Sizu Home › Calculators › Trays, Slices and Time
Opens on the book's Stall Batch. Change any number to your own and press Calculate.
Or estimate the density from one fruit (FDC's medium apple)
Trays for a target (optional)
Enter the trays and press Calculate.
The formula
- Usable area = side × side (in × 2.54 = cm)
- Load a tray = area × coverage × thickness (cm) × density (g per mL)
- Density from one fruit, as a sphere: weight ÷ (4/3 × π × radius³); an estimate, since fruit isn't a sphere
- Buy = load ÷ (1 − trim %); fruit to buy = buy ÷ one fruit, rounded up. Trays = packs × fill ÷ dried a tray, rounded up
The book's worked example, Chapter 7. The book's 10-tray box dehydrator has 15 × 15 in trays, usable 14 × 14 in = 1,264.5 cm². FDC's medium apple (3 in, 182 g) as a sphere is 0.786 g/mL. 1/8 in rings at 70 % cover: about 221 g a tray, 2,207.9 g on 10 trays. With 20 % trim, buy 2,759.8 g (6.1 lb): 16 medium apples. The jerky runs at 384.3 g of wet strips a tray.
Check it. Lay one tray and weigh it: that is your real load. The sphere estimate is only a start.
Honest limits. Single layer, pieces not touching, slices 1/8 to 1/4 in, dried at 140 °F (60 °C): the NCHFP and extension figures the book uses. Drying times are a range; the weight check decides when a tray is done. Prices are illustrative US prices from October 2026, shown without a currency sign; put in your own. Everything stays in your browser: no sign-up, nothing stored.
These calculators go with Vegan Pantry Math (Craft & Studio, Book 3), where every number on this page is worked by hand.