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20 Things To Do With Your Dehydrator, kid friendly, sweet and savory

Home » GAPS Diet » GAPS Recipes » Main Dish » 20 Things To Do With Your Dehydrator, kid friendly, sweet and savory

20 Dehydrator Recipes - protein rich, kid friendly, sweet, savory 3

I wasn’t sure how much I would use a dehydrator, so I first borrowed one from a friend. It turns out I had that thing running day in and day out, so I quickly purchased my own. I like the Excalibur (buy here) because the large square trays are easy to arrange any shaped food on, the trays remove to culture yogurt, and the temperature dial allows you to choose the temperature you want.

I wanted to share with you 20 different recipes you can do in a dehydrator. I’m sure you can think of others as well!

 

Apricot dehydrator cookiesApricot Coconut Cookies is our favorite summertime cookie recipe.

 

 

 

Homemade RX Bar Recipes

Homemade RX Bars are a delightful easy-to-digest alternative to the much-loved bar available in many grocery stores.  They use hypoallergenic collagen protein, dates, and are made in just minutes.

 

 

10 minute mushroom chips

 

 Easy 10-minute mushroom chips beautifully take on any flavor combination you can dream up, and are a simple grain-free chip alternative to scoop up your favorite dip.

 

 

 

how to dry strawberries 2

 

Dehydrated strawberries are a favorite for everyone.  Their bright color, sweet taste,a nd how it makes the entire house smell like strawberry fields as they dry makes this simple recipe a winner. See the recipe here.

 

 

GAPS yogurt in dehydratorTo be honest, the most common thing in my dehydrator is yogurt! Yes, you can use quart jars in the 5-tray Excalibur. Learn more here.

 

 

 

 

dried kiwi sweet tartsDehydrated Kiwi is nature’s sweet and sour gummy candy, cut into thick slices and then quartered, these are chewy and delicious!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Butternut Squash ChipNo-Fry Butternut Squash Chips are GAPS friendly and perfect for scooping up delicious dip!

 

 

 

 

Fruit LeathersDIY Natural Shares How To Make Fruit Leathers! What Child wouldn’t love to have this in their lunchbox?

 

 

 

 

 

green-veggie-powder-Green Veggie Powder from Nourished Kitchen makes use of the high quantities of greens that sometimes arrive in a CSA box.

 

 

 

 

Coconut WrapsRaw Coconut Wraps are a must-try from The Coconut Mama!

 

 

 

 

 

Dried TomatoesReal Food Forager preserves the deliciousness of summer tomatoes in her dehydrator.

 

 

 

 

Cultured Fruit LeathersMama and Baby Love cultures her fruit before dehydrating into leathers to sneak in some probiotics into a sweet treat.

 

 

 

 

 

Beef jerky from a roastJerky is much less expensive and easy to make from a roast!  See here.  And see here for jerky from ground beef.

 

 

 

Coconut Milk YogurtSmall Footprint Family makes beautiful Coconut Yogurt in theirs.

 

 

 

Salmon JerkySalmon Jerky? My Gutsy shows you how to make this protein rich snack!

 

 

 

 

dehydrated pears slicedDried Pears are my favorite dried fruit, and they make use of all the pears that are ripe all at once!  I can’t wait for pear season!

 

 

 

 

Cheesy Kale ChipsNourished Kitchen uses Miso, Kale, and Sea Vegetables to make Cheesy Kale Chips

 

 

 

 

Dried MangosThank Your body loves sweet chewy Dried Mangos

 

 

 

 

 

Traveling Bone BrothHomemade Mommy travels with bone broth by dehydrating it first!

 

 

 

 

 

 

20 Ways to Use Your Dehydrator
Click here to purchase. 

 

 

KS Veggie Chips

 

 

 

 

 

Kitchen Stewardship shows you how to dehydrate all sorts of vegetables into salty crunchy snacks!

 

 

Crispy AlmondsCrispy Almonds have been soaked in a salt brine and then dehydrated for easier digestion and they’re buttery delicious with just the right amount of salt as well!

 

 

 

 

Lemon Coconut Macaroons

Mommypotamus makes Raw Lemon Coconut Macaroons in her dehydrator!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Homemade-Banana-ChipsHomemade Banana Chips at The Polivka Family are my favorite movie-watching snack!

 

 

 

Excalibur dehydrators are my favorite – their square shape is easy to store, and the removable trays make the dehydrator suitable for things like yogurt as well as dried fruits and veggies. Click here and read the reviews – I’m not the only one who loves their Excalibur!

