How to Store Dehydrated Foods

Have you wanted to learn how to store dehydrated foods? Here's a basic guide on all you need (which is very little, actually!)

Storing dehydrated foods is always a question people worry about. It's a lot of work, and there are some websites out there that say dehydrated foods are only good for two weeks, or must be stored in the freezer.

Thankfully, that is misinformation that applies specifically to jerky that has been expanded to many foods.

With proper drying, conditioning, and using the correct storage containers, your food is going to be good for at least a year or two (and perhaps much longer).

What Containers to Use?

Airtight containers are what is needed for storing dehydrated foods. Here are a few you can choose from:

Canning / Mason Jars

These are the easiest and most flexible containers to use. They can be used as-is, as long as you are storing them in a jar that is equivalent in volume to the food you are storing.

In other words, don't use a giant jar for a small amount of dehydrated food.

Jars should be clean (hot soapy water is enough, but you can run through a sanitizing cycle on your dishwasher or boil them if you desire the extra clean), dry, and free of knicks and cracks.

A benefit of canning jars is that you can use them over and over again without waste.

They can also be vacuum sealed to help extend the life of your food on the shelf. Here's the handheld vacuum sealer that I use. You'll also need these jar attachments that go over the jar and lid and work with the vacuum sealer or brake bleeder to draw out the air.

How to Use a Brake Bleeder to Vacuum Seal Jars

Another option is using a brake bleeder to vacuum seal your jars. I've included it in my 4 ways to vacuum seal a canning jar video below.

What about reusable canning lids? Unfortunately, no! Watch the video here on using Harvest Guard reusable canning lids. There's no tested length of time on them since the company has not provided information on that.

You may have success using a brake bleeder to get your reusable canning lids to seal, but because there is no safe, tested method with reliable results, use them for canning and regular dry storage.

Vacuum sealing bags

Vacuum bags are best for storage of items for the freezer, but can handle dehydrated goods that are not sharp or pointed.

Sharp and pointed edges can eventually puncture the plastic and ruin all of your hard work by allowing air to get in even the smallest of puncture holes. (These generic brand vacuum-seal bags work just as well as the name brand!)

You can see how to use a vacuum sealing bag with a vacuum sealer here.

To use with dehydrated foods, it's best to wrap the dried food in parchment paper, then insert into the vacuum seal bag for sealing. This helps protect the bags from punctures.

Also be mindful that many dehydrated foods are easy to crumble, and vacuum sealing and storing can crush and break them down to small pieces.

A tip: Use a much bigger bag than you need the first time. Open, wash, and cut down to reuse so extend their life.

Mylar Bags

Mylar bags are perfect for long-term storage of dehydrated goods. They are easy to vacuum seal with an O² absorber (see more info on that below), or if they are the rough inside version, they can be vacuum-sealed. They are not easily punctured by dehydrated foods, but are not rodent-proof, so store in larger rodent-proof canisters if needed.

Tip: Do not use mylar bags with clear windows or zipper tops for long-term storage. Both of these options are air permeable and will fail for your storage after a time.

Airtight Containers

Any airtight container will work - but test to make sure it's truly airtight. If you can squeeze the sides and hear air escaping, it's not airtight. Commercial glass jars with good lids, Tupperware, other plastic ware with good seals, and lids with silicone inserts.

Airtight does not equal vacuum sealed.

Airtight containers don't allow the transfer of air into and out of the jar. Think of a canning jar. This is all that is needed for food storage.

Vacuum sealed means the air has been drawn out of the jar, leaving just the food.

Zipper-top Bags

While these are not good for short to long-term storage, they are good for storing smaller quantities that will then store in a larger airtight container. Just be sure to use the thicker freezer versions.

EXPERT TIP: I often store things in container sizes in a zip-top bag, then store them in one larger container to make segmenting easier for me. They are also fine for items like fruit leathers that are going into the fridge for a few days, or for jerky going into the freezer for a month or two.

Where to store dried foods?

Dehydrated foods do best in a cool, dark space. As with all food, light, heat, oxygen, and moisture can degrade food’s potential for storage.

A closet, a cabinet, a bookcase with a cover over it, a food grade bucket, etc. are the best places to store your dehydrated foods.

Storage Tips

• Condition first - nothing is worse than pulling dried fruit out of your machine, putting it into storage, and finding it molded two months later. Follow proper drying and conditioning, and you'll be fine.
• Package in smaller quantities - instead of trying to store in a large container that is exposed to air each time you open it, try a daily use container and one you store the excess in.
• Powder only as needed - dried foods last longer in their whole form than powder form, so powder only as much as you need for the next month or two.
• Label jars - Trust me - dried herbs all look the same, and some may lose their initial smell (crumbling brings it back). Powders all begin to look alike when you have a lot of them. Label your jars with the food item and date dried.

How Long do Dehydrated Foods Last?

By the safety standards of the NCHFP if foods are properly prepared, dried, conditioned, and stored:

• Dehydrated Foods up to two years years
• Powders for 6-9 months

However, we know that practically, dehydrated foods can last up to five years or more. But some foods, such as tomatoes, will begin to lose taste, texture, and color faster than others, so keep an eye out. This is also another reason why blanching is important for dehydrating some foods!

Powders, on the other hand, like herbs and spices, have a shortened shelf-life because so much more of the surface area has been processed and exposed to light, heat, air, and moisture. So it's best to store whole, and powder on demand.

O² Absorbers VS Desiccant Packs - When, Why, and How to Use Them

As a note, neither are mandatory to use in everyday dehydrating. A moisture absorber is helpful and can give you peace of mind, but you don’t have to use them. O2 absorbers are only really necessary if you have no means of vacuum sealing and you want to store them long-term.

However, either can help give you some peace of mind if used correctly. And please NEVER use them together.

Expert Tip

When purchasing oxygen absorbers, spend a little more and purchase in smaller quantities to help reduce the risk of exposure.

Several small bags of 5 each are a little more expensive than one bag of 100, but you run much less risk of exposing them all when trying to deal with them.

Alternatives to O² absorbers

The best alternative to purchasing and messing with oxygen absorbers is to use a vacuum sealer. While it doesn't remove 100% of the oxygen in your jar, it removes most, and for the year or two most dehydrated foods are good for, it's enough.

Plus, there are some foods that are high in fat that you don't want in a completely oxygen-free (anaerobic) environment (this is the reason storing tomatoes in oil isn't a great idea - moisture + bacteria - oxygen = botulism).

Use with vacuum seal bags or with the jar sealer attachments on mason jars.

How much to use?

General formula

• 100cc desiccant pack for quarts
• 2 Grams O² absorbers per quart.

I provide a printable chart for all of the sizes and uses for both packs.

Get a free printable chart by joining The Purposeful Pantry Newsletter.

Learn more: Repackaging Freeze-dried foods for long-term storage.

What Do I Personally Use?

I use simple airtight containers and/or vacuum seal. Moisture absorbers are saved for things like onion powder which can easily absorb a lot of moisture in daily use (as many powders, but it is a big culprit in clumping and desiccant packs are one of the better ways of keeping it dry and clump-free. If you want to see some other ways to keep dehydrated powders clump-free, check out these tips.

What should you use?

Ultimately, an airtight container is enough.

But vacuum sealing in whatever form you use, or moisture absorbers both act as insurance policies to help protect your food from going bad in storage.

Using either with the knowledge of how they work will help you create a food storage system to increase your food security and stock your pantry for years!

Let Me Know if You Have Questions

Questions or want to share your favorite way of storing dehydrated foods? Let me know in the comments below!