Dehydrating Tip: Thinking smaller for greater results!

  Frequently people new to dehydrating will experience a few challenges along the way to becoming great at it. One of the most common is the idea of size. Soups, sandwiches, pizza toppings, and frozen dinners have all taught us to expect large pieces of veggies. Dehydrating demands a different way of thinking though. When a large slice of bell pepper is dehydrated it will be near impossible to reconstitute, and will maintain a hardened core. Large cubes of tomatoes are notorious for becoming rubbery. Pineapple if left too large will experience “case hardening” where the outer layer hardens and inner portions harbor moisture.

The key to veggies that will reconstitute quickly and evenly, is small pieces. Carrots make great candidates for shredding on a cheese grater. Bell peppers work exceptionally well when diced with an onion chopper. Tomatoes are the greatest of all veggies to be dehydrated in slices, then powdered in a coffee or spice grinder.

The reconstitution process of adding water back into your meal is the most pivotal part of good texture and flavor distribution throughout the meal. Whether a Code Red Foods meal, or one of your own, the smaller the pieces the greater the results. Think small for big results.

This is a the first part of a batch of fresh celery before it is loaded on the drying racks.

As seen here the diced celery pieces are uniformly small, and will dehydrate and reconstitute faster as a result. They sit side by side with uncooked black beans in the lid of a normal mouth caning jar, both provided for size representation.

This is a test batch of sweet pepper medley after its been dehydrated. Again a mason jar lid gives a beacon point for size representation. This pepper medley will be incorporated in a southwestern style meal which is currently in the testing stages.

What makes us different?

In the introduction post I touched on a few of the priorities or goals at Code Red Foods. Here is what you can expect from Code Red Foods.

• The first, and most important goal to us is the nutritional value of food. There are many individuals and families with food stored away for emergencies, of any size, and at any time. We feel that the most important factor giving stored food a value, is the ability to keep you healthy, strong, energized, and rejuvenated. There are many foods which can be left on a shelf for years and consumed when needed, but the ability to keep your body moving, and properly functioning is among the most important. To achieve this high level of nutrition which we demand, all of our meals are made with exclusively fresh, nutritious ingredients.

• Goal number two is a close second. Providing the most healthy long term food option is only a success if we can ensure it is easily attainable by anyone who feels they would benefit from having our meals on hand. Pricing of our product line is guaranteed to be the lowest, to ensure you can afford other necessary items to your plan. Staying comfortable during an emergency requires more than just food, and we want to make sure you don't have to chose between the two.

• Goal three is the variety and taste of a product. Appetite fatigue in an emergency is a real concern in today's world versus years past. Currently being able to eat thousands of different foods, from dozens of different cultural cuisines, has opened our minds and expectations to demand variety in our diets. In an emergency situation, having few choices for food, even as great tasting as they may be, will not allow the variety we are all used to having. Some may think this is a trivial problem. Some may think anything will be palatable if hungry enough. However the reality is, in a stressful time, if you eat smaller portions, or skip meals due to low appetite, this can hinder your ability to stay comfortable very quickly and to a very serious level. Being able to provide dozens of meals is our goal, which will always be a continuing work.

• Goal four is teaching and education. The age old adage comes to mind, "Give a man a fish and feed him for a day, teach a man to fish and feed him for a lifetime". Code Red Foods is honored to be the provider of choice for all who chose to add our product to your pantry shelves. However, the real success of Code Red Foods, our customers, local communities, and larger regions around the country will be measured by the ability and knowledge of the people to create their own means of healthy, great tasting food. For this reason you will see tips and tricks that we have learned through the years, which will help in your efforts to dehydrate your own food and add that necessary variety to your preparations.

Welcome to Code Red Foods

Welcome to the blog of Code Red Foods.

 This blog serves as the medium by which Code Red Foods can stay connected to its friends and customers. We welcome and encourage comments, questions, and ideas of any sort. 

Code Red Foods aims to be innovative in the food industry by providing new meals and flavors with extended shelf life, providing safety and comfort to those with food on hand for emergencies. 

It is our goal to not only provide great food, but whole meals that will give the correct nutritional balance to keep you going in any situation, for any length of time. We prioritize proper balance of nutrients, vitamins, and minerals at the forefront of our list, and ensure the taste and lifespan of the food is not compromised in any way.