As a frugal mom, effectively managing household finances is key to keeping your family on the right path. Finding ways to save money without sacrificing nutrition or taste can be challenging. Exploring the benefits and drawbacks of home canning can help you determine if it’s worth it.
People often overlook the idea of canning food at home as a way to save money. In this blog post, I’ll briefly discuss how home preservation works and describe pressure and water bath canning.
I’ll discuss the potential cost savings associated with canning and how to get started. This guide also includes troubleshooting solutions for problems that may arise and helpful home canning tips.
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A Quick Explanation of Home Canning
Canning is a preservation method that involves sealing the contents in an airtight container. This helps to protect the food from bacteria and prevents it from spoiling. You can use a raw pack or hot-packed foods depending on the type of food you are canning.
The raw pack method involves packing raw food into jars and adding hot liquid (such as syrup or water), while the hot pack method involves cooking the food before packing it into jars.
Canning is a way to preserve food for a long time. To can, you need to use heat. Boiling-water canning means putting jars in hot water for a few minutes. Pressure canning uses hot steam under pressure and ensures the container is airtight to last longer.
It is prudent to have a pantry stocked with canned food during economic uncertainty and supply-chain issues. Home canning produces high-quality canned products and allows for the safe storage of food for long periods.
The Importance of Saving Money
In today’s economy, many people find their incomes stretched thin, pushing up the cost of living.
As we all know, groceries are a significant expense for any household. Discovering strategies to reduce these expenses is essential for maintaining a budget.
Home canning is a solution to consider for cutting down on grocery expenses. If done properly, home canning offers substantial savings on your grocery bill.
Home canning gives households more control over the quality and ingredients of their food. In the long run, this can lead to savings in healthcare costs.
Related post: How to Save Money on Groceries Without Coupons: 28 Ways
Understanding the Costs of Home Canning to Determine if Canning is Worth It
DIY canning is a great way to save money and ensure you have the exact types of food you want to store for future use. Although the equipment, jars, and other necessary supplies may seem seem costly upfront, it’s a little money, considering you can use everything repeatedly. Canning pays for itself in more ways than one over time.
Growing your own food in a garden is a great way to save money. You can also use the food you grow to make canned foods that you can eat later.
If you don’t have a home garden, investing in fruits and vegetables from your local farmers’ market or grocery store will give you cheaper options for filling your jars with tasty goodness!
Initial Costs for Home Canning Equipment and Supplies
The initial cost of supplies and equipment can vary depending on the type and quantity of items you purchase.
Necessary canning items with their approximate costs:
- Lids: Metal lids usually cost between $0.15 and $0.50 per lid.
- Canning Jars: Glass jars, sometimes called mason jars, are necessary for canning. The cost per jar can range from $0.50 to $2.00. Quart and pint jars are the most commonly used sizes. The jars come with two-piece lids, a round rubberized lid, along with a ring that screws on over the lid.
- Rings: The cost of jar rims (screw bands) is around $0.15 per ring. The rings are reusable.
- Water Bath Canner: A water bath canner is the least expensive type of canner. Depending on the size, the price ranges from $50 to $200.
- Pressure Canner: The cost of pressure canners varies depending on the brand, size, and features. A basic pressure canner costs between $50 and $150.
- Stockpot: A stockpot with a lid will usually cost around $30.
- Utensils: You will need a few tools, including a jar lifter, lid lifter, bubble popper, and funnel. You can purchase these tools individually or as a set. A set of canning utensils costs around $20.
- Ingredients: The cost of ingredients will vary. You may need to buy sugar, vinegar, fruit pectin or citric acid, canning salt, and other ingredients for your recipes.
- Optional Ball Canning Book: The cost of an optional Ball Canning book will depend on the edition and type you purchase. Generally, they range from around $10 to $30. A home canning book is an important resource for any home canner. It provides step-by-step instructions and research-tested home canning recipes for successful canning projects. It’s not a requirement, but it’s good to have one. I refer to mine often.
Benefits of Home Canning
Jarring your food is the best way to enjoy all the summer harvest’s flavor, nutrition, and freshness anytime. This method of food preservation has many benefits. One benefit is you have total control over the ingredients that go into your homemade creations.
Another benefit is cutting grocery store costs by buying in bulk and making cheaper pantry-stored items. When home canning fruits and vegetables, you can choose what goes into your food. That way, you can ensure the food is healthy and tastes like you want.
Control Over Ingredients and Quality
When you can your own food, you decide what ingredients you use. You can choose the best fruits, vegetables, and meats to put into your quart jars and avoid chemicals often added to store-bought foods, such as preservatives, artificial colors, and flavors. By learning how to do this, you can be sure you’re storing high-quality food for later use.
