The kitchen gear UK preppers swear by amid Iran struggle: It can price as much as £3,000 however turns any produce into ‘perpetually meals’
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With the world feeling increasingly unstable, those who want to be entirely self-sufficient have found a way to stockpile mountains of meals that can last for years.
Amid the war spreading across the Middle East, committed ‘Preppers’, the term given to survivalists who want to be fully prepared for every emergency, have found a readily available catering device that can preserve food for up to a quarter of a century if they need it.
Until now, freeze dried food has mostly been for astronauts to get the nutrition they need in space, the coffee industry and the occasional Michelin-starred restaurant.
However, preppers are also seeing the benefit of owning such a machine in their own homes – or in the ‘war’ bunkers or fortified safe rooms they’re busy creating.
How does freeze-drying work? Officially called lyophilization, it’s the process of removing water – up to 99 per cent – from food by freezing it.
A vacuum is then used to turn the ice straight into vapour – eliminating the liquid stage – and leaving food dried out and preserved but still flavoursome, and often with a lifespan of around 25 years.
Preppers – those preparing for emergency situations where they have to be self-sufficient – are turning to freeze driers to help stockpile meals and food that can last for up to 25 years
It’s a process that’s centuries old, with the South American Incas thought to have discovered it in the 1200s, after leaving potatoes perfectly preserved by freezing them on mountains by night and then squeezing out the moisture in the hot sun the following day.
A member of one UK prepping group on Facebook – of which there are an increasing number – this week asked where they might get their hands on one.
The dehydrated dishes are particularly appealing to preppers not only for the years of sustenance that they promise those who stockpile – but also because favourite meals can undergo the process.
In space, for example, astronauts have been known to tuck into everything from chili con carne, sweet and sour chicken and spaghetti carbonara while orbiting Earth.
Fish, eggs, cheese and fruit – particularly berries, which retain a sweet flavour – also survive well alongside cooked meats such as chicken, beef or pork.
What’s on the market if you want to freeze-dry your dinners at home? The cheapest models come in at around £40, with Amazon selling a five-tier WhAeoy model for £59.99.
For freeze-drying on a bigger scale though, the sky’s the limit on price when it comes to more industrial machinery of the kind that might supply three meals-a-day for years.
Those who fear the Middle Eastern conflict could escalate into World War III are already prepping for self-sufficiency
Freeze Dryers UK sells a Harvest Right Medium Home Pro Freeze Dryer for £3,100.
The medium capacity machine can freeze dry up to 1,360kg of food a year – and is described as being ‘perfect for families’.
The description continues: ‘It locks in flavour and nutrition for up to 25 years. Whether you are preserving garden harvests, creating emergency food supplies, or starting a “sweet mode” business, this versatile unit delivers professional results in a compact footprint.’
One person posting in the Facebook group ‘Preppers, Emergency Preparedness, Survivalist, Homestead’ in November said they hadn’t regretted investing in an industrial sized freeze drier.
They wrote: ‘I realised a freeze dryer costs about the same as a fridge, yet does SO much more for my family. I bought one in 2018, and I’ve never regretted it.
‘My favourite thing about it? It excels at preserving food that canning and dehydrating do not – including eggs and dairy. Plus, I can preserve whole meals exactly as I normally prepare them – no special recipe required!’
