Foods A–Z
What can you freeze-dry, and how?
Each food has its own page with prep steps, a typical cycle, signs that it’s done, what goes wrong and how it stores. 24 foods rate excellent, 42 good, 15 tricky and 3 are ones to skip.
Want everything in one table? See the freeze-drying times chart.
Fruit
23 foodsBerries, stone fruit, melons and citrus. Mostly easy, mostly long, and the sugar decides how long.
Strawberries22–30 h Excellent
Blueberries30–45 h Good
Raspberries18–26 h Excellent
Blackberries24–34 h Good
Cherries30–40 h Good
Bananas20–30 h Excellent
Apples18–26 h Excellent
Pears20–30 h Good
Peaches24–34 h Good
Pineapple36–52 h Tricky
Mango26–36 h Good
Kiwi20–28 h Good
Watermelon30–42 h Tricky
Cantaloupe26–36 h Good
Grapes36–48 h Tricky
Oranges24–32 h Good
Cranberries28–40 h Tricky
Lemons and limes22–30 h Good
Avocado24–32 h Tricky
Applesauce24–34 h Excellent
Apricots24–34 h Good
Plums28–40 h Tricky
Pomegranate seeds30–44 h Tricky
Vegetables
19 foodsBlanch the ones you would blanch for the freezer, skip it for peppers and onions.
Sweet corn18–26 h Excellent
Green peas18–26 h Excellent
Green beans20–28 h Good
Carrots20–28 h Excellent
Broccoli20–30 h Good
Cauliflower22–30 h Good
Potatoes20–30 h Good
Sweet potatoes22–32 h Good
Bell peppers18–24 h Excellent
Onions18–24 h Good
Mushrooms16–24 h Good
Tomatoes24–34 h Good
Zucchini18–26 h Good
Spinach and leafy greens12–20 h Excellent
Pumpkin24–32 h Excellent
Jalapeños and hot peppers18–24 h Excellent
Garlic16–24 h Good
Cucumbers and pickles16–24 h Good
Celery16–24 h Good
Dairy and eggs
8 foodsPasteurized only. Fat is the limit on how long these keep.
Meat and fish
10 foodsCook it first, trim the fat, cut it small.
Meals and starches
11 foodsLeftovers and batch cooking. Spread thin and break up clumps.
Candy and treats
8 foodsShort warm cycles, big puffs, and bags sealed fast.
Herbs, drinks and pantry
5 foodsSmall batches that pay off: herbs, coffee, starter, smoothies.
