13 Fresh Foods You Should Be Freeze-Drying (And Why)

Fruits are nature's candy, but we don't just eat them because they taste sweet. Many fruits are also incredibly nutritious; they're particularly high in antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, and fiber, so when we preserve fruit to help it last longer, it's important to leave its nutritional content intact. Enter: Freeze-drying. In a nutshell, freeze-drying involves removing the water from a food (or another product, like a pharmaceutical substance) by turning ice into vapor. The food is frozen first, and then placed in a freeze-dryer for sublimation (that's the scientific term for turning ice straight into vapor, without the liquid stage in between). This method of dehydration is gentler than other preservation techniques and allows the food to retain its structure, color, and nutritional benefits.

Freeze-drying (known as lyophilization) is used by professionals, including brands and chefs, to preserve food, making it easier to store and transport without impacting quality. But it is also possible to freeze-dry foods from home, too — doing so can help them last longer, giving you convenient, nutrient-dense ingredients on hand when you need them. Fun fact: Freeze-dried foods can literally last decades. 

To freeze-dry from home, you will need a freeze-dryer (it's not advisable to try and freeze-dry without one). These can be found online, from brands like Harvest Right and Excalibur. If you're ready to start, you'll be pleased to know that there are many different fresh foods you can freeze-dry. Fruit, sure. But also, coffee, spinach, and even candy. Keep reading to find out more.

Berries, like strawberries, raspberries, goji berries, and blackberries, are some of the healthiest fruits we can eat. Not only are they loaded with nutrients, but research suggests they may also help to reduce inflammation and even lower cholesterol. The frustrating thing about berries, however, is that due to their porous texture and high moisture content, they can spoil quickly. But if you freeze-dry them, they'll last longer. The best time to do this is when they are at their ripest. If you wait until they're past peak ripeness, they'll likely be softer and mushier in texture and not as flavorful and sweet.

Different berries require different freeze-dryer prep, so make sure to research each one carefully before you start the process. Raspberries, strawberries, and blackberries can just be washed and dried, for example, while skin-on berries, like blueberries, may need to be sliced or blanched in advance. This allows the water to escape in the freeze-dryer.

When you've freeze-dried your berries, there are many ways you can enjoy them. Mix them in with your yogurt, snack on them plain, or use them to top oatmeal or granola, for example. Just note that because the surface area is smaller, the sugar content will be more concentrated, so consider portion sizes before you start snacking.

If you've spent time and energy nurturing apple trees, the last thing you want is to lose your precious crop to spoilage. Like all fruits, apples will go bad if you leave them too long. Sometimes in a matter of days, if they're left on the countertop. Freeze-drying your apples, or anything that you've grown in the garden, will help you enjoy the fruits of your labor for longer. Pun intended.

Apples are pretty simple to freeze-dry, but they do need a little more prep than a berry. When they're ripe, slice the apples into even chunks before bathing them in lemon juice and water for up to 10 minutes (the lemon juice helps to stop the apple from browning). You can then lay them evenly on a tray and freeze, before following your freeze-dryer's instructions.

Just like a regular apple, your freeze-dried apple will be rich in nutrients, like fiber, vitamin C, and antioxidants. You can snack on them as they are, add them to granola, or bake them into cakes or muffins — the options are endless.

Aside from their impressive vitamin C content, one of the best things about oranges is their taste. They're a little sweet, aromatic, and deliciously tangy. Freeze-drying won't get rid of everything that makes oranges taste, well, orangey; it'll just help you enjoy their signature zesty, citrusy flavor for longer.

Oranges are bigger than berries, with a higher water content than many other fruits (they are about 86% water), so they do take longer to freeze-dry, but the process is worth it. Again, they'll need to be sliced into even sections before you start the process. When freeze-dried, you can use freeze-dried oranges in baked goods, and they also make a pretty garnish for cocktails.

Freeze-dried oranges can also be used to make refreshing orange juice. Just crumble them into a food processor, add in some water, strain to get rid of any larger pieces, and drink the juice. That's all there is to it. You could also use the juice to make an orange juice sorbet or maybe a tangy orange sauce.

We've established that fruit is a great option for your freeze-dryer, but it's far from the only food you can put in there — as you're about to find out. We'll start with coffee.