Beyond controlling quality, self-canning gives you complete control over your canned products’ sweetness, saltiness, spiciness, and flavor profiles.
You decide on the flavors that make it onto your pantry shelves without settling for whatever’s available in stores.
Ability to Preserve Seasonal Produce
Preserving seasonal produce is a great way to get the most out of your harvest. Jarring your own fresh produce and meat is a great way to enjoy the delicious flavors, nutrition, and freshness of the summer harvest all year round. I’ve been raising meat chickens for years and I can broth, soup, and meat.
Home canning enables you to preserve fruits and vegetables at their peak ripeness, which helps to cut food waste by preserving any surplus produce that might have otherwise spoiled. If you have excess apples, for instance, you can make apple sauce and can it.
Preserving seasonal produce, from making jams with summer berries to jarred tomatoes in autumn, ensures you will always have healthy and delicious ingredients, no matter the season.
Store canned food in a dry, cool, dark place. Before use, carefully examine the jars. If any lid easily comes off, the contents are bad-smelling, or the food is off-color, promptly discard the food.
A frequently asked question is how long a jar of home-canned food lasts. Mrs. Wages states, “It can last for at least 2 to 5 years easily without compromising taste or nutritional value.”
Personal Satisfaction and Sense of Accomplishment
Canning your own food is a great way to feel accomplished and provide personal satisfaction. It’s a relatively quick process encompassing the art and science of preserving food in cans or jars for long-term storage.
After you complete the process and see the end product, you feel undeniable pride, watching whatever you made fill sealed cans perfectly.
Two Canning Methods
Two different canning methods are available: water bath canning and pressure canning. Water bath canning involves submerging the filled jars in boiling water to achieve a seal. This method is ideal for high-acid foods such as jams and pickles but should not be used on vegetables or meats as they require higher temperatures achieved during pressure canning.
Pressure canning requires a pressure canner (not a pressure cooker or a different piece of equipment) to increase the heat while processing. Pressure canning eliminates potential bacteria in low-acid foods, making them safe for long-term storage.
The USDA’s Complete Guide to Home Canning is a comprehensive guide that provides detailed instructions on preserving food at home using pressure and water bath canning methods. It also provides an abundance of research-based recipes for specific foods.
In addition, the USDA guide to home canning provides plenty of helpful charts and graphs to help you know the correct processing times, pressure amounts for your elevation, safety information, disease control, and what all the canning terms mean.
You can also get information on canning at your local Cooperative Extension.
Here are some ideas for water bath canning:
- Pickling vegetables: cucumber pickles, dill pickles, pickled beets, and pickled green beans
- Jams and jellies: strawberry, raspberry, blackberry, and grape
- Tomato products: whole, crushed, diced, and tomato sauce
- Salsa: tomato salsa, peach salsa, and corn salsa
- Fruit: canned peaches, pears, and applesauce
Here are some ideas for pressure canned foods:
- Meat – chicken, beef, pork, and venison
- Soup – vegetable soup, chili, and chicken noodle soup
- Beans – pinto beans, black beans, and kidney beans
- Vegetables – carrots, green beans, and corn
- Fish – salmon and tuna
Process of Water Bath Canning
Water bath canning is a method for safely preserving high-acid foods. This process requires immersing filled jars in boiling water for a designated period.
Steps for Water Bath Canning
- Prepare Jars and Equipment: Sterilize jars and keep hot. Ensure lids and bands are clean and that they are in good condition.
- Prepare Food for Canning: Follow a tested recipe to prepare the food for canning.
- Fill Jars: Fill the hot jars with a funnel, leaving the recommended headspace.
- Remove Air Bubbles: Use a bubble remover to eliminate air bubbles.
- Seal Jars: Wipe the rims and place the lids on the jars. Screw on the bands until fingertip tight.
- Process in Water Bath: Once the canner comes to a boil, submerge the jars in hot water and process for the specified time.
- Cool and Store: Once processed, remove from canner. Set the jars to cool. Check seals and store them in a cool, dark place.
Safety Tips for Water Bath Canning
- Always use tested recipes from reliable sources.
- Adjust processing times based on altitude.
- Do not reuse lids for canning.
- Make sure the jars are sealed properly before storing them.
Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
- Under processing: Always follow the recommended time for processing.
- Improper Headspace: Use a tool to measure and maintain proper headspace in jars.
- Incomplete Jar Seal: Check jars after cooling to ensure a secure seal.
