I read that I can dehydrate frozen vegetables, as well as fresh, so I thought I might try it. You’re wondering why I would want to do this, aren’t you? Dehydrated vegies will be good for hiking and camping, and I can keep it in my pantry without refrigeration or freezer. Two tablespoons of dehydrated peas is the perfect serving size for a side dish, and it won’t weigh a thing in my backpack!
I started with my favorite frozen peas – Birds Eye – and spread one-half a bag per lined rack. (the peas would fall through if I didn’t line it) I spread them out so that the air can circulate around the vegies.
I dried the still frozen peas for 6 hours.
After dehydrating I had wrinkly pea raisins! Not pretty! If I wasn’t doing this on purpose, I would have thought someone left the food out too long and it’s ruined.
The next thing I needed to do was to rehydrate them to see if it worked out well, and if the texture returned. I have some freeze-dried peas too, so I wanted to compare them. They have a totally different appearance. Freeze-dried (on the right side) look like a dry version of fresh peas, and dehydrated peas look like wrinkled pea raisins!
Can I eat either one? Would you??
I added 1/2 cup boiling water and let them sit for 5 minutes to rehydrate. “tick tock…”
Now what do you think?
The freeze-dried peas were soft and looked good! The dehydrated peas were soft, but still yucky looking. I know which one I’d pick at this point, but I decided to let them sit awhile longer to rehydrate more…
Those are some pretty peas! I’ll eat those with my meal! Both of these bowls of peas tasted like frozen peas, the difference in size was simply due to the difference prior to freeze-drying or fresh frozen (Birds Eye).
Go back up and look at how small this serving is when it’s dried! In terms of weight, I could choose either, but if space was at a premium, I’d choose my dried peas for small size!
At first I wasn’t sure if this was going to be a success, but I think it was now! What do you think?
Next up…frozen corn!
Peanut Butter Theater 
Your post is very interesting! I don’t really know how to dehydrate and rehydrate veggies but it sounds like it would be pretty tasty. Where did you get the idea to dehydrate the frozen peas? I find it very interesting that they both ended up tasting the same, that is way cool. I can’t wait to hear how the corn process goes. Good luck!
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You’re going to love this…I found the idea for dehydrating frozen vegies on one of my PLN connections – Pinterest! Ha! I don’t think I’ll try canned veggies because they are already so processed, they’d probably turn into mush. But I might try to rehydrate them if they somehow got left out too long! (never happens, but it could theoretically)
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Love the idea of taking dehydrated veggies as a snack hiking! Definitely going to take some next time I go fishing!! Thanks for the inspiration
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That sounds like a great idea – it’s really “instant” food, just add water!
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I am a country girl who has always had a big garden. I have canned and frozen food for years. I recently moved to town, but do enjoy camping in the summer. I may have to try some of your ideas for our trips to the mountains this summer. Neat blog.
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I was raised in town, and have always had small gardens. I dream of an acreage large enough to plant all of my cool stuff, like artichokes, celery, and six types of lettuce! Someday maybe…in the meantime, if I can’t grow it, I’ll buy it on sale and dehydrate, can or freeze it! With the price of food going up and up, it seems like a great way to save on groceries!
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I’m not a huge fan of peas to begin with, but I’d eat those! Dehydrating foods serves more purpose than I would have originally thought. You must be a very patient person to be able to wait as long as you did for those peas. If taking them hiking, how would you go about rehydrating them in the middle of nowhere? Would you bring a pot or a cup or what?
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Rehydrating can happen in any temperature of water, but warm works the fastest. Depending upon the trip I could take a thermos or the Kelly kettle to heat up the water/peas. If I didn’t have anything else to rehydrate (which I would) I could just throw the peas in the water and cook them.
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That makes good sense! I feel like the skill you’re learning is essential for anyone who likes hiking and camping.
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Thanks! I like to think so! haha
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I have known friends who dry peas and use them in soup.
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Yes indeed! In soups I wouldn’t even need to rehydrate the peas!
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