Make Holiday Meals Easier With a Freeze Dryer

The stretch between Thanksgiving and Christmas is one of the most demanding cooking seasons of the year — and a freeze dryer is one of the more effective ways to take some of that pressure off ahead of time.

Prep Ingredients Weeks in Advance

Vegetables for casseroles and dressing, fruit for desserts, cooked potatoes, and diced meats like ham and bacon can all be prepped and freeze-dried well before the holiday itself. Keep slices or dices to no more than an inch thick on the trays for even processing, then store everything in an airtight container until needed. To bring ingredients back, spritz with warm water until they return to their original consistency.

Holiday Entrees, Ready to Go

A surprising range of holiday entrees freeze-dry well: baked ham, sliced turkey, shrimp, grilled steaks, pork loin, chicken breasts, Swedish meatballs, and salmon steaks all hold up well when prepared ahead. Freeze-drying retains nearly all of a dish's original flavor and nutrition, so a meal made weeks in advance tastes close to one made that same day. Rehydrate by spritzing, wrapping in a damp paper towel, or submerging in warm water, depending on the food. How to rehydrate freeze-dried food covers the specifics for different food types in more detail.

Fast Weeknight Meals, Freed Up From the Holidays

The same batch-prep approach works just as well for ordinary weeknights, not just the holidays themselves: hearty soup with fresh bread, grilled chicken with vegetables, gourmet mac and cheese, pre-grilled burgers, and quiches all come together quickly from freeze-dried components. The real payoff is time — prepping ahead buys back focused kitchen time for the dishes that actually need your full attention on the day itself.

More Holiday Prep Ideas

How to freeze-dry cranberries (and use them) is a good next step if cranberries are part of your holiday table.

Frequently Asked Questions

What holiday ingredients can be freeze-dried ahead of time?
Vegetables for casseroles and dressing, fruit for desserts, cooked potatoes, and diced meats like ham and bacon all freeze-dry and store well weeks in advance.

What holiday entrees freeze-dry well?
Baked ham, turkey slices, shrimp, grilled steaks, pork loin, chicken breasts, Swedish meatballs, and salmon steaks all hold up well when prepared ahead and rehydrated later.

How do you rehydrate freeze-dried holiday food?
Spritzing with warm water, wrapping in a damp paper towel, or submerging in warm water all work, depending on the specific food — see our full rehydration guide for details by food type.