9 Ways Buying a Food Dehydrator Will Save You Money

The food dehydrator isn’t a kitchen appliance that a lot of people own. And in general frugal people don’t buy kitchen accessories that have a single purpose like drying food. However, you can actually save a lot of money if you invest in a food dehydrator. As long as you are smart about the foods that you buy to dehydrate and you use your food dehydrator on a regular basis, you can see a significant amount of savings over time.

Here are nine ways that investing in a food dehydrator now will save you money over time:

1.     Dehydrating your food will extend its shelf life. That means that you are very unlikely to have food waste in your home once you buy a food dehydrator. At the end of each week, look into your refrigerator for any foods that are about to expire. See if they can be dried out so that they last longer. With less food going to waste, you’ll be able to save money on your groceries each week!

2.      You’ll stop spending money on expensive snacks. There are so many wonderful foods that you can make with a food dehydrator and they’re all great for snacking. Beef jerky and dried fruits are two of the most obvious options. As you start to play around with your food dehydrator, you’ll discover even more creative options. This is a low-cost way to stock your snack pantry so that you don’t spend any more money on vending machines and in the snack aisle of the grocery store.

3.     You’ll stop spending money on expensive spices. Many meals are a lot easier to stomach when they have the right spices in them. However, buying those spices already dried in the store can be expensive. It’s a lot better to make your own dried spices instead. You can create a little herb garden right in your own kitchen for a very low cost. Then you can pick those herbs and dry them out in your food dehydrator at no extra charge. Not only will you save money but you’ll also gain the satisfaction of knowing that you are growing some of your own food yourself.

4.     You can feel free to buy in bulk. Sometimes the best way to get the lowest price on food is to buy it in bulk. One really great option is to get inexpensive produce packages delivered to your door by a local farm. The problem that people often have with these programs is that they don’t use all of the food before it expires. That’s not a problem when you’ve got a food dehydrator to make that food last longer. You need to shop less frequently and you’ll spend less money because you’re buying in bulk.

5.     Camping food costs will be dramatically decreased. If you ever go camping or hiking then you probably spend a lot of money on the food that you take with you to the trails. The prepackaged food that is sold to campers is expensive. The food that you buy on the way to a hiking trail is expensive. The trail mix that you pack up is often even expensive if you don’t make it yourself. You can drastically reduce all of those expenses by drying your own foods to take with you whenever you go hiking or camping.  The only thing that your food dehydrator won’t make for you is the Smores!

6.     You can participate in the latest diets without spending a lot of money. A lot of people choose to go on the latest diets that are being promoted in the news. They want to lose weight quickly. No one can blame you if you want to do that. However, these diets can be expensive. For example, trying to go on a raw food diet for the first time is tough and often results in spending a lot of money on “diet food”. If you want to try diets like this, look for ones that allow you to use your food dehydrator to cut costs. For example, raw foods taste better when dehydrated and therefore the food dehydrator may work for this diet craze.

7.     You’ll start eating more produce. Many people don’t like fruits and vegetables too much. They like packaged foods, meats and dairy. However, the taste of dehydrated fruits and vegetables brings a whole new array of flavors into your diet. This can encourage you to reduce your consumption of expensive meat, dairy and processed foods and start selecting fresh fruits and vegetables to dehydrated instead. Not only will this save you money but it’s also healthier for you!

8.     Dehydrated food is healthy which could mean long term medical savings down the line. People who choose to eat a diet that is rich in dehydrated fruits and vegetables tend to be living a healthy lifestyle. Dried apples are a lot healthier than candy, for example. This can result in a healthier lifestyle that reduces medical problems over the course of your lifetime. Since health care costs are high, this can mean big savings for people who regularly use their food dehydrators to enjoy healthy eating.

9.     You can use your food dehydrator to make inexpensive edible gifts for others. This is a great way to reduce your costs around the holidays. You will also be able to bring low cost contributions to potluck meals. Everyone will love what you make and it won’t cost much at all!

Do you enjoy using your food dehydrator?