Informative

Everything You Need to Know about International Firefighters’ Day 0

5 Ways To Celebrate National Spouse’s Day 0

10 Memorable Holiday Gift Ideas 0

The holiday season is here with us again. It is time to plan the gifts for your friends and family. But the problem is finding creative holiday gift ideas for your family can be challenging. When the time comes, consult this list of the best holiday fit ideas to show people that you care for them no matter your budget.

You can choose food gifts because everyone loves food, from homemade foods to holiday baskets with ready-to-eat treats. Gift boxes are a welcome surprise to most people, not only for birthdays and anniversaries but also top the list of thoughtful holiday gift ideas. From food gift baskets to books and personalized gifts, here are 10 amazing holiday gift ideas homemade treats are the point of holidays because you gift people close to you. Happy gifting!

1. Mother Earth Products Gift Card

Do you want to shop for your loved ones but are unsure what to give them? A gift card is a perfect holiday gift idea when you prefer the person to choose how to use them, like in the case of your colleagues. Give them the gift of choice with a Mother Earth Products gift card for $10. We deliver gift cards via email with instructions on redeeming them at checkout with no additional processing fees.

2. Make A Fruit Gift Basket

It's no secret that food is a way to most people's hearts. Moreover, more people are now health conscious and prefer healthy gift boxes to snacks or sweets. Freeze dried packs make up special gift boxes and healthy snacks for foodies.

Gift your loved ones a fruit basket with organic freeze dried fruit to let them enjoy fresh organic fruits. The fruits are organic, have retained 99% of their nutritional value, and have zero additives. The best part is that they can last longer because of the extended shelf life of freeze-dried foods.

Make a tropical assortment of freeze dried mango, pineapples, bananas, papaya, and apples. Another assortment could be made up of berries such as freeze dried blueberries, cranberries, strawberries, cherries, and raspberries. Be creative with your choices.

3. A Vegetables Gift Basket

Chances are your friends have used freeze dried products before and loved them. This holiday season, surprise them with an assortment of freeze dried vegetables they can use with their recipes, especially for people who love to cook.

The best part about freeze dried vegetables is that they have a long shelf life, and you don't need to limit what to buy. Moreover, the vegetables are picked at their peak season and dried while preserving taste and nutritional value. A good veggie combo includes broccoli, peas, corn, red bell peppers, and green beans. You only need to rehydrate before using it, and it's ready to use, thus making it a more convenient and time-saving option.

Make a DIY gift box with boxes at home or buy decorative gift baskets at the local craft store. Add a handmade card to your gift box with a handwritten message to make it memorable. It is also an excellent opportunity to teach your kids to wrap gifts at home.

4. Personalized Gift Items

Personalized gift items are unique holiday gift ideas that are memorable. Consider a custom family portrait with all the family members if you are making a gift for your parents. Other ideas include personalized notebooks, digital photo frames, pillowcases with their names, or mugs with pictures of your loved ones.

5. A Chocolate Gift Box

You will never go wrong with a chocolate gift box for the holiday season. Everyone loves chocolate. You can choose from regular chocolate or chocolate truffles, or candy bars. Don't know if they will be impressed? Why not add their favorite wine or drink? If you are gifting a close person, buy their favorite brand and couple it with flowers and wine in the gift box.

6. A Book

As they say, readers are leaders. Reading broadens your perspective. If you want your family members to love reading, start by gifting them a book or two. You can get them to choose their favorite by buying a gift card from a local bookstore or paying an Audible or Kindle unlimited subscription on Amazon for them.

7. Family Board Games

If you want to surprise your family, you need to think outside the box when looking for unique holiday gift ideas. The holiday season brings people together after a long year of working. What better way to make people have fun together and make memories than by playing games such as scrabble, chess, monopoly, or puzzles?

8. Gift Them a Journal

Nothing shouts "I care about you" more than a thoughtful journal. It is the perfect gift for people who love writing their goals and plans. Add a bookmark or two with motivational quotes. They'll appreciate the creativity. You can buy beautiful journals from Amazon, including gratitude journals, self-love, or goal-setting journal.

9. Cookie Decorating Kit

A cookie decorating kit is the perfect holiday gift for a family that loves cookies, considering that most families love to make cookies for the holiday season. Gift your teenage daughter or niece who loves to cook with cookie decorating kits and make cookies for the family with her. Add sprinkles and frosting for decoration and any other cookie supplies.

