Got a dehydrator lying around collecting dust? Put it to good use and start dehydrating food! You’d be surprised at the amount of fun, simple and delectable food creations that can be done using just a dehydrator and a couple of fruits.

The best part is that it’s perfect for creating healthier, homemade snacks using ingredients that are both nutritious and delicious. It’s also great for introducing fruits to children wanting to munch on junk food all the time.

Quick and simple dehydrator recipes

Here are 15 recipes for light, on-the-go foods that can also last for quite a long time on the shelf:

Homemade banana chips

Slice up a couple of bananas and pop them into the dehydrator as is. You can also take it up a notch and sprinkle cinnamon over the chips.

Cinnamon-apple fruit leather

Fruit leathers are popular dried food snacks made from fruit puree. But it’s healthier to make them at home using all-natural ingredients to avoid added sugar and artificial ingredients. Just spread fruit puree on a baking sheet and pop it inside the dehydrator.

Crispy orange chips

Can’t get enough of citrus fruits? Dehydrate a couple of orange slices for instant, all-natural chips! You can also use tangerines, mandarins or grapefruits.

Cauliflower popcorn

Struggling to get children to eat their greens? Gather a bunch of florets and make batches of nutritious popcorn using the dehydrator.

Dehydrated tomatoes

Dehydrated tomatoes are a light and nutritious on-the-go snack. You can also add them to salads and pasta dishes.

Homemade zucchini salt and pepper chips

Zucchinis are great gluten-free foods that pack quite a nutritional punch. Season them for a tastier snack or dehydrate them as is. Remember that the thinner the slices, the faster the cooking time.

Dehydrated salmon jerky

Dehydrators are perfect for making homemade jerky. For this recipe, get a nice, fresh slab of salmon and slice it into thin, manageable pieces. Just take care not to use too much seasoning.

Dehydrated pears

Pears boast a distinct citrus-like taste that’s just a tad bit reminiscent of apples. Dried pear chips are also quite a delicious and nutritious snack to introduce to babies and toddlers.

Cheesy kale chips

Classified under the Brassica genus of plants, kale is rich in potent sulfur-rich compounds that help enhance immune functions and fight cancer. That said, tough, bitter kale can take some getting used to. To make it a bit more palatable, add cheese slices on top of each leaf before popping them into the dehydrator.

Dried mangoes

Mangoes are perhaps the most popular tropical fruits around the globe. Rich in immune-boosting nutrients, dried mangoes make for a healthy and yummy snack.

Apricot-coconut oatmeal cookies

Tired of dried fruit chips? Try this no-bake apricot-coconut oatmeal recipe instead. Combine the ingredients using a food processor and create cookie “dough” balls. Then, “bake” them in the dehydrator for 12 to 15 hours.

Dehydrated lemon-pepper chips

Can’t get enough of potato chips? Create a healthier version at home using lemons, potatoes, pepper and a dehydrator. Blend the ingredients into a paste and spread it as thinly as possible on a baking sheet. Once dehydrated, break the sheet into smaller pieces.

Apple chips

Got too many apples after apple-picking season? Just make homemade apple chips! Dehydrate them as is or season them first with a bit of cinnamon for a rich, autumn taste.

Dehydrated rolled oats

Oats are great fiber-rich foods for jumpstarting digestion and metabolism, but you can’t really eat oatmeal on the go. For a light and portable snack, soak a bunch of oats for a couple of hours, mold them into manageable chunks and dehydrate.

Organic sweet potato chips

Conventional spuds are often considered one of the “dirtiest” crops in terms of pesticide and herbicide exposure. Go organic and slice up a couple of sweet potatoes for some good old-fashioned chips.

To enhance their shelf-life, remember to store dried foods in airtight containers. If you’re creating a couple of snacks for a month or so, it’s also a good idea to label each container for easier tracking.

Sources:

HomemadeRecipes.com

CookingLight.com