Benefits of Canning Your Own Food
While we may typically associate home canning with an obsolete past time our grandparents used to do, it is becoming more and more popular as people realize the need for healthier alternatives for food as well as those looking for ways to save money also. The high cost of groceries have many people looking for more affordable and cost effective options to help them save money on food, and making your own preserves is an easy and simple alternative that nearly anyone can do.
If you’re still undecided about whether you should can your own foods or not, here are some of the benefits to consider:
Save Money: Saving money is probably one of the best reasons to learn how to use a pressure canner. You can often find fresh produce very cheaply in season at farmer’s markets, or even learn how to grow your own garden for bigger savings. When you preserve everything when the food is in season, you can enjoy all of your favorites year round. Making your own spaghetti sauce for example, may only cost about 20 cents per jar, whereas at the store you can expect to pay $1 or more for each jar. The savings can add up rather quickly and be quite significant over time.
Environmental Benefits: When you make your own food, it reduces the cost and waste associated with pre-packed foods at the grocery store. Jars are reusable, which means you won’t have to worry about your old plastic jars and cans ending up n a landfill or the environmental imprint recycling facilities cause.
Healthier for You: Today there is a near crisis on the lack of healthy food choices available for us to choose from. Almost all foods in the grocery store contain chemicals, preservatives, and unnecessary additives. When you choose to store your own food, you can make sure that you only use the ingredients you want - and eliminate all of the preservatives and chemicals that are not good for you.
With benefits like these, it’s no wonder that more and more people are learning about how to can their own foods at home. Once you learn the basic steps, home canning is a fun way to enjoy your favorite foods year round for a fraction of the cost and without worrying about additives or its impact on the environment.
To learn more about home canning, visit Best Canning Recipes for great easy to follow step by step instructions for canning tomatoes and other favorites.