Packing lunches can be hard work. Pack too little, and your child ends up hungry; pack too much, and food goes to waste. Typical lunch foods like sandwiches, fruits, veggies, and baked goods are only good for a few days before becoming soggy, rotten, or otherwise inedible.
Luckily, freeze-dried snacks remain edible and delicious for weeks because of their low moisture content. Not only are freeze-dried snacks incredibly healthy and last longer than your typical snacks, but they are also packed full of enhanced flavours. Freeze-drying fruits and vegetables make it possible to offer a variety of fresh, healthy, and delicious snacks for your children just in time for the back-to-school season.
Fresh Snacks that Last for Days
There’s no ignoring the fact that certain kids are variable and picky eaters. The kinds of foods that they like or hate are constantly changing and hard to keep up with. Foods that they suddenly dislike go to waste in lunchboxes. Introducing the novel texture of freeze-dried fruits and veggies can keep your kids interested and eating nutritiously without knowing it. If packaged properly, freeze-dried foods can have a shelf life of decades, much longer than PB&J sandwiches.
Budget Friendly
Back-to-school season isn’t always easy for your wallet. Because of their long shelf life and ability to be left outside of a fridge or freezer without going bad, freeze-dried snacks help to reduce household food waste and therefore help to reduce spending on groceries. For instance, freeze-dried fruit and candy are sweeter and more flavourful than normal fruit or candy and stay edible for longer periods. This means that a bag of freeze-dried treats can last over a longer period of time without worrying about the contents spoiling or going stale.
Maintains Nutrients
Even those who don’t have children know that it’s nearly impossible to get them to eat a balanced meal. Introducing freeze-dried fruits and vegetables into your child’s lunchbox can excite them into healthy eating. The freeze-drying process retains 97% of the nutrients and vitamins in fruits and vegetables, so they’re as healthy as their fresh counterparts but are way more exciting than normal veggies!
Fun to Eat
Let’s be honest; the best part about freeze-dried foods is how much fun they are! An endless list of snacks and treats can be freeze-dried, resulting in new and unexpected flavours and textures. Going back to school can be a scary time for both you and your children, but you can help to relieve that stress by introducing an exciting and tasty new twist on classic foods.
Top 5 Freeze-dried School Snacks
- Freeze-dried Fruit
- Smoothies
- Trail Mix
- Veggie Chips
- Candy
Freeze-Dried Fruit
By far, the most popular treat among children and adults alike is freeze-dried fruit. In our experience, the best freeze-dried fruits are mangos, strawberries, raspberries, bananas, apples, and blueberries. Freeze-dried fruits are amazing by themselves or as an ingredient in baking. They go great in handheld snacks such as oatmeal bites, cookies, muffins, or really any kind of baking that you would use fresh or frozen fruit in. Like most pantry stables, freeze-dried fruit will keep for an extended period of time, alleviating the time pressure to use ingredients before they go bad.
Smoothies
Another easy way to incorporate freeze-dried fruits into your child’s diet is with smoothies! Freeze-dried fruits have enhanced flavour compared to their fresh or frozen alternatives, making them enjoyable even for children who don’t like fruit. Smoothie cups can be prepped ahead of time and packed into your child’s lunchbox.
Trail Mix
Freeze-dried fruit can also be combined with freeze-dried nuts by themselves or covered with chocolate to create an enjoyable twist on trail mix.
Veggie Chips
Sliced vegetables can easily freeze-dry to make veggie chips. Kale, sweet potatoes, carrots, and zucchini are all popular options that you can add a little bit of salt or spices to for additional flavour. This alternative to potato chips is just as crunchy and delicious but retains 99% of the nutrients and vitamins.
Candy
Another tasty freeze-dried treat is candy. Freeze-dried candies are sweeter and more flavourful than your typical candies, meaning you can pack less and still satisfy your little one’s sweet tooth.
Freeze-Dried Snacks for Back to School or Any Day of the Week
Here at That Sweet Lyfe, we are constantly experimenting with new freeze-dried foods and introducing new products in our online shop. Check our selection of freeze-dried candies and freeze-dried desserts to discover a whole new world of delicious treats.
For more inspiration on freeze-dried snacks and recipes, as well as proper preparation of different food types, check out our blogs on freeze-dried vegetables, freeze-dried fruits, and tips on freeze-drying general foods.