Caylah, I recommend using within a year for the best quality.

Barb, The images you mentioned show zucchini slices that are indeed cut into halves and quarters, but they are still approximately 1/4 inch thick. The reason for cutting them this way, especially with larger zucchinis, is to ensure that the pieces are of similar size. By doing so, they can dry more uniformly and at a similar rate. Feel free to cut your pieces any size you want based on the way you will use them.

I hope this clarifies the reasoning behind the slightly different appearances in the images. I apologize for any confusion caused. If you have any further questions or concerns, please feel free to let me know.