A few years back I picked up a dehydrator for about 50 bucks and started dehydrating the apples growing on the trees on my land. Within a week I had more dammed dried apple chips than I knew what to do with so I ended up trading them with friends for stuff they had extra. I use it now for jerky as well as for making soup base, drying stuff like green onions and strawberries etc. I am in the process of experimenting with dehydrating whole meals to see how that works.

If times are tough, then a dehydrator is one heck of a way to start putting away meals for a rainy day. It a good way to use fruit and veg in bulk before it can spoil as well.