Are you looking for a healthy snack? Or maybe you just want to add a sweet and delicious flavor to your meals. If so, then freeze dried strawberries are the perfect pantry staple to try out. Today, we have carefully selected 7 of the best freeze dried strawberry brands. Let’s take a look at these tasty options that you can add to your daily diet.
What Are Freeze Dried Strawberries?
You may have heard of freeze dried fruit before. Freeze dried fruit is an item that every survivalist should have well stocked in their pantry. Not only does it add a sweet flavor to meals and snacks, but it’s also a nutritionally dense option. Freeze dried fruits come packed with a daily dose of vitamins, fiber, and other important nutrients.
While there is a range of freeze dried fruit options, Freeze dried strawberries are easily a popular snacking option. Freeze dried strawberries are a favorite thanks to their versatility and nutritional profile. They are loaded with vitamin C which is a powerful antioxidant that helps the body do everything from fight off infection to heal injuries.
Purchasing freeze dried strawberries is not just for health nuts. They also taste great. You can rehydrate berries and eat them on their own, or add them to cereal, smoothies, salads, oatmeal, and baked good recipes. Adding them to your daily meals gives you a little sweetness and texture.
Whether you’re prepping your pantry for a natural disaster, a power outage, or to simply have supplies on hand in case of a long-term need, you will be glad to have this tasty treat as part of your food supply.
In this article, we’ll review some of the best brands out there when it comes to freeze dried strawberries. We will do this by giving you details on each. We’ll talk about taste, storage, and cost. At the end of this review, we will go over an informative buyers guide that will help you choose which option is right for you and your pantry.
Freeze-dried Fruit 101
Before we talk about our favorite shelf-stable strawberries, let’s first clarify what constitutes freeze dried fruit.
Simply put, freeze dried foods undergo a process by which all of the moisture is removed leaving behind the crispy, sweet, nutritionally dense body. You can rehydrate it back to its natural state, or you can eat it as is. The neat thing about eating freeze dried fruit is the crispy and crunchy texture that comes with each bite.
Unlike dehydrated fruits which lose some of their nutritional value in the process of dehydration, freeze dried options retain all of their vitamins, minerals, and fiber. Because they retain their nutritional value, they are often the perfect snack to go with if you are looking for something healthy. Lastly, freeze dried fruit has a very long and stable shelf life when stored properly. You do not have to worry about snacking on it right away or trying to eat it before it spoils.
How We Chose Our Ratings
It’s not easy narrowing the dozens of freeze dried strawberry options down to our top seven. However, we took our time to thoughtfully weed out the brands that stood out above the rest. We used some important criteria to ensure we’re only bringing you the best recommendations.
First, we eliminated any products that added sugar or preservatives to the ingredients. The options on our lists are all pure strawberries without any of the added fillers that take away from their health value. For consumers looking for the healthiest option, we have got you covered.
We also only chose products that are grown and manufactured in the USA. By doing so you know that you will be getting a product that meets the rigorous farming standards and guidelines for produce. Also, you do not have to worry about the potential of dangerous or unregulated pesticides or materials in the products.
We gave special weight to organic, non-GMO products, and made notes to help you weed out options if you have allergies and special needs.
Finally, we examined the storage options and price of the freeze-dried fruit. Our list includes prospects that can fit survival kits large and small, as well as family-friendly finds that have a long shelf life for every budget.
Top 7 Best Freeze-Dried Strawberries
Without further delay, let's dive into our list of the best freeze dried strawberries!
Crispy Green Freeze-Dried Fruit, All Strawberry
Crispy Green sell their freeze dried strawberries in single-serving packs with zero added sugar. Each bag contains 1/2 cup worth of quality, non genetically modified fruits and comes with just 35 calories per serving.
The product is 100% natural, vegan-friendly, gluten- and dairy-free, and kosher certified. And according to dozen of happy customers, the content is very flavorful, or "irresistibly delicious" as one happy buyer put it, for what you'd expect dried fruit to be.
Each pack of the Crispy Green Freeze Dried Fruit make for an excellent alternative to unhealthy snacks in your kid's lunchbox (begone highly addictive chips!) or a healthy but delicious snack for people looking to lose weight or diabetics on a calorie-restricting diet.
Augason Farms Freeze-dried Sliced Strawberries 6.4 oz No. 10 Can
Augason Farms is a pantry prepper favorite brand thanks to its robust cost-friendly and delicious freeze-dried food selection. Their strawberries are at the top of our list because they are a flavorful option that rehydrates well. Not only that but if you store them correctly, these freeze dried strawberries boast a 30-year shelf life.
