TanksHill
Super Self-Sufficient
Cool link. Very interesting. I imagine if I lived in a area prone to power outages I would probably feel different about canning veggies.
Is canning veggies cost effective?
- Thread starter chrissum
- Start date
Ditto Tankshill's comments about "liking" canned veggies vs. frozen but using a pressure canner for meats, beans etc. and Freemotion's comments about eating gourmet out of jars (although we don't have as big a garden as it sounds like she has!)
I'm also starting to dehydrate certain things and am on the lookout for a dehydrator now that I've tried some simple things in the oven.
I'm also starting to dehydrate certain things and am on the lookout for a dehydrator now that I've tried some simple things in the oven.
4morefromless
Enjoys Recycling
Once you have the initial outlay of equipment and if you are able to raise the veggies yourself yes it is cost effective to can unless you make an excellent wage and have to take off work to do it.
I like the fact that with a shelf full of canned food I can fix a meal in a matter of minutes while a meal from the freezer takes planning ahead. There are some items that I prefer canned and that are not available in the grocery store or are not of the same quality. I don't need so much sodium in my tomato juice, I love crowder peas, etc. I am more likely to have a power outage than an event that would destroy my home canned goods.
Most of all I know where it came from and for the most part the veggie or fruit originated on my property and was never handled by unknown hands, sprayed with who knows what, washed with products from several sources etc all of which ensures it to be a healthy, safe product for my family.
I like the fact that with a shelf full of canned food I can fix a meal in a matter of minutes while a meal from the freezer takes planning ahead. There are some items that I prefer canned and that are not available in the grocery store or are not of the same quality. I don't need so much sodium in my tomato juice, I love crowder peas, etc. I am more likely to have a power outage than an event that would destroy my home canned goods.
Most of all I know where it came from and for the most part the veggie or fruit originated on my property and was never handled by unknown hands, sprayed with who knows what, washed with products from several sources etc all of which ensures it to be a healthy, safe product for my family.
Wifezilla
Low-Carb Queen - RIP: 1963-2021
I only have a water bath canner and I am at high altitude so I am only canning high acid foods. I made the most amazing spaghetti sauce last year. It was a lot of work for the few jars I got, but it was pure bliss every bite when we ate it We also canned pepper jelly, mead jelly, Shriracha sauce (NOM!!!), apple sauce, pear butter, pickled green tomatoes, salsa, apricot bbq sauce, and a few other things here and there from whatever I got on sale at the farmer's market. We enjoyed all stuff we made and it did save us money.
I actually prefer the taste of frozen veggies over canned on many things and I have a large freezer. I saved a lot of money buying cauliflower in bulk and cutting it up for the freezer. It all got used and it was way tastier than the commercial stuff.
Then there is drying. We just finished off the last bag of dried black plum tomatoes I made out of the abundant harvest we had from our back yard plants. Another thing tastier than the store stuff.
So I guess what I am saying is that preserving in general is what you want to do. Not JUST canning. There are many many different methods and some are better than others for different foods. Knowing how to preserve in general is just a good idea.
As for the time, I enjoy cooking and make most of our meals from scratch. It is no biggie for me. If you hate cooking, I would find another use for my time.
We also canned pepper jelly, mead jelly, Shriracha sauce (NOM!!!), apple sauce, pear butter, pickled green tomatoes, salsa, apricot bbq sauce, and a few other things here and there from whatever I got on sale at the farmer's market. We enjoyed all stuff we made and it did save us money. I actually prefer the taste of frozen veggies over canned on many things and I have a large freezer. I saved a lot of money buying cauliflower in bulk and cutting it up for the freezer. It all got used and it was way tastier than the commercial stuff.
Then there is drying. We just finished off the last bag of dried black plum tomatoes I made out of the abundant harvest we had from our back yard plants. Another thing tastier than the store stuff.
So I guess what I am saying is that preserving in general is what you want to do. Not JUST canning. There are many many different methods and some are better than others for different foods. Knowing how to preserve in general is just a good idea.
As for the time, I enjoy cooking and make most of our meals from scratch. It is no biggie for me. If you hate cooking, I would find another use for my time.
freemotion
Food Guru
I'm a massage therapist. Guess what happens in a working class town when the economy goes bad. Guess what happens again when gas hits $4 per gallon or more. Clients either drop massage or put more space between appointments. I do pain management but people just can't afford as much as they could a few years ago.So I keep expanding my gardens and breeding more goats and it is working out just fine!
I just need to make enough to pay the bill that can't be paid with tomatoes or cheese or a doeling! 
(Stupid mortgage company!)
justusnak
Almost Self-Reliant
Hey Wife....wanna buy my mortgage?????Wifezilla said:
I totally hear you, I'm a photographer and in the same boat (in an over-saturated market for the current economy--everybody with a "good" camera fancies him/herself a "photographer" these daysfreemotion said:
So I keep expanding my gardens and breeding more goats and it is working out just fine!
).(Oh, and we've been over $4/gallon for more than a year.
)And I'm certainly not dissing your expansive gardens, we've just begun to garden at this house since moving in a couple of summers ago. So far it's just been big pots on the deck, but I've just come inside from watering my 3 new raised beds
Dace
Revolution in Progress
Like Tanks, I dislike canned veggies too. I have canned pickles, which were nasty and soft as well as green beans....again too soft, so I don't can any more.
I have done beans, which are a huge time saver and I love them....need to do more. I also really want to try meats, canned chicken taco filling or ground beef would be so great to have on hand!
I have done beans, which are a huge time saver and I love them....need to do more. I also really want to try meats, canned chicken taco filling or ground beef would be so great to have on hand!
justusnak
Almost Self-Reliant
Canned meats are such a time saver, especially in the summer months when time is against us so it seems. My sister and her hubby get a hog every year from a friend. She has her hams one cut in half, the other in 1 inch slices. The sliced hams she then dices up, and can's them. Great for a pot of beans, with green beans, or salads or anything. I am a BIG fan of canned meats...yup..I am.
