Freeze drying machine

I've kind of been interested in eating the freeze dried candies and ice cream but I don't like the cost. The only way to buy freeze dried products is on Amazon and the prices are high. It's kind of like Amazon indirectly telling you shipping isn't really free because we can't sell this without an insane price. It's many dollars a pound more to buy than non freeze dried. So the foods are tasty freeze dried but really expensive. I don't understand how people think they're saving money using these things. The simple act of taking clean candy into a clean machine to freeze dry then repackaging it seems too easy for those prices. I've looked it up and it's illegal to use the machine to sell what you make with it in my state. Somehow there is some big market for freeze dried food by preppers. The machines cost $3200 IIRC and a few dollars a day to run for electricity plus the machine needs maintenance such as being cleaned or changing oil. Apparently medical field needs them. somehow they're paying someone to freeze dry something. Plus just because something costs $3200 doesn't mean it won't tragically fail in 6 months or 14 months for example. I'd kind of expect such a cost to last almost forever and I doubt they do but know nothing about the statistics of the machines.

Keeping freeze dried stuff is a prepper thing, though I do not have any I just go canned. The ban on sales is a sad part of our government these days, they do the same thing with raw milk. Perhaps we soon get a low priced one like with sous vide.

Quote: 1nickelmiracle

I've kind of been interested in eating the freeze dried candies and ice cream but I don't like the cost. The only way to buy freeze dried products is on Amazon and the prices are high. It's kind of like Amazon indirectly telling you shipping isn't really free because we can't sell this without an insane price. It's many dollars a pound more to buy than non freeze dried. So the foods are tasty freeze dried but really expensive. I don't understand how people think they're saving money using these things. The simple act of taking clean candy into a clean machine to freeze dry then repackaging it seems too easy for those prices. I've looked it up and it's illegal to use the machine to sell what you make with it in my state. Somehow there is some big market for freeze dried food by preppers. The machines cost $3200 IIRC and a few dollars a day to run for electricity plus the machine needs maintenance such as being cleaned or changing oil. Apparently medical field needs them. somehow they're paying someone to freeze dry something. Plus just because something costs $3200 doesn't mean it won't tragically fail in 6 months or 14 months for example. I'd kind of expect such a cost to last almost forever and I doubt they do but know nothing about the statistics of the machines.

The same item will weigh significantly less after the water is taken out, of course the price per pound goes up. You can usually buy freeze dried items in a camping supply store as backpackers use freeze dried food to save weight.

Quote: 1nickelmiracle

I've kind of been interested in eating the freeze dried candies and ice cream but I don't like the cost.

Must be young
That's a lot of sugar
Way way too much sugar for me
These days, no candy and no ice cream for me
Sucks but health is more important
Sugar is kind of insidious

There are homestead cottage industry laws to overcome and anyone who has figured it out isn't telling. I don't understand how you can buy shelf stable food, put it inside a machine, put it in a safe package and somehow it's now illegal. There must be a way, but how much will the way cost?