The No. 10 can holds 6.4 ounces of fruit. This equates to 18 servings. For smaller families, you wouldn't have to stock up on this as one can will last you quite a bit. While the retail value of this product is pretty set, you can find online retailers that have prices slashed a bit.
Finally, if you are conscious consumer and care about what you put into your body, you will love this brand. There is no added sugar, and the strawberries are packaged on-site at their manufacturing plant in the USA. The brand also takes great care to ensure that all of their products gluten-free.
Harmony House Foods Freeze-Dried Strawberries
Harmony House uses organic, non-GMO berries in their product. Because of their dedication to quality, they have an amazing flavor that works for everything from a snack to an ingredient in pie or jam.
The fruit is grown, harvested, and packaged in the USA, and they don’t add any sugar or fillers to the finished product. What you bite into is the true natural flavors of the berries.
What we love about this brand is the fact that the manufacturer offers different packaging sizes. This range in options allows you to shop for both your budget and storage space needs.
If you are someone who would rather buy in bulk, you can save a lot with this product. They offer a bulk box which holds 15 pounds of freeze-dried strawberries for around $525, This breaks down to roughly $2.20 per ounce.
If you have the space and budget to go this route, this is by far the least expensive option per serving. Plus, it helps that it gives a tremendous bang for your buck.
But to make things even more budget-friendly, check out our related post: Stop Buying Strawberries At The Store, Use These 7 Amazing Tips To Grow Them Right At Home. Nothing compares to freshly picked homegrown fruit in which you invested lots of love, time, and dedication. A freeze dryer will ensure that your harvest is preserved for years to come at a fraction of the price of the commercial brands.
Karen's Naturals Just Strawberries
Karen’s Naturals is a family owned and operated company who sources all of their produce in the USA. What we love with Karen’s Naturals is that you know you are getting a quality product that stands up to FDA standards and regulations.
This options that Karen’s Naturals provide feature no additives, preservatives, gluten, dairy, wheat, or nuts. If you or someone in your family is sensitive to these ingredients then it’s a great choice to go with. Also, it is the perfect option for someone with a restricted diet.
Trader Joe's Dried Fruit Freeze-dried Strawberries
Trader Joe’s is a favorite among people who strive to eat healthy and organic. When it comes to their fruit selection, their freeze dried strawberries are no exception. This product packs the flavor of fresh ripe fruit into a resealable pouch. For students on the go or families with young children, these packs are the perfect size to take with you when you go out on adventures. They are also super easy to store as well.
The berries are harvested in the USA at their peak of ripeness and are processed without any added sweeteners or sulfurs. This lack of processing it what gives them their robust taste.
Each pouch has 1.2oz which is convenient for on the go snacking. Also, the small size allows the Trader Joe’s freeze dried strawberries to be one of the more affordable options on the list if you don’t have the budget or space to buy in bulk.
Food to Live Organic Dried Strawberries
If organic produce is important to you, then this is a brand that you will want to check out. The Organic dried strawberries from the reputable brand Food to Love offers freeze dried strawberries that are simply delicious. There are several options when it comes to purchasing. You can order in bulk from quantities of half a pound all the way up to sixteen pounds. Of course, the higher the quantity you purchase, the more you can save on your bulk purchase.
When it comes to the integrity of the product, you will be just as pleased. Food to Live Freeze Dried Strawberries are harvested right in New York and are Non-GMO. They are certified organic berries that are grown 100% free of contaminants. They also offer the nutritional boost that consumers look for including essential vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Lastly, this brand lends well to those who are on a vegan diet.
BioTree Snack Size Strawberries
BioTree’s snack size pouches only hold 4 ounces of berries. While this might seem rather small for some shoppers, it can actually be the perfect fit. Especially if you need a portable option to take with you on a hiking or camping trip. If you simply love the convenience of individually portioned foods, then this can be a great option to go with as well.
What makes this one of the best options to select is the fact that the strawberries are GMO-free and have been certified vegan and gluten-free. There are no sulfites, preservatives or added sugar in this product, and it’s made in the USA.
The only downside to this brand is that it is a bit more pricey than some of the larger packages. However, you can scale back on the price by finding bulk discounts if you want to purchase a case of the mini-pouches.
Buyer’s Guide
Now that we have your potential list narrowed down to the seven best options that are easy to find and affordable, we also want to provide you with additional information and shopping tips to help you make the best choice.