Process of Pressure Canning
Pressure canning is a method for preserving low-acid foods. It involves processing them in a specialized canner that uses high pressure to achieve the temperatures necessary for safe preservation.
Steps for Pressure Canning
- Prepare Jars and Equipment: Sterilize jars and keep them hot. Ensure that lids and bands are clean and in good condition.
- Prepare Food for Canning: Follow a tested recipe to prepare the food for canning.
- Fill Jars: Use a funnel to fill the hot jars, leaving the recommended headspace.
- Remove Air Bubbles: Use a bubble remover to eliminate air bubbles.
- Seal Jars: Wipe the rims, place the lids, and screw on the bands until fingertip tight.
- Process in Pressure Canner: Add the appropriate amount of water to the pressure canner and bring it to the specified pressure level before starting processing time.
- Monitor and Adjust Pressure: Maintain recommended pressure throughout the canning process by adjusting heat.
- Cool and Store: Once processed, remove from canner, cool, check seals, and store in a cool, dark place.
Safety Tips for Pressure Canning
- Use only tested recipes from reliable sources.
- Follow proper procedures for venting and releasing pressure.
- Adjust processing times based on altitude.
- Do not reuse lids for canning.
- Check that the jars are sealed properly before storing them.
Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
- Inadequate processing time: Always follow the recommended processing time for your food at your specific altitude.
- Overfilling jars: Leave the recommended headspace to allow for proper expansion of food during processing.
- Not testing seals: After cooling, press on the center of each lid to ensure a firm seal. If it pops up and down, the jar is improperly sealed and should be reprocessed or consumed within a few days.
Tips for Maximizing Savings
Home food preservation is a great way to save money and ensure you always have delicious, fresh, home-cooked meals available. To get the most out of your home canning process, plan ahead.
Research recipes and ingredients so you know exactly what supplies to buy in advance. When selecting food, opt for locally grown fruits and vegetables. Fresh produce bursts with more flavor, cost less than pre-packaged options and hits your table at the peak of ripeness.
Another way to maximize your food savings is to home can fish and venison you catch and hunt at home. Home canning fish not only saves you money on the cost of canned meats, but it also ensures that you have a reliable and nutritious source of protein throughout the year.
Invest in high-quality equipment free of cracks or dents; these flaws could cause spoilage later on. Finally, organize your pantry shelves so that labeled jars are easy to locate and access when needed.
Take Advantage of Sales and In-Season Produce
Home canning is an economical way of preserving food and reducing waste. With careful budgeting, it is possible to take advantage of grocery store sales while purchasing in-season produce. For example, if ground beef is on sale for a good price, you can buy in bulk and can the excess. You can also purchase produce at local farms and farmers’ markets.
Stock up on items when they’re inexpensive or plentiful to maximize savings and enjoy a wide variety of seasonal fruits and veggies all year round. Canning in season also guarantees fresher, more natural-tasting meals for your family.
Grow Your Own Ingredients
You can save the most money when home canning by growing a garden. Homegrown produce is usually tastier than store-bought options, and having a garden can be a great way to relax, stay productive, and enjoy the beautiful outdoors.
I always grow tomatoes, onions, garlic, and all the herbs to make my own salsa and spaghetti sauce every year. The sauces are great for food storage and also make great gifts for friends and family members.
With proper planning, preparation, and maintenance, you could save hundreds of dollars on food costs each year by growing your own ingredients for home canning!
Related Post: Blooming on a Budget: Frugal Gardening Tips
Reuse Canning Supplies and Equipment
If you properly care for canning jars, rims, and other supplies, you can reuse them multiple times. Invest in a few good pieces, and they will last for years. To further maximize savings, reuse your canning equipment and supplies as much as possible by annually checking jars and lids for cracks and bands for rust or a failure to hold the lid tightly in place.
It is essential to check your pressure canner’s parts yearly to ensure that they are in good working condition and that the canner is operating safely and efficiently. By putting in just a tiny amount of effort, you can make sure your existing supplies last another year.
You can pick up canning jars and canners at thrift stores and garage sales.
Related post: Mastering Thrifting: How to Thrift Shop Like a Pro
Large-Batch Canning
Large-batch canning allows you to save time and money by preserving larger quantities at once. The greatest benefit of large-batch canning is not having to repeat the prepping, sterilizing, and timing involved with every batch throughout the season.
Furthermore, using produce from your own home garden is a great way to ensure that none of your harvest goes to waste. With the convenience of large-batch canning, maintaining your pantry with delectable canned veggies and fruit has never been easier!
