. -thanks for posting.
Even since posting this video well over a year ago, I have learned even more that cemented my decision against one. Much of it being testimonies of those who bought one and they ended up having to send them back multiple times for repairs and also that shortly after shooting this video I started dehydrating even more things like raw eggs, bone broth, yogurt, milk, and much more
This is so timely…we (me) have been thinking about freeze dryers. Alaska Prepper had a video posted today about cost and at what point it pays for itself. It made it seem attractive but our diet is not that meat centric that I can justify.
I dehydrate and can right now so I’m happy for both videos, as it has helped me make a decision. Thank you!
I have never had freeze dried meat but feel pretty certain I would prefer my home canned meats over freeze dried any day and they are ready to use as is.
@@RainCountryHomestead my husband has used it a few times for backpacking trips but he was never very happy…it was good. This year I started pressure canning and have done chicken, pork, and beef (on sale). I had a few failures at the beginning but we ate those and he loves them. Did sweet corn and green beans too.
Your videos are so helpful! ♥️👍
thank you for this video. Awesome Lady! i didnt know dehydrating and putting in mylar would last 15-20 years. Just coming into this scene
Thanks for pointing out the pros and cons. I had been wishing for the money for a freeze-dryer, but also the time, energy, and work seemed excessive, plus the more and more freeze-dried foods I try, I am not wild about the texture.
I saw on a video that you just dehydrated your broths...hmmm.I don't know if I am brave enough for that.Canning them certainly takes up a lot of space. I use an electric dehydrator and realize that I was making it run on way too high of a setting. The fact that I can do not only fruits and vegetables, but sour cream and eggs has been fantastic.I will try cheese with your method and cotton cloth, ( which is where I had a problem before.)
This is so helpful. Thank you, Heidi! God is good, all the time ❤️
I bought a freezer drying a couple months ago and I try to use it for something at least every other day. I love freeze dried bananas. Due to the canning lid and jar shortage I thought this would be a good back up and the food would last longer. I've done strawberries, zucchini, oyster mushrooms that I found growing on a log in my yard, buttermilk, raw milk, whey, cheddar cheese, tomatoes. I can't list everything but I can keep that thing going every day if I wanted to. It costs on average about a dollar each time you run it. It's not for everyone but I'm really happy with mine.
Glad your is working.
Great! Seriously thinking of getting one. I have goats and chickens so far on my property. Was wondering how it turned out FD fresh goat milk? Do y'all FD meats... goats, pork, etc? Been thinking about getting a few pigs to add to my property.
@@sn-dlouwhothatswho180 I haven’t done goat milk, only raw cow milk and it turned out great. It gets light and fluffy. I put it in my food processor to powder it and put into Mylar bags for storage.
@@sn-dlouwhothatswho180 Check out Retired Before 40 and Alaska Prepper utubes for info from people who actually own freeze dryers. We love ours.
Thank you, I appreciate you sharing the pros and cons
Thank you for the information. I was thinking about getting a freeze dryer and this video helps me to learn more about them.
I have been drying foods and herbs for over 40 years. I agree with you. I purchase freeze dried when I don't grow certain items. You really give a good over view of each process. Thank you.
Thank you so much for this video! I was stressing about this very subject! AND I went to the Mother Earth Products website (I already used your link last year so no discount this time) and I bought the mango, pineapple and other organic freeze dried items because last year I kept checking and they only ever had corn! So thanks for that!
Thank you for your wisdom on this matter. I have a dehydrator and will be using it much more now! End of garden is near, here ,so I can preserve much more.
Ms. Heidi THANK YOU! I feel like people are on this bandwagon and it's definitely the new "gotta have item" and most people aren't having sincere conversations about long-term costs, maintenance, parts, etc. That cost benefits analysis is the first crucial point.
The second is, if you aren't rotating your food pantry then all you're doing is storing food long term. Buying freeze-dried food is still cheaper, by a wide margin and financially it makes more sense.
Thirdly, if you are Canning, Dehydrating, using long-term storage preparation (oxygen absorbers, mylar bags, etc) and freezing in a traditional freezer a freeze dryer doesn't make financial sense, it would be a redundancy or a nice to have option *if* you can afford it. If you're looking for that, then it's still more costly than buying freeze-dried but at least it's an honest conversation with yourself, although an *extremely expensive* one.
Lastly, if you are looking to rotate your pantry and cook your food for quick meals, Canning is your best bet for convenience.
Again, THANK YOU for speaking up! Ms. Heidi honest videos like this are why I love your channel 👏👏👏 ❤️
Great video,yes I was so glad to watch your video as didn’t want to purchase such an expensive product as every one seems to have one ,well at 71 I wouldn’t get my money out of buying one great video just found your channel,such great information
Thanks Heidi! Great explanation and comparison between freeze drying and dehydrating. After watching this video I feel fine about not being able to afford a freeze dryer and I love dehydrating foods since I have a small house and very little storage. Didn’t realize that most FD foods take up more space than dehydrated . I’m sticking with my jars and my brake bleeder(which my husband built)😊
What is a brake bleeder?
Thank You sister, I needed to hear this because I just bought a new Eletric Fryer & Dehydrator. Your advice keeps this man from spending money. As Mark Twain said, common sense is not all the time common practice". God Bless and Merry Christmas, Joseph
I absolutely love my FD and wouldn't be without it, But I love dehydrator too. Both are excellent and both have their place. I have replaced 90% of canning this year with freeze drying and what a blessing!
@@nrgltwrkr2225 I got a medium, but I wish I bought a large. It goes 24/7. I up sized our garden this year and it is still producing!
