60+ Dehydrator Recipes For Preserving Food, Saving Money & Eating Healthier

Want to start drying & preserving fresh foods using a dehydrator? Check out this round-up of 60+ dehydrator recipes for fruits, vegetables, herbs, proteins, snacks, meals & more! Don't own one yet? Many of these recipes work with a normal oven set at the lowest temperature (usually 170 F) with the door cracked open. Make a few of these to keep in your pantry or bring along on picnic, camping & backpacking trips.

UPDATE (2020): I originally wrote this post back in 2014 when my friend was preparing for a long-distance backpacking trip and needed more variety for food packages sent to her at points along the journey.

Since many folks are interested in stretching their budget and preventing food waste right now, I figured it was a good time to update this round-up with even more helpful recipe links.

If you don't own a dehydrator (I include links below for inexpensive ones you can order on Amazon), many of these recipes can be achieved using a normal oven, a wooden or metal spoon for propping open the door, and a little patience. This is how I make my homemade beef jerky, which is delicious!

So, if you're finding good deals on larger amounts of fresh food or aren't using up things in your kitchen before they spoil, browse through these recipes for ideas on how to make the most of them and extend their shelf life via drying!

xo, Elaina
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One of my good friends, Lauryn, is leaving in less than two weeks for an EPIC adventure.

I do not use that word lightly.

She's going to hike her way up the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT), which is a 2,663-mile trail that runs along the western edge of the United States from the Mexican border up through California, Oregon, and Washington until it reaches Canada.

Back in spring 2012, she hiked the Appalachian Trail (2,200 miles), which I mentioned briefly in my roasted purple cauliflower post (one of the first recipes I ever shared on the blog).

Lauryn didn't just plop down in the middle of the trail and head north through the easy parts. She's what the other hikers call a "thru hiker". This means you start at the beginning of the trail and do the whole thing.

Like a total badass.

The Necessity of Dehydrated Foods

For the duration of Lauryn's hike, my little sister will be one of her "bases" and send her packages to designated points with dehydrated food. These will be essential as she can only carry so much with her at any given point in her pack.

I remember on the last go-around she got so tired of eating lentils, oatmeal, and ramen that she couldn't imagine ever noshing on them again. This time, she wants more diversity, along with nourishment.

So to help Lauryn and my sister come up with recipe ideas before and during the hike, I'm creating this round-up of dehydrated food recipes.

Benefits of a dehydrator:

excellent for preserving foods at a low enough temperature that it doesn't kill off all the beneficial enzymes and nutrients
lets you know exactly what's in your food (because you're making it yourself)
great way to prevent food waste and make your produce last longer, especially if you grow your own food or aren't eating what's in your fridge and pantry fast enough
lets you take advantages of sales and in-season produce, where buying in bulk is ideal (like fresh fruits, herbs, and veggies)
it's usually half the price (and much fresher) to dry foods yourself, especially in the case of herbs and spices, so you will save lots of money in the long run

Don't own a dehydrator?

Oftentimes you can use your oven on its lowest setting (mine only goes down to 170 degrees), but if you want to preserve live enzymes, a dehydrator is a must. Even if it's a little & inexpensive one like the Presto 06300.

So far I've used my oven to make homemade beef jerky (for holiday gifts), almond pulp, and coconut flour, but I want a dehydrator so I can make soaked or sprouted granola bars.

Here are a few dehydrators on Amazon that have received positive ratings:

NESCO Snackmaster Pro Food Dehydrator (600 Watts)

Presto Dehydro Digital Electric Food Dehydrator (750 Watts)

Snackmaster Express Food Dehydrator All-In-One Kit with Jerky Gun (500 watts)

Nesco Gardenmaster Food Dehydrator with Digital Time & Temp Control (1,000 watts)

Okay, now for the recipe round-up!

Hopefully, these recipes will inspire you to preserve the spring, summer & fall bounty of fruits and veggies this year so you can save lots of dough by purchasing everything in season.