Let’s discuss some popular foods that you can dehydrate, preserve, and use them in a variety of recipes. The best part is that you can grow them in your home gardens without any setbacks. There’s no denying that dried food is healthy, flavorsome, and easy to store and use. So, when it comes to growing fruits and vegetables that can be later dehydrated and canned, it’s hard not to be taken by the promising idea.

dried chili peppers

1.     Chili Peppers (Green and Red)

Planting chilies at home is an easy process. You can grow them from seeds, ensuring moist soil and proper lighting. However, make sure not to overwater the soil.

Chili peppers usually take 2 to 3 or 4 months to grow fully. Once they are mature, you can dry, pickle, and store chilies in the refrigerator.

Healthy homemade carrot chips

2.     Carrots

When growing from seeds, carrots shouldn’t take more than 12 days to germinate. It’s best to sow them in cool weather conditions. Most varieties take 3 to 4 months to mature.

When drying the veggie, use only crisp and tender cultivars. Wash them thoroughly and cut off their roots and tops. Cut in thick slices and leave them for 6 to 10 hours for drying. Or use a pressure canner to preserve the vegetable. You can also bake them and add salt to make chips.

dried tomatoes

3.     Tomatoes

Tomatoes are another easy-to-grow vegetable that you can sun-dry and preserve to enjoy them all year long. Canned tomatoes are a classic way to use them for delightful sauces, toppings, purees, chutneys, and whatnot.

In order to dry tomatoes, you need to steam them in boiling water. Once the skin is loose, chill the tomatoes in cold water and then peel. Slice them thicker and dip in a teaspoon of citric acid for about 10 minutes. The drying time for tomatoes is usually from 6 to 24 hours.

Dried apple slices and cinnamon

4.     Apples

The best varieties of apples to grow for dehydrating are Fuji, Gala, Honeycrisp, Golden Delicious, and Granny Smith. These apples are very sweet, which means you won’t have to put sugar after you have dried them up. You can use them when you’re making desserts for an added flavor.

Dried Cherries

5.     Cherries

Planting cherry seeds in a cool, moist region ensures a healthy and fruitful cherry tree. Pick the cherries when they are mature, wash them, and place them in a dehydrator. How long your cherries need to be dehydrated depends on their size and moisture level. Make sure to dry them up until tough and leathery.

Dehydrated foods help preserve taste and quality for a long time. They are also easy to use at any given time of the year. So, why not grow your own fresh produce and dry and store them up?

Amazon Affiliate Disclosure Statement HouseLifeToday.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. We may earn a commission if you make a purchase through one of our links.