Adding Fruit To Your Storage

If many of us had to live off of the food stored in our homes right now, I bet after about 3 days you would be craving fresh fruits and veggies.  Most of us probably have wheat, oats, rice, flour, sugar, maybe some canned veggies (I wonder how hungry my kids will have to be to eat those :),  but after only a little while of eating carbs all the time you will wish you had added some variety to your storage.  Adding fruits in your storage allows you to have color and vitamins in your diet! This time of year the fruit selections at the store become cheaper, and fresher, and being able to extend the life of produce adds so much more to your storage.

To have fruit in your long-term storage you have probably figured out that it will need to be freeze-dried or dehydrated first (or bottled or canned, but we will focus on the dried variety today).  There are a few differences between the two and you can decide what works for you.  I have a little of both in my storage.  I add the freeze-dried only when it's on sale, so it gets added to my storage in smaller amounts.  

Dehydrated foods:  
Pros:
1.Cheaper than freeze-dried  
2.Can be done in your home with food from your garden  
3.Dehydrated foods are smaller and require less storage space

Cons:

1. Dehydrating the food takes a little more of the nutrients than freeze-dried food. ( about 60% of the nutrients remain)
2. Takes longer to rehydrate than freeze-dried food (up to an hour in cool water, 5-20 minutes in hot water)
3. Most dehydrated food needs to be reconstituted to consume, (fruits are one category that you can eat in dehydrated form)

Freeze-Dried Foods:  
Pros:

1. Retain the original shape of the food (or close to it)
2. Retains many nutrients and vitamins (up to 90%)
3. Takes less time to rehydrate (a few minutes in boiling water)
4. You can eat most freeze-dried food right out of the can (make sure to drink a lot of water if you eat the freeze-dried food)

Cons:

• Freeze-dried food is more expensive
• You can't freeze dry your food at home, it has to be done commercially
• It does take up a little more space than dehydrated food so you will need a few more shelves to store equal amounts of freeze-dried and dehydrated foods.

I suggest a little of both for your storage.  I know that if I open a #10 can of dried apples it is gone in a day in my house.  And if you haven't tried freeze-dried mandarin oranges, you are in for a treat!!  

**Please don't buy products in bulk until you have tried them!!  Especially when it comes to the price of freeze-dried foods.  You always want to know your family will eat what is in your storage!!



 Many food storage stores and grocery stores here in Utah carry both dehydrated and freeze-dried #10 cans of food.  Watch for sales and buy only what your family eats!!  Honeyville & Emergency Essentials both have sales all the time on different products so check them out at the links below.

Honeyville Grain  &

Emergency Essentials


How are you coming along with your goals for June?  Click HERE if you need a reminder of what we are storing this month.

Enjoy the Journey!
Enjoy the Blessings!
Feel the Peace!!