• Vitamins & Supplements
  • Food & Drink
  • Sports Nutrition
  • Free From
  • Natural Beauty
  • Weight Management
  • Offers
  • Summer Shop
  • The Health Hub
  • Learn more Healthbox
  • Account
Track your order Delivery & Returns Help Centre My subscriptions

Customer Service

  • Contact us
  • Site map
  • Site map
  • Store locator

About us

  • Who are we
  • Working at Holland & Barrett
  • Press releases
  • Privacy & cookie policy
  • Terms & conditions
  • Holland & Barrett More
  • Holland & Barrett International
  • Corporate Social Responsibility
  • Modern Slavery Statement

Connect with us

Store
0370 606 6606
My account
Rewards
  • Sign in
  • How do I join?
  • What are the benefits?
  • FAQs
Holland & Barrett :: the good life
  • Menu
  • Account
  • Store
  • Basket
    Search for
    • Vitamins & Supplements
    • Food & Drink
    • Sports Nutrition
    • Free From
    • Natural Beauty
    • Weight Management
    • Offers
    • The Health Hub
    • Healthbox

    Home / Food & Drink / Diets / Vegetarian / What you need to know about dried fruits and vegetables

    What you need to know about dried fruits and vegetables

    Drying out your fruit and veg is a great method of unlocking nutrients and creating healthy versions of your favourite snacks. Here’s what you need to know about this craze that’s sweeping the UK.

    How to dehydrate your fruit and veg in the oven

    You can dehydrate your fruit and vegetables in your oven by turning your oven onto its lowest setting. You just need to slice your fruit and vegetables very thinly, put them on a sheet of parchment paper on a baking tray and bake for 6 – 8 hours.

    Or you can buy a food dehydrator although they range in cost from around £25 – £800. They extract water from food using hot air without cooking it which can make the food even more flavoursome than it is fresh and extend its shelf life too.

    Top foods to dehydrate

    Here are some of the tastiest you’ll definitely want to try:

    Apricots

    They make a great sweet snack on their own, or you could blend them with other fruits to make a smoothie.

    Strawberries

    Sprinkle some on top of some granola or yoghurt, they’re delicious!

    Apples

    You could easily become hooked once you try dipping some apple slices in peanut butter

    Blueberries

    Why not make your own healthy cereal bars with dehydrated blueberries?

    Peppers

    Great in a stir-fry or if you want something healthy to snack on between meals.

    Mushrooms

    You can add them to soups, omelettes or homemade pizza for extra flavour.

    Top dehydrating tips

    Whether you have a dehydrator or not, here are the top dehydrating tips from our health experts.  

    1. Vegetables don’t have to be fresh to be dehydrated, you can dehydrate frozen vegetables too.
    2. Fruits dehydrate best if you soak them first before peeling and slicing. You want them to be the same thickness or they’ll dry at different rates.
    3. As well as fruit and vegetables, you can also dehydrate herbs.
    4. Before you dehydrate vegetables that you’d normally cook before eating, such as broccoli, cauliflower or peas, you’re best steaming them first to get the best results.
    5. Vegetables you can eat raw such as cucumber, mushrooms or tomatoes can be dehydrated without cooking. They’ll just need slicing thinly before putting on a dehydrator tray.
    6. Dehydration times vary depending on what you’re drying out and your dehydrator so make sure you check your dehydrator’s instruction manual. Some foods can take up to 38 hours.
    7. Always leave the dried fruits, vegetables or herbs to cool in your dehydrator before storing them in airtight containers.

    Our most popular dried fruits

    If you don’t want to have to wait that long, why not buy fruit and vegetables that have already been dried? Here are our most popular dried fruits:

    1. Dried dates
    2. Dried apricots
    3. Dried prunes
    4. Banana chips
    5. Sun-dried mango
    6. Cranberries
    7. Dried goji berries
    8. Dried apple rings
    9. Dried figs
    10. Dried strawberries

     

    Discover more of our dried fruit range.

    Tweet
    Follow on Instagram
    Vegetarian

    You may also like

    9 of the healthiest vegetables

    Article

    9 of the healthiest vegetables

    Newsflash: veggies are good for you! Vegetables are low in calories but packed with fibre,..

    READ MORE...
    Risk of iron deficiency for vegetarians

    Article

    Risk of iron deficiency for vegetarians

    Iron deficiency is a type of anaemia - in fact, it is actually the most..

    READ MORE...
    Best vegetarian diet for weight loss

    Article

    Best vegetarian diet for weight loss

    Since vegetarian diets are often full of fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, seeds and wholegrains, it..

    READ MORE...

    Connect with us

    • Log in Register
    • rewards for life

    Customer service

    • Store locator
    • Contact us
    • Site feedback
    • Frequently asked questions
    • Delivery & returns
    • Site map
    • My account

    About us

    • Who we are
    • Working at Holland & Barrett
    • Press room
    • Privacy & cookie policy
    • Terms & conditions
    • Holland & Barrett More
    • Holland & Barrett International

    Brands

    • Holland & Barrett
    • Bootea
    • Dr Organic
    • Precision Engineered
    • Manuka Doctor
    • Good n Natural
    • Miaroma
    Register
    Click to verify if this website is operating legally

    Copyright © Holland & Barrett Retail Limited, 2017. All rights reserved. hollandandbarrett.com is a trading name of Holland & Barrett Retail Limited,. Registered office: Samuel Ryder House, Barling Way, Nuneaton, Warwickshire CV10 7RH. Registered in England: company no. 2758955. Registered VAT no. 211727395.