When you think of freeze-dried food, what first comes to mind? You probably think of bland astronaut food, right?
But the truth is, freeze-dried foods do have a place in everyday life, and they’re not all tasteless boring foods either.
Has this piqued your interest? Then read on for 8 benefits you can get from freeze-dried food.
1. It Has a Fantastic Shelf Life
How many times have you bought groceries full of fresh food, only to have half of it rot before you can even use it? It can be frustrating having to throw away countless pieces of produce into the trash.
Not only that, but you might also buy some groceries that have a longer shelf life, but then forget all about it. A month later, you might look in your refrigerator or pantry, and to your disappointment, find expired food that you need to throw out as well.
You won’t have to worry about this happening with freeze-dried foods. They can last up to over 25 years, even if you store them at room temperature! So even if you forget about some packets, chances are, you won’t have to worry about them expiring in your lifetime.
2. It Can Save You Money
As we mentioned above, buying fresh groceries all the time can waste money since you might be constantly throwing out rotten food. In fact, 40% of food in the US goes uneaten and a family of 4 wastes about $1,500 a year because of this. That’s a good chunk of change!
Considering freeze-dried food has an incredible shelf life, this can be very cost-efficient. You’ll see a huge decrease in throwing away rotten or expired food and you’ll get more bang for your buck with freeze-dried food.
3. It Has Lots of Nutrients
This fact might surprise you, considering that freeze-dried food has a long shelf life. Usually, non-perishables are full of sodium and don’t have much nutrition.
But with freeze-dried or IQF foods, the process used to preserve the food allows it to retain all of its nutrients. When freeze-drying, you use a low temperature, which doesn’t destroy the minerals and vitamins found in the food.
What this means is you’re essentially eating something that’s as close to fresh as possible! It’s even better than frozen foods.
4. It Retains the Food’s Normal Structure
If you’re a visual eater, then you might be apprehensive about ingesting something that’s been essentially preserved. Some people refuse to eat any food that’s lost its shape or texture, which is understandable. Eating strange things can be too out of the box for some, after all!
But what’s great about freeze-drying food is the process allows whatever food you’re dealing with to retain both its shape and texture. This means you don’t have to worry about biting into corn that’s become rock hard or mushy soft.
This means that even with the pickiest of eaters, freeze-dried food should be no problem for them to eat. So long as it’s foods they normally eat fresh, then the freeze-dried option will basically taste exactly the same!
5. It’s Packed With Flavors
We mentioned in the introduction that when most people think of freeze-dried food, they think of astronaut food. If you’ve ever tasted it before, then you’ll know that not only is it bland, but it can have some slightly strange tastes as well.
But freeze-dried food is anything but astronaut food. In fact, when you eat it, it’s packed with flavors! Not only does the food retain its normal shape and texture, but it’ll also retain its natural flavors.
When you buy freeze-dried food from companies, you can trust that they have top-quality chefs cooking these foods. This also means you won’t get anything that tastes funny or bland.
6. It’s Easy to Prepare
Are you someone who’s always on the go and barely has time to cook? Then you might be guilty of grabbing fast food as sustenance. But these foods are completely unhealthy, full of sodium, fats, and other unnutritional fillers.
Say no to fast food and yes to freeze-dried foods instead. These are very easy to prepare!
Freeze-dried foods come in convenient serving sizes that are just perfect for a meal. All you have to do is throw the into boiling water, wait until it’s properly heated, then cut the bag open and dump onto a plate or bowl. Then, you can chow down straight away!
7. It Doesn’t Take up Much Space
Some of us aren’t lucky enough to live in a spacious house with lots of storage space. You might not even have a full-sized fridge, so space inside is precious as well.
Freeze-dried foods are very compact and lightweight. You can store them side-by-side in just one section of your pantry and you’ll have plenty of food already. Plus, you won’t have to take up fridge space, as you can store them at room temperature.
8. It’s Great for Emergencies
Maybe you want to keep eating fresh food and know how to keep your food waste to a minimum. But that doesn’t mean you can’t still benefit from freeze-dried foods.
Having a few packets around can be great in case of emergencies. Whether you’ve accidentally used up your fresh groceries too quickly or you’re in the middle of a natural disaster, freeze-dried food can always do in a pinch. You’ll be able to eat healthy meals still, no matter what the situation is.
Start Enjoying Freeze-Dried Food Today
After reading this article, you now probably know so much more about freeze-dried food. Isn’t it so much more than you thought it’d be?
Considering all the benefits you can get from eating these foods, it’s definitely a good idea to start exploring freeze-dried food and expand your palate. It can be fun to explore this new “cuisine” with your family, especially if you have little ones. So get to tasting all the wonders of freeze-dried foods!
If you enjoyed this article on freezing foods, then make sure you check out the rest of our blog!