10. Breakfast Basket

A breakfast basket gives thoughtful holiday gift ideas when visiting your friends and family. No one can resist their favorite foods in a gift basket. Fill your basket with foods they would ideally make for breakfast. Consider a high quality coffee hamper and fruits such as freeze-dried mango, bananas, or strawberries for making breakfast smoothies or bread spread, cookies, cake mix, and granola. Don't forget to add a bouquet of fresh flowers to seal it off.

Spice up your family's holiday celebration with these ten holiday gift ideas. Which holiday gift idea did you like and want to try out? Let us know in the comments below.

References

1. https://blog.vantagecircle.com/amazing-christmas-gifts-for-employees/
2. https://www.bhg.com/christmas/gifts/homemade-food-gifts/

Proper Food Storage: The Ultimate Guide to Storing Freeze Dried Foods 0

Proper food storage is critical for maintaining food quality and safety while preserving its color, texture, flavor, and vital nutrients. ⁽¹⁾ The food packaging depends on whether the food is dry or perishable. While most food packaging is airtight and capable of keeping food fresh for an extended period, others are not. At Mother Earth Products, we package our freeze dried products in mylar bags, quart jars, or moisture-absorbent packets to ensure longevity.

Freeze dried foods have gained popularity in recent years because of their longevity. They're portable, lightweight, and simple to store. ⁽²⁾ Although they have a longer shelf life, improper packaging can affect the food quality. If you want them to last after opening, you must take certain precautions before storing them for a lengthy period. In this article, we'll go over how to store your freeze dried foods so they stay fresh longer.

Why is proper food storage necessary?

Proper food storage is vital for preventing foodborne infections, reducing food waste, and lowering food production costs. ⁽¹⁾ Furthermore,  it helps to preserve food for later use. The amount of time you should keep your food varies on the type. Meat, for example, must be refrigerated, although fruits and vegetables do not. ⁽³⁾

Here's why appropriate food storage is critical:

• Poorly kept food is prone to contamination which might cause food poisoning. ⁽¹⁾
• Proper food storage reduces food wastage and helps save money. If you properly rotate foods or keep them at the right temperature, you won't need to discard them. ⁽⁴⁾
• It saves the planet. Food production uses natural resources and may also require industrial processes that produce harmful gas emissions. Minimizing food wastage is beneficial to the environment. ⁽⁵⁾
• It saves you time. Having every food item in the proper storage unit prevents you from wasting time searching.

What is freeze drying?

Freeze drying is a food preservation method that uses sublimation to remove water from its cells. The process reduces the moisture content of food, thus remaining fresh at room temperature without refrigeration. As a result, there is a longer shelf life and reduced food wastage. Freeze drying effectively preserves food that may spoil quickly after harvestings, such as fresh fruit, vegetables, milk, and meat. ⁽¹⁾ 

Freeze dried food is available in various forms, including fruits and vegetables, meat, fish, and beans. It is also available in various quantities, from individual servings to big containers. You can eat the food right from the bag. However, after opening, you may need to invest in adequate food storage containers that reduce humidity and increase their shelf life. 

Benefits of Freeze Drying

• Freeze drying effectively inhibits the growth of pathogenic microorganisms and enables food preservation without refrigeration. ⁽²⁾  
• It preserves the nutrients, flavor, and organoleptic (involving the use of sensory organs: eyes, mouth, smell, etc.) characteristics of foods.
• It makes food storage, transportation, and distribution easier since it decreases weight and eliminates the need for a cold chain. 
• Allows rehydration, allowing the meal to regain its organoleptic properties and weight.
• Freeze-dried foods can remain fresh for years! Its lifespan, however, is determined by how it is stored. ⁽⁴⁾

Basic Freeze Dried Food Storage Guidelines

If you have noticed a change in the taste of freeze dried foods from the last time you ate them, then you're likely to store the food properly. Here are some guidelines for keeping freeze-dried meals correctly so that they remain fresh longer:

• Rotate your stored foods regularly so that you use the oldest foods first.
• Store freeze dried foods in a dry place, away from sources of humidity that might contribute to mold formation.
• Keep them out of direct sunlight because light can harm freeze dried foods whenever feasible, and can cause color to fade.
• Protect them from extreme temperatures, because it can induce chemical changes in freeze dried foods, resulting in loss of taste and nutritional value.
• Keep them away from open flames.
• Store them in airtight bags or containers and seal them properly to keep them dry, light-protected, and humidity-free. We can give you tips on how to do this.
• Ensure your containers have adequate locking mechanisms to keep them from opening in transit.

