Frequently Asked Questions

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First and foremost, we recently retooled our factory with several brand new, state of the art, commercial grade, industrial-sized machines. Our machines have precision controls and advanced technology for processing. This allows us to customize the drying profile for each batch,  ensuring superior final products. Our machines are calibrated to ensure a consistent outcome each and every time. We also have proper machinery for packaging to ensure a long shelf life for the end product.

Machines designed for home use will prove to have a challenging learning curve with quite a bit of guesswork, trial and error before getting a consistent and reliable outcome. We started in our home kitchen with domestic machines and can tell you from experience, we lost/wasted quite a bit of food and money during the learning process. By the time you invest in a machine, the proper packaging and related equipment, and take the time to learn; you'll have to freeze dry many thousands of dollars of food to make the investment worthwhile. We are happy to help you do a cost comparison, just ask. 

Our licensed, inspected commercial kitchen is located in Truesdale, Missouri (near I70, between St. Louis and Columbia, MO). We typically operate within a 1-2 hour radius of our factory, but depending on your needs, we may be able to provide service within the USA using domestic shipping carriers. 

Freeze Dried Food Service accepts all major credit cards, including Visa, Mastercard, Discover and American Express. 

Our minimum order size is just 5 lbs. of food. This is considered to be a partial batch. If you choose this route, you can pay standard pricing to share machine space with other customer small batches; or for a premium price, you can pay to run as a dedicated batch. One complete (dedicated, standard priced) batch is 50 lbs. of food.

Our current capacity is 450-750 lbs. of food per week, depending on the type of food requiring processing. Depending on the size and frequency of your needs, we are open to discussing scaling up to accommodate larger processing requirements. 

The process involves 4 basic steps. 

1. Preparing  (cutting, slicing, dicing, arranging on trays, etc.)
2. Pre-freezing  
3. Processing (freeze drying)
4. Packaging the completed product

You may choose a full-service package where we complete all the steps for you, or we can customize your quote if you decide handle one or more of the steps. All details are discussed on the consultation call. 

Each quote is customized, based on many factors. There is no "one size fits all" price. We do offer wholesale pricing to ALL our customers. We encourage you to familiarize yourself with the retail price of freeze dried foods so you can appreciate the value we offer.  Feel free to call to discuss your needs - we are happy to provide a quote.

There are many reasons to employ our services. Here are just a few: 

• You'll pay less in the long run to freeze dry your own foods based on our wholesale pricing models
• Reduce food waste - especially if you have a garden with a surplus of food
• Make your own recipes to enjoy for camping, hiking or emergency preparedness
• If you're dieting, you can food prep for weeks, even months at a time
• Extend the shelf life while maintaining quality and nutritional value of your surplus food

Processing time depends on how large your batch is, and how many customer orders are ahead of yours. Send us a message to get up-to-date estimated delivery times. The average customer will receive their order in 10 business days or less during off-peak times. 

Freeze-dried food can last anywhere from 10 to 30 years as long as it is stored properly. Your finished product will be returned to you in properly sealed packaging intended for maximum longevity. After you take delivery, it is up to you to store away from heat, light or moist conditions. 

Store your freeze dried food unopened, in the packaging we returned it to you in, away from direct sunlight. Ideal storage temps are between 32 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit. Once you open a container, the shelf life is significantly decreased. It is recommended you transfer remaining food from an opened package into a separate airtight container. Most opened containers should be consumed within 3 months. This can vary depending on a number of factors, customer service is available to answer all questions. 

You'll mix the food with either hot water or broth and allow it to sit for 15 minutes. We will include rehydration guidelines with your finished product. Many freeze dried foods can be consumed without rehydration. 

There are differences between freeze drying and dehydrating. The key differences are: 

• Total moisture content. Freeze drying removes 99% of water where dehydrating removes on average 80% of water
• Nutritional value. Freeze dried foods are closer in nutritional value to fresh food. Freeze drying preserves 97%+ of the original nutritional value whereas the heat involved in dehydrating degrades many vitamins and minerals contained in the original food
• Texture and visual appeal. Freeze dried foods generally retain most of their original shape and are more light, airy and crispy. Dehydrated foods tend to shrivel, darken and become harder, more chewy and even leathery in texture depending on the food
• Shelf life. Because freeze dried foods have less moisture content, their shelf life tends to be longer

We can freeze dry most fruits and vegetables, leftovers, prepared meal portions and many canned goods, included goods you may have previously preserved with other methods. At this time we are not licensed to process meats, bones or breastmilk. 

You'll mix the food with either hot water or broth and allow it to sit for 15 minutes. We will include rehydration guidelines with your finished product. Many freeze dried foods can be consumed without rehydration.