What are Freeze-Dried Fruits and Vegetables?

If you’ve ever taken a bite from an apple pulled straight from the tree or plucked a raspberry right off the vine, consider yourself lucky. For most of us, eating food straight from the source isn’t a reality – especially on a daily basis. By the time many fruits and vegetables reach us, they aren’t as nutrient-rich as they were at peak ripeness. With freeze-dried produce, however, you can enjoy the nutritional quality of perfectly ripe fruits and veggies any day of the year, even in the depth of winter.

Freeze-Dried Produce vs. Fresh Produce

Similar to frozen fruits and veggies, freeze-drying acts like nature’s pause button by helping to lock in flavor and nutrients. In fact, frozen and freeze-dried produce are often just as nutritious – or even more so – than their fresh counterparts. This is because they are freeze-dried within hours of harvesting. This process, which quickly removes upwards of 99 percent of the water, essentially preserves several key nutrients. Compared to their fresh counterparts that sit on delivery trucks for days, grocery store shelves for days, or your kitchen countertop for who-knows-how-long, freeze-dried produce offers a convenient and nutritious alternative.

With little to no water content, freeze-dried fruits and vegetables are smaller and more lightweight. This makes them perfect for on-the-go. For example, condense freeze-dried fruits and vegetables, blended along with your favorite protein powder and a plant-based milk for the perfect nutritious smoothie. 

Freeze-drying also extends the shelf life because less water ultimately means less spoilage. And because it locks in the flavors too, there’s no need to add any sugar or artificial flavorings. It’s just like nature intended it to be, minus the prep or clean-up.