How to Store Freeze-Dried Food Storage for a Long Time

The storage of dried foods is equally as crucial as that of perishable ones since it can still get contaminated by physical or chemical agents. To guarantee that your freeze dried foods survive as long as possible:

• Keep them in an excellent, cool, dry spot away from sources of humidity and light. Keeping your dry storage items in dry, dark places away from direct sunlight will extend the shelf life of your food and help you maintain the temperature. ⁽¹⁾
• Store them in food-grade Mylar bags, quart jars, or oxygen absorber packs, and keep them in a cool and dry storage room. You can get the storage packaging here.
• Mark the date you placed the freeze dried items into long-term storage on their package for the best outcomes so you know when it's safe to eat them. Each package you purchase from us will have a date on the bottom right hand portion of the label.

How to store freeze dried foods after opening

• After opening, the foods begin to reabsorb the moisture in the air, softening and exposing them to harmful contaminants and deteriorating faster. Once you open a pack, keep the food in an airtight container such as a glass jar or a sealable Mylar bag to extend the shelf life. 
• Also, keep the food containers in a dry, dark, and cool pantry or storage room since light can also quicken freeze-dried foods' deterioration. ⁽⁵⁾
• Maintain proper temperatures and discard foods exposed to excessive heat for an extended period.
• Apply the first in first out (FIFO) strategy to use previously purchased items before purchasing new products. Label all food items stored at room temperature that are not in their original containers with the product's name, lot number, and opening date. Arrange the products according to their purchase date or expiry date.
• To minimize cross-contamination, keep freeze dried foods separately from raw foods.
• You can repackage your freeze dried goods in two ways: In their original packaging or repackaged in mylar bags. If packing them in their original containers, ensure they're clean, sterilized, and free of potential pathogens.
• When repackaging your freeze dried food into mylar bags, use food-grade bags and seal them correctly to eliminate contamination and keep the food dry. Wear gloves and use clean, sterilized containers when repackaging freeze dried goods at home.

How long does freeze-dried food last after opening?

We recommend you go by the date on each label (bottom right hand corner). You should consume the remaining part within 6-12 months if not storing in a cool, dry, dark place. ⁽⁵⁾ If you don't use the food frequently, you can reseal it in a Mylar bag and store it in a dark storage area. 

Conclusion

Food preservation is an excellent strategy to protect your health and your wallet! Keep your freeze dried foods away from light and humidity for longer shelf life. Proper food storage also makes it easier to regulate expiry dates while preserving the items' freshness and organoleptic properties. Click here to buy food-grade storage bags.

References

1. https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/agricultural-and-biological-sciences/food-storage
2. https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/healthyliving/food-safety-and-storage
3. https://foodrevolution.org/blog/food-storage-food-preservation/
4. https://food.unl.edu/free-resource/food-storage
5. https://harvestright.com/blog/2017/how-to-store-freeze-dried-food/

Millennials Are Redefining Organic Freeze Dried Fruit Through Their Start-Ups 0

From the moment they reached adulthood and entered the workplace, millennials have pushed for change in many aspects of modern life - from politics to ecology. But the industry they influenced the most (or better yet, revolutionized) is the food industry.

According to a recent U.S. Department of Agriculture report⁽¹⁾, millennial households focus more on healthy foods (like fruits and vegetables) and less on processed goods (like pasta and chips). They also value convenience more than older generations; so, they consume more ready-to-eat and take-out meals than older generations.

Maybe that's why they've embraced many "unconventional" foods that past generations used to scoff at, such as organic freeze dried fruit (OFDF). However, things have changed. Not only are millennials willing to add organic freeze dried fruit to their cart, but some of them go as far as to build their start-ups around them - often using them in the most innovative ways.

So, if you want to delve deeper into the world of freeze-dried food, these four food products created by millennials will show you that there are many more ways to enjoy OFDF than straight out of the bag.

