There are three big food preservation titans — canning, dehydrating, and freeze-drying — but today, we’re zooming in on one: dehydrating. It’s the cheapest and easiest way to start preserving your own food right now, and I’ll show you how to do it whether you’ve got a $300 Excalibur or just your kitchen oven.

Dehydrating doesn’t take much gear, electricity, or money. You’re just using gentle heat and airflow to pull moisture out of your food so it doesn’t spoil. You can use your oven on the lowest setting with the door cracked if you’re starting out. It’s not fancy, but it works.

If you want to step up, an Excalibur dehydrator is the gold standard, but you don’t need one to get great results. I started with the cheap round units from Walmart — Oster, Nesco, whatever was on sale — and they got the job done. Just rotate your trays halfway through and keep an eye on your food thickness. Thin slices dry faster and more evenly.

Store-bought jerky is all about shelf life, not taste. Homemade jerky lets you control the texture — chewy, tender, or crispy “meat chips.” If you’re keto or low-carb, those crispy ones are a perfect crunchy snack. Just trim the fat, because leftover grease can go rancid in storage.

Dehydrated onions, garlic, carrots, and peas are great for soups and stews — just toss them in and let them rehydrate while cooking. Be warned though, onions will make your whole house smell like a burger joint. Do those outside or in the garage if you can.

Once you get comfortable, take it to the next level: DIY camping meals. Chili, taco meat, even hamburger helper — dehydrate it all on non-stick mats, bag it up, and rehydrate in camp. You can even experiment with powdered eggs (the texture takes practice, but it works).

Dehydrating is an old skill that still punches above its weight. It saves money, preserves food for months or years, and gives you control over what you eat. Whether you’re prepping for hard times or just looking for healthy snacks, dehydrating deserves a spot in your toolkit.

Food Dehydrator Dryer – Dehydrator for Healthy Food, Meat, Jerky, Fruit, Vegetable, Mushroom and Herb, 280W, 158°F, Mini Dryer with 5 BPA-Free Drying Racks and Slide Out Tray, White, Model 704M

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