Potential Problems with Home Canning
While home canning is an economical and sustainable way to preserve meat and produce, it does have potential risks if not done correctly. Improperly canned foods can cause botulism, a severe form of food poisoning that could result in a trip to the hospital or even death in extreme cases. Food spoilage can also occur if the jars are improperly processed and sealed or the food becomes contaminated before canning.
Additionally, using the incorrect canning method, such as boiling water bath instead of pressure canning, could lead to spoilage and health risks. Lastly, home canning is a labor-intensive and time-consuming process that requires attention to detail if you want your preserved goods to last throughout the year.
It is always best to stay informed and follow safety guidelines to ensure successful canning results. If safely canned, home-canned foods can be a money-saving investment with great benefits. With careful planning and preparation, you will have access to delicious and nutritious ingredients all year round!
Conclusion to Home Canning
After your initial investment of purchasing equipment and supplies, you’ll have the ability to produce home-canned goods for your family for later use.
You can buy food when it’s on sale at the local grocery store, use your own produce from your garden, and meat you catch or raise and use the same supplies and equipment over and over, and make bigger batches of canned food. This enables you to save even more money.
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Canning is an attainable skill that anyone can learn, and satisfaction will come from knowing that your money has gone further by preserving seasonal ingredients and avoiding food waste.
Home canning enables you to provide your family with nutritious, long-lasting meals. With the proper preparation and resources, you can make this money-smart lifestyle a reality.
So, try home canning – you’ll be glad you did!
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Wonderfully detailed article, and great question, if it’s worth it. I like how you bring up buying when it’s on sale! Thank you for your inspiration!
I’m glad you found the post inspiring, Cindy!
You do a fabulous job showcasing the benefits of canning. Although I’ve never canned my own food, it really seems like such a good way to save money and have a sense of accomplishment. Thank you for highlighting the process, too!
Thanks, so much for your comment, Debbie!
Home canning is probably one of the most sustainable practices for saving money and the environment. I think the journey is worth it.
Yes! Also, I love the fact that I know exactly what’s in that jar. No chemical concoctions, preservatives, fake colors, or flavors. Yup, the journey is so worth it, Kevin!
This is really good information. We grow veggies and fruit and when it’s so much I want to be able to save and not waste. So thanks for the information canning.
You’re welcome! I’m glad the info will help you with your excess garden goodies!
I love this article; it is very informative. My grandmother canned for years, yet I never knew there were two ways. She just did the water method, at least when I was around; maybe she thought it was easier and safer around us kids.
Great ideas, and awesome information!
I’ve thought about doing canning in the past. But unfortunately right now I don’t really have the space, the tools, or the opportunity to grow a garden.
But, this is definitely on my plan for the future!
Thanks so much for the advice!
You’re welcome! So glad you liked the post and found the info helpful!
Canning is totally worth it! I love having jars of food for the entire winter!
This is so helpful because I want to start canning but don’t know how and don’t have the equipment to seal it. Will check out that water bath method.
I was brought up in a farming family where canning was routine. As an adult, I became spoiled to the convenience of store bought. Now, that I’m older. I’m wanting to get back to my roots and the naturalness of canning my own fresh food.
I love the tips in this post for canning food. Groceries price rise is the biggest concern all around the globe and I guess it’s a good idea to effectively use canning food to save some money. Thanks for this awesome resource!
You’re welcome, Hari!
My husband does some canning, onions, apple butter, and tomato sauce, but I’m not sure we plan to go any further. I don’t know if I’m ready to have lots of jars occupying my kitchen, lol. I’d like to try a few more in the future as the family grows.
Yes, it makes it hard if you don’t have a lot of space, Tiffany. I have a basement and a large pantry where I keep my jarred foood.
I would love to grow my garden. Is that your garden in the pictures? Fresh, whole produce right from the garden is heartwarming because your family can eat all the food you have cultivated and nurtured. It’s exciting!
Yes, Tiffany, growing your own food is very exciting. It’s also a great opportunity to spend time in the sunshine and get vitamin D. It is hard work and it has problems to overcome or deal with. For instance, the garden that we have now at this place we moved to has some kind of ground critters. I couldn’t seem to even find out what they are, but their holes are everywhere and they ate bites in lots of my potatoes, carrots and beets. I still love gardening, but this year’s goal is to figure out what to do with these little monsters. No, that particular picture is not of my garden.
You have some great info on canning and I do believe it’s absolutely worth it!
Thank you, Kayla! It’s especially worth it if you can grow your own fruits and vegetables.
I am very intrigued by the whole canning process. It’s something I’d really love to try and it definitely seems worth the time and effort. Thanks for sharing these great tips!
