Taking Charge of our Food Storage

When I decided to invest in a pressure canner, I knew it would save us money while improving the quality of our food storage. (My goal is to build up a certain amount of food in case of some unforeseen emergency.) But I had no idea how smart an investment it would be for now. Not only is it allowing us to build up a supply of meat, soup and other things that would be expensive to buy already canned (and quickly!!), but I am able to buy things and can them in such quantity that I'm very comfortable using them now.

In fact, that's actually even better -- rotation is an important part of a good food storage plan, and because the foods I'm storing are both easy to use and appealing, that rotation is occurring naturally. (I should also note here that, as I'm new to all of this, I was a little hesitant to use what I've canned, at first. But as I've done research and asked questions, and made sure I followed the correct procedures, I've become a lot more comfortable, and am no longer concerned. As long as we check each jar to be sure it was well sealed, and that there's no visible sign of spoilage, I'm comfortable.)

And it has been very satisfying to accumulate things based on what's on sale and/or in season. Not only are we getting the freshest, best quality meat & produce, we are naturally building up a variety of things. For example, while I was waiting for produce season to begin, I watched the weekly ads for deals on meat (which must be pressure canned, of course -- always follow approved recipes and guidelines). We don't eat a lot of meat, but it's usually pork or chicken, when we do. So whenever either of these was advertised at less than $1 a pound, I scooped up a good bit & canned it. I was raw-packing at first, but have since decided that I prefer to cook it first, for two reasons: 1) Raw-packed meat seems to have a flavor and odor that I don't care for, and 2) Meat that's cooked before canning can be canned in many more guises (sloppy joes, chili, chicken soup, etc.), allowing for more convenience, as well as variety.

We're lucky enough to have access to strawberries much of the year, and I've been sharing and storing strawberry jam for several months. When the local produce season finally began, I bought cherries and canned them in various ways (pie filling, jam, etc.). Next came apricots, and the pickling cucumbers have begun to bear in earnest. Peaches should be next, as well as apples...

I've been trying to figure out just how much money we're saving, but it's difficult. But I do know this: We're spending about 30% less on groceries, but those dollars we're spending are feeding us now as well as allowing us to accumulate food for the future. Very satisfying, indeed!