NurturMe - Mom Turns Dried Fruit into an Organic Baby-Food Empire

After having her first baby, new mom Caroline Freedman⁽²⁾ was shocked at the poor quality and bad taste of ready-made baby food available on the market. Determined to change that, she and her friend, Lauren McCullough, set out to create a line of healthy and tasty baby foods made entirely from organic dried fruits and veggies.

The two women started experimenting by drying different fruits and veggies and blending them in order to come up with the tastiest combos. Through trial and error, they found the blends that resonated with them the most and launched them, covering kids of all ages, from infants to toddlers. One of the company's most delicious fruit blends is the "Ancient Grains," a tasty and nutritious mix of pineapple, banana, and oatmeal.

Urban Artifact Brewing Company - New-Age Brewery Uses Freeze Dried Fruit to Make "Astronaut Beer"

Last year, Urban Artifact Brewing Company⁽³⁾, a Cincinnati-based brewery specializing in fruit beer, took a note from cosmonauts' menus and started working on a new beer line. The drink was labeled "Astronaut Food" and featured freeze dried fruit as the main ingredient. The limited-edition beer came with a high alcohol content (15% ABV) and was released in two unique flavors, blackberry-raspberry and blueberry. Due to the high cost of freeze dried fruit, the beer was somewhat pricey. But beer lovers who had the chance to taste the brew said it was well worth the splurge.

Kencko - Company Turns Organic Freeze Dried Fruit into Easy-to-Make Smoothies

Founded by Tomas Fores and Ricardo Vice Santos, Kencko⁽⁴⁾ (which is Japanese for "health") was formed in 2016 after Fores was diagnosed with acute gastritis. The smoothie company was created with a simple goal in mind: to help 90% of adults who fail to meet the recommended servings of produce per day round out their daily meals in the easiest way possible.

Understanding that organic freeze dried fruits are as nutritious as fresh fruit (but come with a longer shelf life), the company decided to pulverize and pack them in single-serving pouches. This way, consumers can easily stir them in water or milk and create a nutritious drink on the go.

The smoothies are cataloged by color and purpose like the "Purples," which feature a mix of berries, bananas, and dates and promise to aid digestion and reduce inflammation. So, depending on your health goals and color preferences, you can choose the smoothie that suits you the most.

FRUUP - A Polish Company Creates the First Ever Freeze Dried Fruit Bars

Created by Celiko, a Polish manufacturing company specializing in dry food concentrates, FRUUP is the world's first freeze dried fruit bar. Boasting a natural ingredient list, the treat contains no added sugar and is rich in fiber and antioxidants. The bar tastes like sorbet, especially when frozen or dissolved in water. Thanks to its texture, it also crumbles easily and blends well with yogurt and cereal.

What innovative product would you make with a batch of organic freeze dried fruit? Let us know in the comment section down below!

References:

1. https://www.ers.usda.gov/webdocs/publications/86401/eib-186.pdf?v=43097
2. https://www.treehugger.com/moms-turn-dried-fruit-into-organic-baby-food-empire-4862430
3. https://www.forbes.com/sites/garystoller/2021/02/19/what-will-they-think-of-next-freeze-dried-astronaut-beer/
4. https://www.fastcompany.com/90650187/this-freeze-dried-smoothie-company-is-delicious-and-cost-effective

Will Organic Freeze Dried Vegetables Be on Everyone's Menu in the Future? 0

Be it your view on mental health or how you wash your hands, we all had to re-evaluate some of our preCOVID-19 habits following the onset of the pandemic. However, the one thing that required the most effort (but we all had to come to terms with) was the new status quo in grocery shopping.

Between empty supermarket shelves and food supply chains being pushed to their limits, we had to readjust the way we shopped to accommodate our new quarantined lifestyles. So, we stockpiled like crazy!

But with this new shopping philosophy came a new set of rules: from shopping in bulk to opting for foods that last longer. And this is how freeze dried vegetables came out of the astronaut shadows' and became a niche on their own.

But if you think that freeze dried food was just a pandemic trend, we're here to tell you that they're here to stay. In fact, here are five reasons why organic freeze dried vegetables (OFDVs) are a treat that future generations will swear by.

Organic Freeze Dried Vegetables: The Food of the Future?

If Covid-19 has taught us anything since it first came out, it's that our food supply chain - from farm to fork - is hanging on by a thread⁽¹⁾. We could blame it all on the increase in global demand for food⁽²⁾ or the ever-decreasing numbers in the human workforce⁽³⁾. But no matter the reasons, there's no denying that the production and distribution of fresh food are becoming an increasingly uphill task for both farmers and suppliers.

