Does anyone have exper. with shrink wrapping or dehydrated food? Can you tell where to buy vaccunm wrap, and what is shelf life? Thanks

-- Arthur Rambo (buriedtreasure@webtv.net), September 29, 1998

Answers

I can answer parts of your question: I have a vaccum device, and you get the wrap where you get the vaccum thing; it comes in rolls. Perhaps the FAQ on food shelf life could give yhou a rough estimate of the lower end of the lifespan of whatever food product you chose to pack. Bear in mind that some things will last longer than others no matter what method you use.

Dehydrating foods is something that you can do in your home oven without a lot of equipment; you can also buy one of a whole slew of differnt types of dehydrators, electric and not. The biggest thing is that you want some sort of screening to put the food on that can be cleaned and to which the food won't stick, and you can build your own frames for the screening and put it in the oven and turn your oven no low, crack the door slightly and warm the stuff dry. Some stuff you have to blanch first; you should check a book on the subject for the exact amount of time you have to do each type of food product.

-- Karen Cook (browsercat@hotmail.com), September 29, 1998.

Arthur,

I also find the Gary North Discussion Forum on Food and Food Storage filled with usefule information. Go to www.garynorth.com, then go to links, then , at the bottom of links, click on Discussion Forums. Food wiill be one of the discussions.

-- Sara Nealy (keithn@ptd.net), September 30, 1998.

Sam's has an item for vacuum packing food. I would like to know if anyone has bought and used it. I asked mary martell at Alpine Foods about it and she said their resealable cans were sufficient to keep the dehydrated food ok, she said that light was equally harmful as oxygen. I still think it is a good idea though. Msglory

-- Roberta Blackard (roblackard@juno.com), September 30, 1998.

Sorry to resurrect this old thread, but I have a few questions. At first, I thought dehydrating food might be the choice for me. I don't have a pressure canner, I am limited on funds and the dehydrator was only $20 at Walmart.

So I purchased the dehydrator. However, before I begin to dehydrate vegetables, jerky, fruit, etc., I have to question the value of the entire process.

In almost every source I have read, dehydrated foods only last a couple of months. Am I missing something? Is there a way to package dehydrated food to carry it through the first couple of months of the year 2000? (Afterward, I can switch to purchased canned foods.) If not, I'll just return the dehydrator and use the money to purchase other Y2K supplies.

Thanks for any help/advice/etc.

-- Christine A. Newbie (vaganti01@aol.com), December 07, 1998.

Christine:

Do yourself a REAL favor, take the 20 dollar one back (Magic Chef I think) and get the 40 Harvest Home one. we ended up pitching 15 dollars of beef because the Magic Chef quit with no warning after I left for work and before Tari got home. We were VERY unhappy. We now have a pair of Harvest Home dehydrators, doing jerky almost constantly, and setting up for vegies and fruit this summer.

Chuck

ps Mentor Walmart on Vine has the Harvest Home just off the main aisle, at the end of the bread maker aisle at about knee height.

The jerky formula on the shelf above the dehydrator is the one we are using and we both absolutely love. (having trouble with having any left to store. LOL! Why do you think it runs constantly??

cr

-- Chuck a night driver (rienzoo@en.com), December 08, 1998.