Yep, it turns out your favorite morning cup of joe can also be freeze-dried. In fact, a few instant coffee brands, like Juan Valdez and Nestlé's Taster's Choice, use freeze-drying to produce their products. But arguably, making your own will taste better. This is for a few reasons, like the fact that you can choose your own brand of high-quality beans.

Making freeze-dried coffee from home involves a few different steps, but once you've got it down, you won't look back. Choose your favorite beans and grind them down first, and then brew them just the way you like it (whether that's, say, in an espresso machine or a French press). Let the coffee cool, and then place it in the freeze-dryer in trays. Leave it there until it's crumbly, and then you're done. When it's time for a coffee, just mix the freeze-dried granules with hot water and wait for them to dissolve. The strength will depend on how many granules you add. Want it stronger? Just pour more in.

Spinach, like all leafy greens, is packed with goodness. It's full of fiber, for example, as well as nutrients like iron, vitamin C, calcium, and folic acid. It's also easy to reap these benefits, because spinach is incredibly versatile. It can be used in many different recipes, from lasagna to smoothies to soups and dips. But, as with berries, one of the most annoying things about spinach is how quickly it can spoil. In fact, fresh spinach usually only lasts a few days in the fridge before it starts to look sad and wilted.

But, you guessed it, freeze-drying spinach (which can be done by spreading it evenly on trays before placing it in a freeze-dryer) can help this leafy green last, and allow you to reap the health benefits for much longer. You can then use the freeze-dried spinach in many of the ways you would have used it fresh — in soups, smoothies, and salads. You can even bake it into bread or cakes for an extra boost of nutrients.

Every so often, a recipe — like ramen, soup, or curry, for example — calls for ginger root. Cooking with this spice helps to add a little kick of heat to your favorite dishes, as well as a pleasant, warm, and woody aroma. Fresh ginger root won't last that long on that counter (maximum a week). It'll last a few weeks in the fridge and a few months when stored in the freezer, but when freeze-dried, of course, it can last much, much longer — like years longer.

If you freeze-dry ginger, you'll always have it on hand for the occasional recipe that calls for it, without having to make an expedition to the store. Just make sure to wash off all the dirt first from the root, before cutting it evenly into chunks and placing it in the freeze-dryer. After it has been freeze-dried, you can leave it as it is or grind it down, and then store it in an air-tight container for maximum shelf-life (the same goes for most freeze-dried foods).

Tofu has had an image overhaul. It used to be seen as hippie food, but today, the market is growing, largely due to rising demand for plant-based, minimally processed, and sustainable foods. Tofu is a good source of protein (as well as other nutrients like calcium and manganese), and it's also versatile — it can be scrambled, fried, air-fried, or baked, depending on your preference.

There are many ways to store tofu. It can be refrigerated, frozen, or, of course, freeze-dried for maximum shelf-life. In fact, Japanese people have been eating freeze-dried tofu, known as kohya dofu or kouya dofu, for centuries. To make it yourself, freeze the tofu in chunks first before placing it in the freeze-dryer. Remove the tofu when it is dry all the way through and breaks easily.

You can use freeze-dried tofu in a few different ways. Add it to your favorite curries, stews, or noodle soups, for example. But before you do, make sure to rehydrate it first by covering it with boiling water for up to 20 minutes.

Of course, if you want your chicken to last longer, you can store it in the freezer. Usually, raw whole chicken can be frozen safely for up to a year. But, you guessed it, freeze-drying your chicken can increase that length of time significantly — by a decade, in fact.

You can freeze-dry chicken either cooked or raw, but note that if you choose to freeze-dry it raw, it will still be that way when you rehydrate it. Freeze-drying is not a substitute for cooking, which is important for killing any bacteria that the chicken may be harboring. Any chicken that contains bacteria when it goes into the freeze-dryer will still contain the same bacteria when it comes out. When it comes to chicken, Salmonella is one of the biggest bacteria risks, which can be killed by heating the meat thoroughly.

Like tofu, chicken should be pre-frozen before it goes into the freeze-dryer (and again, it should be sliced into even chunks for best results). Make sure the chicken is properly dried all the way through before you take it out and store it (in airtight containers).

