BASICS, In the Beginning

Many agree that the best course to acquire and dehydrate veggies is to start with a list of those you're used to and like to eat.  These 18 veggies appeal to 'Fork and The Missus.  You make your own list.

• Broccoli

• Brussel sprouts

• Cabbage

• Carrots

• Cauliflower

• Celery

• Corn

• Cucumber

• Eggplant

• Leeks

• Mushrooms

• Onions

• Peas

• Pepper

• Potatoes

• Pumpkin

• Tomatoes

• Zucchini

Notably, beans got left out, about which neither one of us sheds a tear, though lentils might be allowed to join up subsequently.

PRESENTATIONS

Then, 'Fork and The Missus, noted particular, structural variations that appeal, growing veggie options from 18 to 24, e.g., potatoes now account for not 1 but 3 units of presentation.  You note your own presentation preferences.

• Broccoli - chopped

• Brussel sprouts - whole

• Cabbage - chopped

• Carrots – baby, whole or sectioned

• Cauliflower - chopped

• Celery, sliced

• Corn - kernels

• Cucumber - sliced

• Eggplant - diced

• Leeks - sliced

• Mushrooms - quartered

• Onions – sliced or diced

• Peas - shelled

• Pepper - diced

• Potatoes – sweet sliced, white sliced or diced

• Pumpkin - mashed

• Tomatoes – sliced, diced, powdered

• Zucchini – sliced

HOW MUCH IN TOTAL?

You can work with days, weeks, months, a year or more.  'Fork and The Missus figured 2 years, mostly because they expect, just maybe so, that there'd be other family to sustain, and thereby work through 2 years supply in way under 2 years and in that course of time, adapt as a group.  You work through your own family and friends dynamics of support and survival.

So, for each of us, a half-pound/day of veggies all-in seemed a reasonable upper limit.  (Note well that there are estimates galore on how much . . . and for how long.  DIY.)  Therefore, .5#/day x 365 days x 2 people x 2 years = 730# total in veggies for 2 years, 2 people.  That’s fresh pounds good to go as-is – not in shells, not in husks, no roots, no leaves, no stems, not canned, not yet dehydrated.  Only some peeling to do.  You set your own limits.

AND MORE MATH

The easy part . . . 730#/24 forms of veggies ≈ 30# per each of 24 veggies

Hold on.  Not so fast. 

‘Fork and The Missus like some veggies more than others, say, onions and celery way more than leaks, price withstanding.  So ‘Fork and The Missus weighted the list item-by-item, being either on the average of 30#/person/per year for 2 years or 50% over/under for greater/lesser relative appeal, respectively.  You set your own degrees of acquisition weight differences.

• 45#   Broccoli - chopped

• 15#   Brussel sprouts - whole

• 45#   Cabbage - chopped

• 45#   Carrots – baby, sliced

• 45#   Cauliflower - chopped

• 45#   Celery, sliced

• 30#   Corn - kernels

• 15#   Cucumber - sliced

• 45#   Eggplant - diced

• 15#   Leeks - sliced

• 15#   Mushrooms - quartered

•         Onions – 45# - sliced; 45# - diced

• 45#   Peas - shelled

• 15#   Pepper - diced

•         Potatoes – 30# - sweet sliced; 15# - white sliced; 15# - white diced

• 30#   Pumpkin – mashed

• Tomatoes – 30# - sliced; 30# - diced; 30# - powdered

• 30#   Zucchini – sliced

    720# Total fresh veggie weight for 2 people, 2 years

Note: Don't sweat math's minor imprecisions.

WORTH CONSIDERING 

You might consider starting out with small fractions of your own totals in order to gain confidence in process (tools, methodology, etc.) and to limit losses from the unforeseeable, e.g., sufficient moisture to mold, and the unforeseeable, . . . come on, it’s unforeseeable.