Giveaways and Reviews

Back to School Snacking – Kale Chips

dehydrated kale chips

I jumped onto the kale woo-train about a year ago. Up until then, I had not tried this vitamin packed veggie and I wasn’t alone. Popular in Europe during Roman times and the Middle Ages, it arrived in the U.S. in the 17th century and has just recently become super popular. I love a good kale salad, and I also shared a recipe for a quick and easy kale soup on the blog.

Recently, all Hamilton Beach Social Kitchen Ambassadors were given a Food Dehydrator to try our hand at dehydrating foods. Perfect for this time of the year, mom bloggers were eager to get started trying a variety of items. Stephanie made a variety of fruit snacks, Julia made fruit leather and other yummy fruit snacks, and Heather made jerky (I can’t wait to try this one next!), just to name a few!

hamilton beach food dehydrator

I’ve wanted to make kale chips in the oven for awhile, but knew when I received the Food Dehydrator that I was beyond oven-made chips. I was moving up to the big time! One surprise for those not used to using a food dehydrator is how long it takes, so definitely don’t expect kale chips an hour after you have a craving. Food dehydration is a slow drying process so I prepared the kale the night before (I used a mixture of olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper) and with the push of a button was ready to go! The kale dehydrated for 10 hours and was ready in the morning – perfect for school or office lunch snacks – just ensure you put them in a container as a sandwich bag will have dire results by noon if squished (kale powder anyone?)

The Hamilton Beach Dehydrator is $69.99 and comes with 5 trays, 1 mesh sheet and 1 solid sheet giving you everything you need for making a variety of food items. The instruction booklet offers tips on cooking times and temps for various items along with a few recipes. I’m a weirdo about being matchy-matchy so I also liked the esthetics of the dehydrator and how it fit in well with my kitchen appliances.

Here’s your chance to win your own Hamilton Beach Food Dehydrator for back to school and on the go munching at fall activities!

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