# Freeze drying food



## Mx201er (Dec 18, 2018)

I'm surprised to not see any threads on freeze drying here, do any of you have one?
I have had one for about a year, and am starting to get a pretty good amount of storage.


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## bigwheel (Sep 22, 2014)

We would like to have one of those gizmos..if anybody willing to co-sign to buy it? Thanks.


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## Back Pack Hack (Sep 15, 2016)

Most folks can't afford them.


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## Mx201er (Dec 18, 2018)

Back Pack Hack said:


> Most folks can't afford them.


Yeah, they are a bit spendy, but seem to be getting more affordable. The 'harvest right' brand is around two grand, which is an order of magnitude less than a commercial one.

It takes about a day to run a load, which is about five pounds of food I think. We buy most groceries at Sam's club, and have very little food waste now.


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## bigwheel (Sep 22, 2014)

They advertised those thing heavy on the radio not long ago but not a peep lately. Ron Paul was the official celebrity spokesperson. He say freeze dried ice cream is purty good.


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## paraquack (Mar 1, 2013)

I can purchase a lot of canned meats for $2000.


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## Joe (Nov 1, 2016)

@Mx201er A friend of mine at church has one and it does a fantastic job of preserving fruit. I can't afford one. I give him cider and veg from our garden and he shares his freeze dried fruit with us. I have had an Excalibur dehydrator that I have used for a few years which I am happy with yet it is not the same as freeze drying. You are fortunate to have one.


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## Smitty901 (Nov 16, 2012)

For awhile MRE's had some freeze dried products in them . Then all of the sudden they were gone. No reasons given. Always wondered why.


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## Slippy (Nov 14, 2013)

Mx201er said:


> I'm surprised to not see any threads on freeze drying here, do any of you have one?
> I have had one for about a year, and am starting to get a pretty good amount of storage.


Would love to see some pics of your set-up.

Thanks


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## Mx201er (Dec 18, 2018)

I wasn't aware that it used to be used in MREs and was removed. I wonder if it had to do with carrying extra water for rehydrating?

2k would definitely buy a lot of canned meat! But I want to live, not just survive







I've spoiled myself with freeze dried fruit, soup, ice cream, full Thanksgiving meals, steak, you name it.
It is supposed to retain 97% of nutritional value, and last at least 25 years without changes in consistency or color.

This is my setup, and an old picture of the products of the first month.















It's pretty neat, any single dish meal like pasta, casseroles, soup, etc. rehydrates as easy as ramen noodles.


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## StratMaster (Dec 26, 2017)

Smitty901 said:


> For awhile MRE's had some freeze dried products in them . Then all of the sudden they were gone. No reasons given. Always wondered why.


I had some of those... the were called LRP's (long range patrol rations). It was some kind of banana/vanilla/granola breakfast... and I imagine were sourced from the same maker as backpackers Pantry because it seemed the same product. I found them VERY yummy indeed, and had trouble keeping them stored because I kept eating them LOL.


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## Elvis (Jun 22, 2018)

Freeze Dryers use a lot of electricity. After that the food needs to be vacuum sealed or canned with an O2 absorber to get that 20 year shelf life. 

Aren't we preparing for a grid down scenario?

Don't get me wrong, a freeze drier sounds like a lot of fun to play with but I'm not sure it's a legitimate prep.


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## Mx201er (Dec 18, 2018)

Elvis said:


> Freeze Dryers use a lot of electricity.  After that the food needs to be vacuum sealed or canned with an O2 absorber to get that 20 year shelf life.
> 
> Aren't we preparing for a grid down scenario?
> 
> Don't get me wrong, a freeze drier sounds like a lot of fun to play with but I'm not sure it's a legitimate prep.


The freeze drier is not the prep itself, but to use until a possible grid down scenario. At this point I've got nearly a year worth of food stocked up that will last at least 20 years. Since after the initial investment the cost is pretty cheap, the plan is to cycle through reserves every ten years or so that none is wasted or close to expiring when there is need for it. Plus, large food stores can come in handy in many less extreme events, like layoffs or an economic downturn. A FD may be expensive, but I doubt ten years of stored food is any less..

StratMaster is right, the biggest problem with freeze dried food, especially fruits, is that they don't ever make it into food storage.


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## bigwheel (Sep 22, 2014)

Elvis said:


> Freeze Dryers use a lot of electricity. After that the food needs to be vacuum sealed or canned with an O2 absorber to get that 20 year shelf life.
> 
> Aren't we preparing for a grid down scenario?
> 
> Don't get me wrong, a freeze drier sounds like a lot of fun to play with but I'm not sure it's a legitimate prep.


Amen Brother. It sounds highly suspicous to the untrained eye.


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