Freeze-dried food is made by using a process called lyophilization, in which the temperature of the product is lowered to below freezing, and then a high-pressure vacuum is applied to extract the water in the form of vapor. In other words, freeze-drying consists first in freezing and dehydrating foods to remove water. The freeze-drying process retains the physical structure of the food product and preserves it for rehydration at a later date. Because the cell structure of the food product remains intact, freeze-dried products taste and look like fresh products. Freeze-drying preserves foods’ texture, aroma, shape, flavor, and once rehydrated, food products are like fresh ones. Also, freeze-dried food products have a very long shelf life. When the product is properly stored, food can last for several years or even decades. By the way, freeze-dried products maintain almost all of their nutrients throughout the freeze-drying process. Once the water is removed from the foods, they become very light and can be prepared easily and quickly by adding water. Commonly, the freeze-drying process is used for coffee, vegetables, herbs, food flavorings, fish, seafood, eggs, fruits, juice, and dairy products, such as milk, yogurt, ice cream. Also, freeze-drying is suitable for individual food and whole dishes with multiple ingredients, for instance, stews or soups. There are many places in the US where you can buy high-quality freeze-dried foods, including SportsmansGuide.com, Augason Farms, Amazon, Walmart, 4Patriots.com, BulkFoods.com, My Patriot, ReadyWise, Overstock.com, Emergency Essentials, etc. You can read more about freeze-dried food on this website.