@@nrgltwrkr2225 well, I upgraded to the premium pump. And that made it 1 month! So, I put that on the shelf and ordered the standard pump. I'm probably the only person that prefers the standard pump over the premium pump. 😆
@@nrgltwrkr2225 I am not one to complain and although I should have talked to customer service, I just replaced it with a standard pump, myself, and now I'm a happy camper!. I have heard customer service is very good. If you get on the "Retired at 40" Mewe or FB group, lots of people talk about the oil less pump.
@@nrgltwrkr2225 definitely worth it!
Great video; well-spoken, informational, bullet-pointed, no rambling. It's great news that the FoodSaver lids run out of stock often -- means that people are wiser than I thought.
When we were raising goats and milk goats, I came very close to getting a freeze dryer. I ended up using my army of dehydrators, pressure canner and freezers to preserve the meat. As goat meat is a naturally lean meat, they dehydrate well. Made a lot of pemmican with dehydrated goat and grass-fed beef tallow (from friend in trade for goat meat).
I can, freeze and dehydrate the foods I grow/forage. When tropical fruits & vegetables come on sale/in season, I do them also. A freeze dryer is now is very low on my wish list.
an alternative to making pemmican is to make Machaca. does not use any tallow.
you start with Jerky. over dry it. break it up. shred it by pounding, or blender. do long term storage with glass jars or mylar, oxygen absorbers.
👍 Danke fürs Hochladen!
👍 Thanks for uploading!
👍 Very good and beautiful, thank you!
👍 Sehr gut und schön, danke!
I did not know that about freeze-dried taking up the same amount of space, although I should have noticed it with things like corn and berries. Space is my biggest issue right now. Thank you for this video! Think I'll stick with my big, noisy 9-tray Excalibur dehydrator.
Thank you for your insight, i was on the fence, on the freeze drying, currently dehydrating or vacumn sealling daily, and love it,
Thanks so much for this video. I too have been going back and forth on this one… but the investment for me would be just under $8000 AUD ( That’s a Harvest right medium sized unit for domestic use) That’s a HUGE amount of money. Especially on a widow’s pension of under $30,000 per year.
By the time we pay for the shipping, factor in the profit margin for the Australian Affiliate, the GST (tax) and the exchange rate- it is prohibitively expensive!
I love the idea of freeze dried veggies and especially eggs and chicken. But, I can buy SO much food for the same amount of money🤷♀️
If GESARA every goes in effect, it might not be such a huge exchange to get it. Yes, my eggs from my own chickens could not be replicated by any big business (I have eaten both).
Thank you for staying relatable!
Thanks for this video. All these youtubers buying freeze driers that most of us can't afford, but we can afford a dehydrator. I have a dehydrator & can't afford a freeze drier. I've just been dehydrating & vacuum sealing them.
I think a lot of them had the f.d. GIVEN to them because of the large audience and you should take note that the company replaces them every 2 years or so.
@@marthaadams8326 and I bet they sign a release that they can't talk about how often they stop working. I got my dehydrator at a yard sale 20+ years ago and it still works. My HR FD died after 12 months.
Thank you for this helpful information. I have been weighing the decision to purchase a freeze dryer. I did just watch a video where a family uses both a dehydrator & freeze dryer. They performed a test with a meter to measure the power usage of each. The cost of power was approximately $1.07 dehydrator vs. $1.23 freeze dryer per batch. They used unfrozen foods in both. My idea would be…if you are prepping wanting some peace of mind for food security for a certain amount of time buy the food. If you are homesteading and plan on it being a way of life buy the freeze dryer. They’re expensive so perhaps go in with 1-2 relatives or small group to share the cost.
Though one can still dehydrate almost anything one can freeze dry. Since shooting the above video, I have dehydrated milk, cheese, bone broth, raw eggs, sausage, yogurt and more. One point that I forgot to make is that freeze dryers have very little space in them compared to dehydrators so you put up a lot more food in one run on a dehydrator as opposed to a freeze dryer. Also, many things can be dried without the need for even an electric dehydrator which saves even more money. It is the way people all over the world preserved meats, berries and more for at least hundreds of years to get them through the hard winter months and they did not even have electricity
@@RainCountryHomestead I love watching your channel and all the helpful information you give viewers. It’s inspiring to see all you’re doing. I especially liked your video using colloidal silver for cleaning and your washer station!!
This video came at the perfect time. Thank you!!
I love my dehydrated food. I started two years ago and most of what I have is from then. All of it looks beautiful, still. Even the meats are pristine. I did put breadcrumbs in the chicken and ground beef. But it doesn't smell rancid at all, after two years. My kale is bright green, my carrots, bright orange. I was inspired by your dehydrating of meat. I can't cycle through much of this, by myself, so I am counting on it to last some amount of years. And my eggs and cheese are also perfect looking. The freeze dryer has always turned me off for some reason. I know it wouldn't be bad to have, but I don't think I ever want one.
I use a dehumidifier to dry my foods. I took a hanging closet type thing and fixed screen trays in it and hung it in a small closet. The bottom is open so I make sure it hangs to the floor. I put a small dehumidifier in the bottom. It works great without using heat. It does take longer but I can dry a lot at one time.
Interesting. Sort of like like drying on cool fall breezy days.
This would be a good comment to add to that video I did on dehydrating options as I did ask for people to share their different ideas in that :)
@@RainCountryHomestead I just found your channel so I haven't seen that video yet. Love your channel.👍👍👍👍👍
Interesting.
EA Bird, you are so clever. That never occurred to me.
Today I am dehydrating strawberries, kiwis, and fresh diced tomatoes! I love dehydrating! So much more possibilities that I never considered