How to Dehydrate Bananas in a Food Dehydrator

Dehydrating banana slices preserves the taste and nutrients while providing food for road trips, camping or basic snacking. A dehydrator is just one way to dry foods such as bananas. Once the water extraction is complete, you are left with crunchy pieces suitable for snacking. Inside the dehydrator, you find an electric heating element and fan to circulate air, according to the National Center for Home Food Preservation. The combination of the two elements speeds up and automates the drying process.

Mix one part lemon juice with one part water in a bowl.

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Peel and slice the bananas into 1/4-inch pieces. Make horizontal cuts to create circular sections and let them drop into the bowl with lemon juice.

Soak the slices in the bowl for ten minutes. This keeps them from turning brown while dehydrating. The juice will not affect the taste of the fruit, but will work as a preservative.

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Remove the banana pieces from the bowl and lay them out in one layer on a mesh rack sitting on top of a cookie sheet. Allow the juice to drip off. What does not come off will evaporate during dehydration.

Place the slices on the trays of your dehydrator in one layer. Keep the pieces from touching as much as possible. Follow the directions that came with your unit for proper use. Turn the dehydrator on the medium setting and leave the bananas to dry overnight.

Empty the banana chips into a resealable bag or storage bowl and serve them as snacks.

Tips

MIx the banana chips with nuts and raisins to make trail mix.

Warnings

Not all dehydrators work the same. Read the instructions that came with yours for proper use of the machine.