Want your favorite holiday candy to last longer? Consider popping it in the freeze-dryer. It might sound odd, but freeze-dried candies have actually become popular recently. This is not only because it helps sweet treats to last longer, but also because it gives them new, fun, crunchy textures and shapes.

If you want to experiment with freeze-drying candy, the process is pretty easy (if you've got a freeze-dryer on hand, of course). Lay out a tray of your favorite candy (sugary, fruity options like gummies, Skittles, and hard candies are the best) before placing them into the freeze-dryer (some have special candy settings). Wait for the machine to do its job, and then marvel at all the fun new candy you've created. Freeze-drying candy isn't really about making it last longer, but seeing what you can do and having fun. Skittles, for example, will crack, expand, double in size, and change in shape.

Note: Not all candy products will freeze-dry that well, so be careful what you choose. Chocolate, for example, is high in oil and low in moisture, so it's not the best option to experiment with. Low-moisture options like jelly beans will also likely yield disappointing results.

Mushrooms are a great cooking ingredient. They're umami-rich, nutrient-dense, and have a pleasant earthy flavor. But like many plant foods, they can spoil quickly. Raw mushrooms tend to only last about a week in the fridge — sometimes less. Freeze-drying will help you enjoy all the good things about mushrooms, like their nutritional value and flavor, for much longer.

The best types of mushrooms to freeze-dry are varieties like shiitake, button, and oyster, but it's a good idea not to freeze all of them together. The process will work best if all of the mushrooms are roughly the same size and shape. Before you slice and space them out evenly on your freeze-dryer tray, make sure they are nice and clean (mushrooms grow in the earth, so they're prone to dirt). When they're dried, store them in an air-tight container so they're ready for future use.

Mushrooms are easy to rehydrate. When you want to cook with them, just place them in warm water for up to 20 minutes before adding them to your favorite dishes, like casserole, soup, and pasta.

Loaded with everything from potassium to omega-3s to fiber, avocados are incredibly nutritious. They're also a tasty addition to many avocado recipes, from ramen to smoothie bowls to the brunchtime classic, avocado toast. But avocados can be fussy. Once ripe, they will only last a few days in the fridge before they start to spoil.

It is possible to freeze-dry avocados, which is good news for anyone who gets frustrated by how quickly they go bad. Just cube them up, add some lemon or lime (which not only helps to stop them from turning brown, but also adds a nice zingy flavor), and pop them in the freeze-dryer.

When you're ready to eat your avocado, you can rehydrate your cubes with some cold water and then turn them into a creamy guacamole, add them to salad, or spread them on toast. In fact, you can use them in pretty much any way you would use fresh avocado.

Similar to tofu, quinoa has surged in popularity in recent years. Once again, this is because of its versatility and impressive nutritional value. Not only is it a good source of plant protein, but it's also gluten-free and rich in fiber, minerals, and antioxidants.

If you don't cook your quinoa, it'll last quite a long time. In fact, if stored correctly (in an airtight container, for example), dried quinoa can last several years. This means it's not really necessary to freeze-dry it, unless it's cooked. Cooked quinoa has a much shorter shelf-life — we're talking a matter of days before it goes bad, not years.

But good news: If you want to make sure your cooked quinoa lasts longer, you can freeze-dry it. It can be combined with berries and other fruits, bound together with honey, and then placed in a freeze-dryer to create tasty, healthy bars, for example, which are good on-the-go snacks.

Fresh tomatoes are, arguably, one of the best things about the summer months. They're a little sweet, aromatic, incredibly juicy, and packed with nutrients like fiber, vitamin C, potassium, and vitamin K1. They can be the star of many different recipes, too, from passata sauce to creamy soup to spicy shakshuka.

But why limit the best tomato flavor to one season? Get the best out of your tomatoes all year round, even in the cold winter, by freeze-drying when they are at their freshest and most flavorful.

Tomatoes are another easy freeze-drying food. Just chop them into even slices, clean and dry them, and pre-freeze. When frozen, lay them out on a tray evenly, and then pop them into your freeze-dryer. When you want to use them, you can grind them into a powder and combine them with water in a blender to make a pasta sauce, for example, or pop them into a stew or soup to rehydrate. If you only want a tomato paste, simply reduce the amount of water you rehydrate them with.