 

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← Natural Gatorade Alternative- Healthy Sports Drink Recipe Grain Free Meatballs: Grated veggies are the perfect alternative to breadcrumbs! →

About Cara

Cara is the main author here at Health Home and Happiness. She loves the health and energy that eating well and playing well provides and has a goal to share what she's learned with as many families interested in making healthy changes as possible.

She helps other families achieve health in simple steps through healing their gut with the GAPS Diet and helps them stock their freezer for busy days with the Allergy-Friendly Afternoon Freezer Cooking Class.

Previous Post: « Natural Gatorade Alternative- Healthy Sports Drink Recipe
Next Post: Grain Free Meatballs: Grated veggies are the perfect alternative to breadcrumbs! »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Carol Austin

    April 29, 2013 at 10:41 am

    Hi Cara,
    I’ve been thinking about a dehydrator for several years… These things take time, and I live in very small space, so I have to keep in mind where it will reside once in my home. Question is: how long do all these wonderful foods keep once dehydrated? My kids are long gone, so I wonder about the realistic value, unless I start feeding the neighbors, friends and colleagues.
    Thanks, Carol

    Reply
    • Julie G.

      May 28, 2013 at 5:19 pm

      Once dehydrated, the food stored properly will last for years.

      Reply
    • Lim Sheong Ling

      April 16, 2014 at 2:03 am

      I have been thinking to get a dehydrator, but where to buy and how much does it cost? I live in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

      Reply
  2. Lindsey

    April 29, 2013 at 12:39 pm

    This is fantastic! We will be putting together some of those lemon coconut macaroons today! And that recipe for coconut milk yogurt is probably the best I’ve ever seen. Thanks!

    Reply
  3. Sara

    April 29, 2013 at 2:16 pm

    I would love to know where the cheapest place to buy the Excaliber is! I have been wanting one for years, and still have an old other name brand dehydrator. It works okay, but has the round trays that stack. Any good info on the cost?

    Reply
    • Becky from Iowa

      May 1, 2013 at 1:24 pm

      Honestly, I bought mine from Excaliber. They have an easy layway plan, and they were very friendly to deal with. I’ve never seen much price difference on these, across the internet.

      Reply
    • Michelle

      May 6, 2013 at 10:00 am

      Craigslist

      Reply
    • Jamie

      May 29, 2013 at 3:55 pm

      E-Bay, Craigslist or Estate Sale. I found my 9 Tray at an estate sale for $40 (I saw it in one of the online pictures at estatesales.net and was there VERY early to make sure it was mine) it needed a little clean up but works great. They come in colors now which is really nice.

      Reply
    • Traci

      July 20, 2013 at 12:41 pm

      Thankfully I found one at a resale shop for $5.!!

      Reply
    • Annie Savidge

      November 9, 2013 at 12:52 pm

      Amazon. $140.00

      Reply
  4. Elaine, BASW, BSN, Certified Raw Chef

    April 29, 2013 at 4:38 pm

    Storing Dehydrated Foods

    Dehydrated products, stored (ideally) in glass containers, out of sunlight, dehydrated at not more than 118oF-although 98oF is ideal- maintain most of the nutrition for up to a year.

    Sealed airtight and stored in a freezer, they are good for up to three (3) years.

    You can also store them in heavy-duty plastic bags – add a packet or two, depending on size -of Silica Gel, which you can purchase, to ensure the food doesn’t absorb moisture, & turn moldy.

    Reply
  5. Courtney @ The Polivka Family

    April 29, 2013 at 10:22 pm

    Thanks for featuring my banana chips post, Cara! :)

    Reply
  6. Sue

    April 30, 2013 at 10:11 am

    The Link for the Salmon Jerky is not working .. Thanks for great ideas!!

    Reply
  7. Amy J.

    April 30, 2013 at 10:42 am

    Thanks for the great ideas. So far, I’ve mostly used ours for herbs and morels. I’m ready to try some new things.

    Reply
  8. Amanda

    May 5, 2013 at 5:31 pm

    I’m confused. The picture at the top looks like ground beef which is labeled beef jerky. However, in the recipe, it says to use a roast. Can you clarify? Thanks!

    Reply
  9. Angela P

    May 6, 2013 at 3:18 pm

    Has anyone tried dehydrating organ meats, pulverizing in a food processor and encapsulating? It sounds like a great way to consume organ meat without having to eat it. Does anyone see a problem with this? Thinking about trying it this week.

    Reply
    • jen

      May 7, 2013 at 10:23 am

      angela, let us know how your experiment with organ meat goes .. i’d really like to know. thanks !

      Reply
  10. Beth @ Upper West Side Mom

    June 22, 2013 at 10:05 pm

    Hi Cara,

    I have been thinking about buying a dehydrator for ages but I can’t decide which size excaliber to get. Are you happy with the 5 tray? I worry that it won’t be big enough but since I live in an apartment I think the 9 tray might take up too much space in my small kitchen.