In this buyer’s guide, we’ll give you an insider look at how the freeze-drying process works. Also, we will provide details about the difference between dehydrated and freeze-dried foods. We will also talk a little bit about why the country of origin is so important.
Freeze Drying Process
Although most everyone is familiar with one of the most common freeze-dried foods, astronaut ice cream, it’s still sometimes difficult to understand how the same concept works. Even more so, not everyone understands how this process is applied to fruit to produce tasty results.
The freeze drying process is not an energy-efficient one. Also, it does take a lot of time to do it correctly. Generally speaking, while it is complicated, freeze drying food is one of the best ways to preserve both the flavor and nutrients of food all while ensuring that the product is able to rehydrate into its original form easily.
There are three steps required in the freeze drying process. The first step is to harvest the ripe produce from licensed, reputable growers. Next, the berries are then cleaned and frozen to below zero degrees.
Following that, the manufacturer puts the food in a vacuum chamber and uses a very low heat setting to evaporate the frozen water crystals on the surface of the produce. This is called sublimation. This is the time consuming part because it can take hours. Sublimation is not the last step because often the fruit will then go through a second session at a bit of a higher temperature to ensure that all of the water has been removed.
The last part of the process is an examination and then packaging. The end product is measured, weighed, and sealed into moisture and air proof packaging to give it a long shelf life and preserve freshness.
What’s the Difference Between Freeze-dried and Dehydrated?
Although there are numerous differences between dehydrated and freeze-dried foods, less savvy survivalists might use the terms interchangeably. It’s important to know and recognize the key ways they vary so that you can best outfit your pantry with the right choice for you. Here are three categories that make a big difference.
Moisture
Although both methods of food preservation remove a large percentage of moisture from the item, freeze drying is more effective. Dehydration takes out between 90 and 95 percent of the water, where freeze drying eliminates up to 99 percent.
The lower the moisture content, the longer the shelf life, and that’s an important factor if you’re stocking your shelves for the long haul. The last thing you want is to have a pantry full of food that has spoiled when the time comes to eat it. Consider this difference carefully when you start thinking about stocking your shelf.
Shelf Life
As we mentioned above, shelf life is one of the most important factors to consider when compiling your supplies. Dehydrated fruits typically last between 15 and 20 years depending on the brand and manufacturer, and those done at home might have a much shorter time frame where they are viable. Freeze-dried products, on the other hand, stay fresh for 25 to 30 years or more when stored properly.
Nutrition
Freeze-dried foods most closely mimic the nutritional profile of the original fruit. There are numerous studies that show that vitamins, minerals, and other compounds like flavonoids are typically preserved in the process.
The dehydration process doesn’t impact some aspects, like the fiber or iron levels in the fruit, but it can cause a breakdown of some of the essential vitamins and minerals. Notably, vitamin A, C, and B vitamins like Niacin and thiamine are lost during dehydration.
Knowing the nutritional value you are getting out of each method should be an important part of your decision when you're considering what method best fits your needs.
Why is Made in the USA Important?
You’ll notice most of the top picks for freeze-dried strawberries on our list includes products grown and manufactured in the USA. There's only one notable exception we felt we shouldn't left out due to the outstanding quality of the product (we're talking about the Crispy Green freeze-dried strawberries, which are currently made in China).
While you can source products from other developed countries who have rigorous food safety protocols without issue, it is important to pay attention to the origin of the produce.
For example, berries grown in third world countries may not follow the same farming guidelines as those grown in the United States. The food might contain harmful pesticides or other materials you don’t want to ingest.
If you’re not sure where the produce comes from, you can always reach out to the manufacturer directly to ask. Most will be forthcoming with regions where the produce is grown and sourced. Some may even have accreditations that certify that it’s inspected and safe to eat.
The origin of the produce is important because the more you know about the product, the more educated of an opinion you can make when it comes to putting that produce in your body.
Final Thoughts on Freeze Dried Strawberries
Adding freeze dried strawberries to your menu can be a great way to spice up the flavor in your meals. If you are looking for a quick snack to send the kids to school with or a nice pick me up when you are on the road, then freeze dried strawberries can serve this purpose as well. Hopefully, this guide has served you in helping you narrow down the best freeze dried strawberries for your family!
A friend does not have a computer and was wondering if there was a phone number they could call to order freeze dried strawberries?
Hi Debbie!
800-878-0099 Augason Farms
(800) 696-1395 OR (828) 306-1610 Harmony House Foods
(800) 537-1985 or (209) 894-5371 Karen’s Naturals
718-717-1029 Food to live
Regards!