Let's Talk Canning... frugal or not??

[qtkitty]

It is one of those questions that has plagued me for almost a year now when contemplating canning veggies. When you look in the stores at the cost of jars now aways It is shocking how expensive they have become. $9 for 12 jelly jars or $0.75 a jar. Then all the equipment you would need, at the very least a jars, screw lids, sealing lids, large pot to water bath the jars, Tongs, and a pressure cooker ( depending on the canning your doing).

Yes they can be reused, but i know from living with my grandmother how often they would crack ever so slightly at the top so they juuuuust wouldn't seal. She always had an awsome stash of jars she had saved up over the years so she hardly ever had to replace jars because she had so many and didn't give them away as gifts or anything.

Compared to freezing costs it would be cheaper to can, but if you already have a freezer in use is it worth it to can? Or should you just freeze? If the freezer went out and you had some veggies canned atleast you wouldn't loose your entire stock, but what are the chances right ( depending on where you live of course)?

[momtoadiva]

We purchased many of our canning supplies at estate sales, boxs of jars for a dollar or two a box, we of course purchase our "flaps" new. You can find many other canning supplies at estate auctions or garge sales as well. Other wise I would never get anything in my freezer, when we do get to can we can big time, stocking a majority of the pantry shelves.

[StaceyS]

I've been canning for about 10 years and I love it! I accumulated my "stash" of jars from friends and when I had an extra $10 or so. I've had very few jars crack.
I can my own dried beans, and I think that in itself pays for it. The down side is you can't can broccoli, cauliflower or cabbage (unless you pickle them). I've heard the flavor gets too strong. These would be better frozen.
I personally like the electricity savings of canning, but have contemplated a small freezer for easy storage of leftovers and the above veges.

[freyadog]

Dh and I can every year. We started years ago by getting a NEW canner and jars/lids. then we started buying the jars at goodwill, salvation army, garage sales, junk shops etc. lids and rings you buy new. the rings you can reuse only if they have not rusted or dented.

If you have a freezer and it goes out you can can what is in the freezer. even the meats, butter etc.

we usually buy half a cow and can a large portion of it. I have never canned fish.

Thanksgiving before last I used the last of the pumpkin that we canned in 1989. If it is canned correctly it will last a very long time. In the freezer even with sealed in a foodsaver bag that will only gurantee you up to 3 years on some foods.


We pick our wildberries every year and put up jams, jellies and the fruit for other things. To us it is the frugalist in the long run.

[danni]

I got most of my jars from garage sales and freecycle, so I've paid next to nothing for them. The canner and other supplies were given to me by my sister. Last summer it was definitely worth it for me because I was given about 50lbs of plums and almost 200lbs of apples. I gave about 1/2 of the apples away and canned the restas apple sauce and pie filling.

[sweetlittle]

I taught myself to can about 10 years ago. I love it! For me it is a sense of accomplishment looking at all the colors of foods I lovingly cared for and all the fun the kids had in helping the process along. We always talk about where the food came from, what the day was like when we picked and then canned, etc.

I have thought about your question alot since we have moved to town. We have a small lot so I can't have much of garden but I do have an 8 X8 ft raised bed that we grow tomatoes in. In the past years I've bought cucumbers for pickeling, beets, green beans, and some pears to can. I don't think that I saved much money at all but we do like the taste better of home canned produce. So I spread the word that I would take any extra produce anyone had because I like to can. I was given many jars from women who quite canning and all sorts of produce already picked. It was great.

I think if you can get your produce cheaply it is well worth the effort and would cost less since you can pack your jars as tightly as you wish. One year I might get alot of one type of veggie and the next a different kind, with gardening there isn't alot of consistancy. I think that this is a "just ask" hobby. Just ask and you'll be given what you're looking for cheapy or for free. Our freecycle always has produce giveaways during the summer. Freezing on the other hand is very quick but the taste doesn't last over a year like canning does...for me the difference is a time management thing.

[peanut]

A lot of our jars came from garage sales, but I buy at the end of the season when they're on sale too. And I press any glass jar with a lid with a rubber seal into use for canning jams and jellies. I have used the jars I have for over 15 years. The most recently purchased jars are about 3 years old...I always run out of the jelly jars because I give jelly away for Christmas presents. I don't mind paying for the jars then. Seventy-five cents is still a cheap Christmas present!

I buy food in bulk on sale in fall...or u-pick my own fruit for jelly making. It's great.

I like to have food in both freezer and canned. It's kind of like diversifying your portfolio...it's generally a good thing!

Jean

[Christa]

My educated guess is that it's only really cost-effective to can if you grow your own produce. At least that's what I tell myself since I'm way too lazy to can. I freeze things instead.

[wildflowerpa]

For me its cheaper to can. The only thing I had to buy was the lid inserts,sugar and salt. The rest was from the garden and when I canned I did it over an open fire. While the beans were cooking we sat in front of the fire and made mountain pies and weinies.

[joyofsix]

I have a ton of jars (from grandma and garage sales) but really only can
jelly and veg soup. I find it more cost effective to freeze the produce I grow in my garden. We love broccoli and zucchini and prefer frozen green beans and corn frozen on the cob. It probably really depends on your personal taste. I have the freezer and the space and use dollar store bags. Nothing stays in my freezer long enough for it to matter. I only preserve our produce or things bought really cheaply, otherwise factory frozen is cheaper.

[annymoll]

I can, freeze, and dehydrate everything that our gardens can produce.I do it with my neighbor as she has a summer kitchen and we can keep the heat out of the house.I find jars at estate sales, garage sales, it has never been a problem. I think it is cheaper, but I also think it is much healthier.

[anna021]

I actually do a little of both, some veggies just don't taste good to me canned, and because I'm on a low sodium diet, some just aren't healthy when canned. I would say veggies with the exception of tomatoes taste better frozen. But what's better than canned jams and jellies. Or canned peaches, pears or applesauce? Also if theres a Walmart near by, check out their canning supplies around the end of October or beginning of November, I got cases of jars for 2 and 3 dollars a case, along with some pickling salt for .50.

[qtkitty]

I know that my grandmother froze Zuccini pre shredded.

Applesauce .. Oh yum now thats something i would want to can!! I remember my dad's mom making Apple sauce when i was weeeeeee little and we would have applesauce and mac and cheese and watch the price is right *lol*

How many of you can because of the memories of when you were little? the comfort?

[momtoadiva]

We of course do it for a much better tasting veggie, but I do love the fact that everyone even dad and the kids are in the kichen doing their part, it brings us together. And of course everyo year it takes us all to tell each other how to do it b/c for some reason we don't remember from the year before

[Edna_E]

I think the health issue is the major one for me. If you do your own canning, you choose what goes into it. So many shelf items in the grocery stores have preservatives or a lot of sugar added.