If I want to eat fruits out of season that don't freeze well like strawberries is there a way I can freeze dry them at home? Thanks, jon

Thank you for your question. Freeze drying food is a great way to preserve homegrown fruits and vegetables as it will save you money. Freeze dried products also retain their nutritional value and taste for a long period of time.

Freeze drying combines two factors: very cold temperatures and low pressure. These work together to prevent food from spoiling.

Freeze dried foods require minimal preparation and revitalize quickly. Also, the weight is reduced because 98 percent of the water is removed from the food. This makes it easy to store and to carry.

If you are new to this, apples are good to start with. Pick the fruit at the height of its ripeness and then wash it. Find a mesh metal tray. Cut the fruit into extremely thin slices. The thinner the slice, the more efficiently the process will take. Arrange the slices on the tray and place in freezer. Within 30 minutes, they should be frozen. Keep the tray in the freezer for about one week. Remove a slice and thaw to test. If there is any moisture it is not ready. Put it back for another day or two and test again. Click here for more info on frozen fruit and vegetables.

Food that you freeze at home is unlikely to remain fresh frozen for a good length of time. Frozen foods, frozen ready meals and frozen meals are especially packaged so that they last longer in the freezer. Frozen meals and frozen ready meals often have the air flushed out of them so that the vacuum allows them to last longer. Frozen ready meal packaging is completely air tight and so the moisture can not escape which sometimes happens with home freezing. Frozen meals and frozen ready meals are less prone to freezer burn. Ensure that you remove the air from your frozen food packaging every time you close it before returning the pack to the freezer. So, next time you are at your supermarket why not check out your frozen food isle – there may be more be more frozen foods and frozen meals than you expect. From luxury frozen pre-packaged frozen foods and frozen ready meals to delicious frozen ice creams and frozen desserts and from healthy frozen vegetables to great frozen winter warmers it all there for you to discover! 

Thank you for your frozen food question. Click here to see where your frozen food comes from.

The New Ice Age Team