And that's why we're seeing a big surge in freeze dried vegetables. The once "bland space food" is turning into the next big thing in the food industry as its long shelf life has become a hot commodity for consumers, who now value shelf stability more than freshness.

After all, it's not uncommon for shoppers to run into empty supermarket shelves - which instantly makes organic crunchy peas a much wiser choice than, say, a pound of fresh peas that'll go bad in a week.

Besides, this never-go-bad nature isn't the only thing that makes organic freeze dried vegetables a future-proof pantry option, as today's crop of OFDVs is a far cry from MREs of the past. In fact, they're engineered to keep the food's nutritional profile intact and preserve its original flavor. So, it's basically like eating fresh produce (with the only exception that you must rehydrate it first).

But What is Freeze Drying, Anyway?

Also known as lyophilization, freeze drying⁽⁴⁾ is a dehydration method during which certain foods are frozen so that their content in water turns into ice. Then, this ice is meticulously removed by sublimation. This method operates at low temperatures and eliminates the need for heat to remove the water (evaporation). As a result, the food's taste, nutritional value, and appearance remain intact. Freezing the food also inhibits the microbes from growing and spreading, which prevents the food from going bad quickly (hence OFDVs' long shelf life).

5 Reasons Why Freeze Dried Vegetables Are the Ultimate Future Food

• They're Healthy

We've all heard (or read) the rumors that freeze drying strips the food of its nutrients and leaves it an empty shell of a nosh. But the truth is quite different. The vegetables that go through freeze drying are actually harvested and preserved at the peak of their ripeness and nutrient content. As a result, they're just as nutritious and healthy as their fresh counterparts. And we should also mention that our variety is organic⁽⁵⁾, meaning our products are grown without synthetic pesticides, fertilizers, herbicides, and bioengineered genes (GMOs).

• They Have a Long Shelf Life

No matter what the future holds for the food industry, one thing is for sure: Organic freeze dried vegetables are an excellent way to ensure your eating habits from possible fluctuations in the market. Thanks to their long shelf life, OFDVs give you the chance to store your favorite produce for months (even decades at times) and enjoy them whenever the mood strikes - even if their prices skyrocket due to global shortage or when they're out of season.

• They Require Minimal Prepping

With the "epidemic of busyness"⁽⁶⁾ being an everyday occurrence for most millennials (and probably Gen-Zers), skipping cooking seems like a legit way to save some minutes during the day. But OFDVs offer an alternative. Since these ingredients are cut and cooked before freeze drying, they require minimal prepping and could spare you from losing time in the kitchen. The only thing you have to do is soak them in water and get on with your recipe.

• They Are Versatile

Another advantage of organic freeze dried vegetables for future menus is their ability to fit almost any need and taste. Whether you want them cut into smaller pieces or preserved whole, these veggies can be part of every meal, from energizing breakfasts to hearty dinners. In some cases, you can even grind them into a fine powder and add them to smoothies or sauces. Such versatility will allow you to use OFDVs as a blank canvas for infinite recipes and make them work no matter what you make with them.

• They're Easy to Transport

Water makes up a large part of the food we eat. Vegetables⁽⁷⁾, in particular, consist of more than 70% of water. Since most of the water is removed during freeze drying, organic freeze dried vegetables' overall mass decreases, making them lighter and easier to carry around. That could prove helpful in cases where people need to cross long distances to reach a destination and need to feed themselves along the way. Let's not forget that environmental migration is an imminent threat for most tropical and some continental populations.

Have you tried our organic freeze dried vegetables? If so, which are your favorites? Let us know in the comment section down below!

References:

1. Impact of COVID-19 on the food supply chain | Food Quality and Safety | Oxford Academic (oup.com)
2. Global Demand for Food Is Rising. Can We Meet It? (hbr.org)
3. What’s Causing Supply Chain Issues? - Eater
4. The Freeze-Drying of Foods—The Characteristic of the Process Course and the Effect of Its Parameters on the Physical Properties of Food Materials - PMC (nih.gov)
5. https://www.helpguide.org/articles/healthy-eating/organic-foods.htm
6. The epidemic of busyness - Alastair Humphreys
7. Table - PMC (nih.gov)