    Thanks,
    Beth

    Reply
    • JulieCC

      July 24, 2013 at 12:33 pm

      I would always suggest going with the largest number of trays. I have a Nesco/American Harvest and I think I’m up to 15 trays now. The more the merrier, especially if you’re doing garden crops or found a great deal on fruit/veggies/meat.

      Reply
  11. Andrea

    July 2, 2013 at 5:40 pm

    Cara, do you/can you actually dehydrate these things together…the nuts, beets, greens, strawberries and jerky?

    Reply
    • JulieCC

      July 24, 2013 at 12:34 pm

      You can only do things together if they all need the same temperature/humidity levels. Jerky needs a really high temp (to keep the bacterial growth at bay) whereas herbs/greens need a really low temp so they don’t get baked.

      Reply
  12. Connie

    August 7, 2013 at 7:07 pm

    I have had an Excalibur dehydrator for a number of years and love it. I wouldn’t trade it for anything. One of our favorites is homemade raisins and dried strawberries. I slice the grapes in half before I dry them because they dry faster. The strawberries I cut in slices. I’m looking forward to trying out the ideas you have posted!

    Reply
  13. Terry

    August 8, 2013 at 8:15 am

    Can theses be bought in the UK? How heavy are they on electricity? Thanks

    Reply
  14. Lynn

    August 30, 2013 at 8:27 pm

    I bought my 9 tray Excaliber used for $42.50 from an ad in a local freebee paper. If it ever quit I would definitely get another. I also have an American Harvest which was my first dehydrator. I used it for years until I found my Excaliber. I like the Excaliber better because you can get larger things in by leaving out trays. With the American Harvest round tray, the trays stack on top of each other which limits the size of things you can put in (like the yogurt cups). I make a lot of jerky during deer season and even when I make a huge batch, I rarely fill up all nine trays.

    Reply
  15. Tessa Reeve

    September 12, 2013 at 11:14 pm

    I love doing watermelon and cantalope in mine! Also blackberry leaves for tea and rose hips, cherries and grapes. pineapples are a family favorite!

    Reply
  16. Ingrid

    September 26, 2013 at 2:02 am

    I made my own! Back when I was Paleo I decided to try the pattern that I found on the web using cardboard box .Halfway into the construction I realized that it was way too flimsy. I still used the same schematics but designed my own with my husband’s help & my mom’s help, I turned the raw materials into a beautiful dehydrator and jerky maker. Removable trays, binder clips for jerky, a CPU fan for circulation (but NOT for the jerky. I learned this very quickly!). I just need money for decent groceries and this gave me inspiration from when that happens thank you!

    Reply
  17. Matt

    February 9, 2014 at 10:24 pm

    I don’t want to discourage anyone away from the model mentioned here, but keep in mind the new cuisinarts crock pots. In mine, I dehydrate, sous vide (some proteins, not all) and deep fry. You can also brown in it as temperatures range from 125 degrees to 450, in 25 degree increments. In terms of versatility, it’s truly amazing.

    Reply
  18. Emily

    December 23, 2014 at 11:51 am

    I have a dehydrator but haven’t used it much. I’m thinking of using it to make snacks for my 1-year-old but the finished product would have to be soft and easy for a 1-year-old to eat, not tough or chewy. What would be the best fruits and vegetables for this purpose? I guess I could figure it out myself by trial and error, but I’d hate to waste time and money if someone here already knows the answer.

    Reply
  19. Bill

    June 7, 2015 at 5:10 pm

    I make a lot of dehydrated dog treats for our two dogs. They are a lot cheaper than the stuff in the big box stores! What we make does not have any of those preservatives and other questionable things.

    One of the local big box stores carries thinly sliced meats, so all the hard work is already done!

    Reply
  20. Praba

    February 19, 2016 at 2:58 am

    I have made yogurt in the crock pot a few times. What did the cntsisoency turn out to be? Mine is always pretty thin, which is PERFECT for pouring over granola or in smoothies, or just drinking, but too thin for a spoon. If I can figure out how to make it THICK like Greek yogurt (or even as thick as regular yogurt!) I would definitely make it more often! I sweeten with honey while it’s still warm or with stevia, and vanilla. :)

    Reply
  21. George

    May 18, 2017 at 3:43 pm

    Great Post!

    Reply
  22. Chris

    September 3, 2017 at 8:48 am

    If you make kombucha, the scobies which multiply like bunnies can be turned into vegan “beef” jerry using a simple marinade and a dehydrator.

    Reply
    • Cara

      September 3, 2017 at 10:38 am

      I need to try that! Great idea!

      Reply

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