You’re welcome, Karen! Give it a try!
This brings back memories of long ago. My mom taught me how to can and I enjoyed it so much. To this day. I only eat black eyed peas fresh from the garden or home canned.
What a great thing for your mom to teach you, Susan!
I have a couple of friends who regularly can and love the results with regards to money saved and flavor 🙂
I especially love the green beans that I grow in my garden which I can every year.
I’ve really wanting to try canning some chillies so this post is very helpful for me. Thank you for such detailed information 🙂
You’re welcome, Selene!
Awesome post!
Thanks, Rylee! Glad you stopped by my blog!
Great info! Thanks for sharing. Excited to apply this summer and fall for my garden 🙂
Great, Maria! Thanks for reading!
I would love to start canning!! This is such a great informative post, I actually had no idea that there were two different methods. Thanks for all
the helpful tips!
You’re welcome, Andrea! Canning can seem a little confusing at first, but once you do it a few times, it gets so much easier.
We use to do canning all the time. Especially our peaches since we grew so many. It saved us a lot and we had enough for a year.
I used to do much more than I do now, but I always do apple sauce and chicken broth. I used to do green beans, meat, beets, carrots, salsa. I don’t have an amazing garden anymore so I don’t do as much canning.
I love that you highlighted the idea of growing our own food in a garden to later make canned foods to eat. It’s brilliant to really save some money on food while eating well.
Thanks, Debbie!
This post was just what I needed after attempting a home garden last year. We put $200 into building it and got about $2 worth of vegetables from it. But if we grew enough to can, it might be worth it. Thanks for all the tips!
It’s always hard to start a brand new garden, Merideth. Not only is it a great learning curve, but it takes time and effort toward making the soil rich enough to produce a good harvest.
I’m a big believer in canning. If you find the right vegetables on sale at the store, or if you grow your own, canning is a great way to stock up and save a ton of money.
Yes, Beth, I’ve found that to be the case.
This is such a well thought out article on the benefits of canning. I remember my mom canning many items from our garden – and how delicious everything was. I must try canning not just for the financial benefit but also for the health benefits.
It’s a great way to stock up on food that isn’t contaminated with chemicals and toxins, Stephanie.
My husband’s aunt cans and we always enjoy receiving some during the holidays. I enjoyed reading your post and learning more about the canning process and it’s benefits.
Thanks, Brittney, for reading and for your feedback!
My mother used to do a lot of canning. I think it was more popular in the past. I think she got worried about disease so stopped.
Canning is pretty safe, Richard, unless you don’t follow good canning procedures or methods.
Your post on home canning adventures resonated with me deeply. As someone interested in preserving food but unsure if it’s worth the effort, your insights were invaluable. Your thorough exploration of the process and its rewards has inspired me to give home canning a try. Thank you for shedding light on this rewarding journey!
You’re welcome, Kimberly! Good luck!
Canning would save a lot of space in my kitchen cupboards. I had concerns about safety, though, and I’m not glad to read that its safe.
Oh it’s definitely safe, Sonia, as long as you follow good canning procedure and the correct method.
Canning is something my aunt uses as well and she mentioned it does help with saving money. Also, good thing that it is reuseable as well.
Thanks for reading and commenting, Fransic!
My grandmother was an avid canner. I have never tried it but I think it could be fun and of course, anything that offers savings is okay in my book.
Thanks for reading and commenting, Rosey!
This is such a great informational post! I’ve been wanting to start Canning just wasn’t sure how to begin. I’m glad to be able to read your post. You gave me a lot of insight on how to start. Thank you.
You’re welcome, Lisa!
We do this too and indeed it does help us with saving money and keep the food good for a long period of time.
Awesome, Fransic!
I can really say that canning is important in household because it is for organizing and saving money also.
Thanks for reading and commenting, Nikki!
I just recently started canning and it’s definitely a game-changer. I have noticed my food is always fresh and I have been saving money. This is such a great post!
Thanks, Shakia!
Great tips! I’ve always been interested in canning but didn’t know how to start…. I’ll be much more confident now!
Awesome, Lauryn!
Thanks for this helpful home canning guide for beginners! What a great resource!
You’re welcome, Crysti!
These tips on home canning for beginners are practical in my opinion. Pressure canning is a new concept for me.
Thanks for reading and for your comment, Hari!
Although I’ve never tried canning, I’m very interested in trying. This home canning for beginners guide is so helpful. I didn’t realize that if you properly care for canning jars, rims, and other supplies, you can reuse them multiple times. Great information for beginners!
Thanks, Deb! I hope you decide to give canning a try.