Learn how to make easy freeze dried bananas as a healthy snack using a home freeze dryer. 

This post contains affiliate links, which means I make a small commission from the purchase of these products at no additional cost to you. You can find my full disclosure here.  

I did NOT partner with Harvest Right and did not receive this product in exchange for a review.  However, the links provided are affiliate links and I do earn a commission for sales at no additional cost to you.

How to Make Freeze Dried Bananas (Easy Snack Idea)

Freeze dryers are an innovative food preservation method that has become available for home use.   I bought our Harvest Right freeze dryer at the end of last garden season.  As a very busy mom of two babies, it takes a lot of intentional effort to grow a garden.

Most food preservation methods take a lot of hands-on time, lose a lot of the food’s nutritional value, and change the flavor and texture of the food.  I needed another option that would allow for more convenience in preserving the harvest.

After a ton of research, I came across freeze drying, specifically the Harvest Right freeze dryer.  This freeze dryer preserves a large amount of food in a very hands-off process while preserving nearly all the nutritional value, color, flavor, and texture of foods.

What is freeze dried food?

Freeze-dried food is food that has been frozen and then had the water removed through a process called sublimation.  This process preserves the food while maintaining nearly all of it’s nutritional value.  Since the water is removed, the flavor of freeze dried food is often enhanced.  Once food has been freeze dried, it is lightweight and can last over 25 years if stored properly.

Can you make freeze dried food at home?

Yes, freeze dried food can be made at home with the proper equipment.  To freeze dry food, you need a freeze dryer.  I have a Harvest Right freeze dryer.  The Harvest Right freeze dryer is the best freeze dryer for home use.

Can you freeze dry frozen food?

Yes! One way to speed up the process of freeze drying food is by freezing the food first.  You can either prepare the fresh food and put it in the freezer before starting the freeze drying process, or use foods that are already frozen.  I like to buy the big family packs of organic frozen strawberries for freeze drying.  I simply wait a few minutes until they are thawed enough to slice, cut them into even pieces, place them on the trays, and freeze dry.  Freeze-dried strawberries are my personal favorite freeze dried food so far.

What types of food can you freeze dry?

Most food can be preserved in the freeze dryer except high-fat or oil foods (i.e., fatty meats, butter, peanut butter/ nut butter, mayo), bones, coffee beans, chocolate, jams, jelly, syrup, and honey

What is the difference between a freeze dryer and a dehydrator?

The main difference between a freeze dryer and a dehydrator is the process used to remove moisture from the food.

A freeze dryer freezes the food first and then removes the ice crystals using a vacuum process known as sublimation.

On the other hand, a dehydrator removes moisture from food by circulating warm air around it.

Pros and Cons of freeze dried food versus dehydrated food

Freeze dried food

Pros

Freeze dried food has several benefits.  Since nearly all of the food’s moisture is removed during the sublimation process the food is shelf stable for a significantly longer amount of time compared to any other food preservation method.  If stored properly, freeze dried food can last 25 years or more!

Freeze dried food also preserves nearly all the food’s nutritional content, unlike any other food preservation method.

A large amount of food can be preserved relatively easily in a freeze dryer and it’s a very hands-off process.

Food can be eaten as is (i.e. bananas, strawberries, apple slices) or re-hydrated with any liquid.  You can add additional flavor to food like freeze dried soups by re hydrating them with broth instead of water.

Freeze dried food is incredibly flavorful since the flavors are concentrated after the liquid is removed.

Cons

Freeze dryers are an advanced technology and therefore are quite expensive to purchase.

Freeze dryers take up a large amount of space and need a set location since they’re too large to take out and put back into storage between each use.

Although Harvest Right (the company I purchased my freeze dryer from) has excellent customer service, working through the diagnostic process if something goes wrong with the machine requires patience and intermediate knowledge of electronics.

Dehydrated food

Pros

Dehydrators are pretty straightforward devices and don’t take up a lot of space.  They can also be stored away easily when not in use.

Preserving food in a dehydrator is a hands-off process

Only a dehydrator can make dehydrated foods like chewy beef jerky or classic banana chips.

Note: There is a wide variation in quality when it comes to dehydrators.  You typically have to purchase a more expensive unit to ensure even processing.  I really like my Excalibur dehydrator and it comes in different size options/ price points.

Cons

When dehydrating foods like herbs they often lose their vibrant colors, a larger amount of their nutritional value, and their flavor changes compared to fresh.

Most dehydrators can’t process large batches of food at a time.

Not only is freeze drying a great way to preserve a large amount of food for a long period of time, but it also makes excellent healthy snacks that are easy to take on the go.

Freeze-dried fruits have become my kid’s favorite treat and are a convenient snack option.  My favorite easy freeze dried snack to make lately is bananas.

How to make easy freeze-dried bananas

Making freeze dried bananas is one of the easiest and affordable snacks to make.  I buy several bunches of organic bananas a couple of weeks before I plan to freeze dry them.  This allows them to reach peak ripeness before being freeze dried and results in a very flavorful end product with no added sweeteners.

Ingredients

Several bunches of ripe fresh bananas

​Note:  I like to buy several bunches of bananas at a time and wait for them to turn to peak ripeness. This creates a delicious freeze dried banana with no added sweetener.

