Freeze Dried Strawberries?

clairehi

fpcat wrote: »

If you are near Biggleswade you can get them at the Jordans Cereal shop at Holme Mills,Biggleswade,SG18 9JY. I don't think they do a mail order service, but the shop is great for browsing for dried fruits, cereals, oats etc. Found lots there, and bought the raspberries, which I didn't think were that expensive. 100 gms of dried raspberries is quite a lot, as they are very light when dried.

great tip _- I am near Biggleswade and might give it a go:)

jenniewb

chocsessential wrote: »

My strawberries turned up yesterday in the post. Luckily they're quite sour until they're mixed in with milk and cereal so I don't think my daughter will be nicking them after all. Good - they should last ages with any luck. I got a bag of mixed fruits as well and the blackcurrants are REALLY sour.

Must be quite freshly made then- the strawberry season begins when we start to get some sun- they grow far sweeter, so watch out ordering about mid May as they may well be more nick-able by your children! (Stockpile them if your worried that will happen maybe or buy a tin with a padlock on!) Glad you found them! Just seen a whole new range of dried fruit in Tescos, cranberries, strawberries, cherries... but they are dried and not freeze-dried.

chocsessential

Well unfortunately I've noticed the packaging says once opened they should be stored in an airtight container and used within 2 weeks. I was hoping they'd last a lot longer than that. I have been adding generous handfuls to our cereals every morning and there's still loads left. I ordered two bags (and opened both of them because they were different varieties). I will have to try and be more disciplined next time and open them one bag at a time so I get a month's worth. I haven't put them in an airtight container, just used clips to seal the bags shut and the contents seem to be fine. Oh, so they might get sweeter in May time? I might not tell my daughter that!

[Deleted User]

I don't know if you can buy them but wouldn't a food dehydrator be able to do the same thing for you.I sure I saw something about them on the net It would mean you could buy the fruit fresh and dry them yourself

chocsessential

Hmm, food hydrator? I'm off to Ask Jeeves what that is.

chocsessential

I've seen food dehydrators on Ebay now from about £49.00 so I'll have to treat myself in the future. I'm selling an item at the moment but I doubt it'll get anything near £49.00. If it did I'd be buying a dehyrdator today. (Note to self - be more patient).

jenniewb

chocsessential wrote: »

Well unfortunately I've noticed the packaging says once opened they should be stored in an airtight container and used within 2 weeks. I was hoping they'd last a lot longer than that. I have been adding generous handfuls to our cereals every morning and there's still loads left. I ordered two bags (and opened both of them because they were different varieties). I will have to try and be more disciplined next time and open them one bag at a time so I get a month's worth. I haven't put them in an airtight container, just used clips to seal the bags shut and the contents seem to be fine. Oh, so they might get sweeter in May time? I might not tell my daughter that!

If you get too many left over why not soak them in sugar water then eat them with ice cream or use them to cook with and make a sponge/scones or fairy cake, am sure your daughter would love them!

chocsessential

jenniewb wrote: »

If you get too many left over why not soak them in sugar water then eat them with ice cream or use them to cook with and make a sponge/scones or fairy cake, am sure your daughter would love them!

That sounds like a devilishly good idea, and I'm sure the little one would agree there

pelirocco

Dried isnt the same as freeze dried , the freeze dried ones are much nicer imho