Directions

Peel your bananas

Cut the bananas into slices that are the same thickness

Tip: I’ve found the best way to cut several banana slices at once is to line up 4-6 whole bananas. Then use a sharp knife to cut them all at once to make this process go by a lot faster

Layer the bananas on the freeze dryer pans

Tip: Take about half a banana at a time after they have been sliced but before they are separated. Place the bunch on the freeze dryer tray and gently flatten them out so they are slanted in a line with each end of a slice just touching the next.  This allows you to fit more bananas on each sheet without them sticking to the pan or each other.  

If the bananas lay flat on the pan you will not fit as many and they will stick to the bottom of the pan.  You can also put each slice on a wooden skewer with a small gap in between each slice. However, this takes a lot of time and I found a lot of pieces broke when removing them from the skewer.  I’ve found rows of slanted slices are by far the most efficient method for freeze drying bananas and have the best results.

Follow the directions for your freeze dryer to prepare the machine for a batch.  I like to initiate a cycle before I prepare my bananas to give the chamber adequate time to cool before adding my trays.

Once all your trays are ready and added to the machine I like to ensure the large round gasket is clean and pull it off about 1/4″ before closing the door.  I’ve found this helps to ensure a strong seal.

Next, follow the on-screen directions to initiate the freeze drying process.

Tip: I’ve programmed my machine to include an additional 12 hours of extra drying time.  This ensures that if a batch finishes in the middle of the night it will be fine until I can get to it in the morning.

Wait for the process to complete. This requires patience.  Batches can vary greatly in duration depending on the moisture content of the food, how packed the freeze dryer trays are, and if the food was pre-frozen.  I tend to pack my trays and my average time from start to finish is typically 24-36 hours.  Patience is key.  Check on your machine regularly to ensure an error hasn’t occurred, but know it is normal for the processing time to be long.

Once the machine has completed the freeze drying process you can remove the trays and package your bananas for storage.

How to store freeze dried bananas

To store bananas after they’ve been freeze dried, simply store them in mason jars, Mylar bags, or any airtight container.  It’s best to store them out of direct sunlight.

To store them in a mason jar you can leave the freeze-dried banana slices whole or blend them in a good blender to create a powder.  Place the bananas in a mason jar.  You can add an oxygen absorber if you want more long-term storage.  Add a flat and ring (they don’t have to be brand new).  For added protection against moisture, seal the lid with a vacuum sealer like this one.  When only storing the food for a couple months I’ve found just using a vacuum sealer without an oxygen absorber is sufficient.

To store them in a mylar bag simply add the banana to the bag, add an oxygen absorber, and seal with an impulse heat sealer (this comes with the purchase of a freeze dryer when you purchase from Harvest Right).  Note that mice can chew through mylar bags so if you plan on storing them long term place the Mylar bags in another rodent-proof container like a sealed five gallon bucket.

What to do with freeze dried bananas?

Freeze dried bananas make a great snack for at home or on the go.  My kids love freeze dried bananas because they are a sweet treat and they are easy to take with us on the go.  They are the perfect no-mess, no-fuss healthy snack.

Freeze dried bananas can also be powdered in a blender and used for baking or smoothies.  Banana bread made with freeze dried banana powder is so flavorful and can be made on a whim, no more waiting for those last few bananas to ripen and then missing their window!  Making banana powder is a great way to store a lot of freeze dried bananas in a small amount of space.

Freeze dried bananas can also be used as a healthy topping for ice cream or yogurt, along with other freeze dried fruits.

Note: When eating freeze dried food that hasn’t been re-constituted with liquid it is important to drink a lot of water.

A home freeze dryer is an investment.  I spent a very long time scouring the internet for information to help me in deciding if this investment was right for our preserving needs.  Since I’ve only had our freeze dryer over the winter, I haven’t preserved a large variety of foods yet.

So far, I’ve freeze dried bananas, apples, cranberries, strawberries, garlic, coffee (which makes a delicious instant coffee powder that can be added to milk for a decadent but simple drink), and bone broth.

In early spring I’m starting to experiment with freeze drying fresh herbs like dead nettle, stinging nettle, and mint.  This will also be a great way to preserve the large harvests of fresh fruits (like strawberries and raspberries) without taking up a lot of freezer space.

So far, I’ve been very happy with our decision to invest in a home freeze dryer.  Our unit did have a problem with an element on the trays which was preventing the machine from maintaining the freezing temperatures needed for the process.  I submitted a help ticket and Harvest Right customer support was very responsive and helpful.  The trouble shooting process over the phone was a bit tricky in our experience.  Thankfully my husbands knowledge of electronics helped throughout this process.  We were in warranty so the shipping and repairs were all covered by the company.  An employee also called regularly to check in and provide updates.  I was very happy with the service we received.

Freeze drying has become my favorite way to make easy snacks for my family and preserve food long term.  I look forward to sharing more about preserving this years garden harvest using my freeze dryer (along with other more traditional methods like canning).

Let me know in the comments what questions you have about the freeze dryer and/or preserving food and what other freeze drying recipes you would like to see.