I know enough about canning to be dangerous. Thankfully, my mom & sister know enough to be productive. Together we make a great team, washing jars, stirring pots, and filling pints with jam and quarts with vegetables. We also do our fair share of laughing, sharing, and eating along the way. At the end of the day, we split up the finished jars, heading home with that happy exhaustion that comes from a productive day.
This year I have peaches, pickles, and tomatoes still on my canning to-do list. Just the thought of row after row of jars filled with brightly colored fruits & vegetables gets me excited. Am I weird? Please tell me some of you feel this way, too.
I think it brings out the pioneer woman in me. And I’m not talking about the multi-million-dollar-author-and-blogger-kind of Pioneer Woman (although who doesn’t love her?). I’m talking about the living-from-the-land kind. The kind that puts up her own fruits and vegetables to get her family through the hard winters to come. The kind that kills her own chickens and bakes her own biscuits. The kind… Ok, ok, so I live in the middle of Gresham where hard winters are rare and grocery stores are plentiful, but I’m still living the dream in my own little way.
If you’re planning to do some canning of your own this year, you’re going to need some supplies. Supplies cost money. The great thing about that initial investment, though, is that you will be able to re-use most of it for years to come. The jars and rings can be used over and over, meaning once you have a good stock built up, you’ll only need to buy new lids every year. Garage/estate sales or Craigslist are good options for finding used canning supplies. You could also check with friends or relatives who no longer do their own canning. See if they would be interested in getting rid of their supplies. You could agree on a price or even barter goods & services.
If those options don’t work out for you, you’ll just have to bite the bullet and buy your own lids and rings and jars. Ball and Kerr have been releasing some great B2G1, $1/1, and $3/2 coupons in recent inserts.
Sometimes it can be tough to know where to use these to get the most bang for your buck. I spent some time running around town this week, checking out prices in the Portland-metro area. Just print off the list and stash it in your purse. Wait for a sale, dig out your coupons, compare prices, and get the best deal in town.
CANNING SUPPLY PRICES IN THE PORTLAND-METRO AREA, AUGUST 2010:
Kerr brand (unless otherwise noted)
REGULAR MOUTH / WIDE MOUTH PRICES
12 Lids
Winco – $1.36 /$1.98 (Ball brand $1.44 / $2.09)
Walmart – $1.50 / $2.12
Fred Meyer – $1.79 / $2.59
Safeway – $2.29 / $2.99
12 Lids with Rings
Winco – $2.68 / $3.93
Walmart – $2.96 / $4.06
Fred Meyer – $3.69 / $4.89 (Ball wide mouth $5.59)
Safeway – $4.29 / $5.79
12 Pint Jars (includes 12 lids & rings)
Walmart – $6.70 / $8.76
Winco – $6.98 / $8.49 (Ball wide mouth $6.98)
Bi-Mart – $8.49 /$8.99 (Ball)
Fred Meyer – $9.19 / $10.29
Safeway – $10.79 /$12.99
12 Quart Jars (includes 12 lids & rings)
Winco – $7.56 / $7.98 (Ball wide mouth also $7.98)
Walmart – $7.70/ $10
Fred Meyer – $10.89 /$11.79
Canner with Jar Rack
Walmart – $18.97
Any other ideas on good places to find/buy canning supplies? What are you planning to can this year?
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Do you know what the current prices are? Have they changed much? I need to buy wide mouth quart jars for a craft project and am wondering if they are still $7.98/12 at Winco.
Has anyone run price comparisons of canning supplies/jars/pectin for 2011? I’d love to know what you find out! Also, last year I found a way to can without the prepackaged pectin from ball and Kerr. Clear Jel is a corn starch derivative that comes in bulk quantities, is much cheaper than the boxed versions, and is fairly easy to use (if you are willing to be a bit adventurous). I found mine at Wilco, but I be other farm stores will carry it, too. The Washington State Extension office has guidelines on how to use it at http://search.wsu.edu/default.aspx?cx=004677039204386950923:xvo7gapmrrg&cof=FORID%3A11&q=using+clear+jel&sa=Search#956.
Just thought I’d mention, that the double/value packages of Sure-Jell pectin at Walmart (only found in the canning section), are the same price as the single packages found in the regular food isle. They are $2.88 for 2 pkgs, or $2.88 for just one. Just FYI.
I am new to canning and have started off making pickles and salsa, and I have a question: I know that canning makes things shelf stable for one year, but how long do things last in the fridge once they are opened? thanks!
I feel good when my little corner of the house is full of canned goods as well. I have access to orchards with lots of fruit, which seems to be the easiest thing to can. I also grow about 30 tomato plants, peppers and onions. I will can salsa, and other items if I can’t find room in the freezer. The best thing about canning is, if the power goes out, you don’t lose the food in your jars. My Christmas presents to family is usually surrounded by their favorite jam, BBQ sauce or fruit in a jar. I am glad that sandiemamma has had such success with irregular jars and lids, but it isn’t recommended by the USDA due to food born pathogens. I have entered a lot of my canned goods into the local fair. . . the premium points I earned have made enough money to help cover the cost of supplies. Plus, you get tips on how to do a better job for the next year.
I can remember when my mother-in-law was alive , she and I would take two days and peel apples and peaches and make pies to freeze. We would usually start something in the crocker pot that cooked all day so that we didnt have to stop and feed people as they came in foraging for food. Usually we ended up with about a dozen for each of us. I was always partical to peach and she to apple but I remember the wonderful smells that filled the house. Having a homemade pie to pull out of the freezer months from that day was always something that made everyone not be late to the dinner table!
FYI – you can seal the hot jam (like you were making in the picture) in jars like the ones that nacho cheese comes in with the metal lid that have the rubber on the inside of the lid. You just boil them like you would the canning lids and have the jars hot and put the lid on and close it. They seal really good – sometimes too good and I have to have my husband open them. I have done it for years to save my canning lids for canning jars. I also have never bought jars. I save all my mayonnaise jars, ect. to can in. People always say “You can’t can in them they will break!” No so – ANY jar will break if you put it into too hot of water. I can all summer (at least a hundred quarts of beans alone) and never have a jar break. If I had to buy jars, I would just buy the beans in the cans already. Happy canning everyone!
I love Bi-Mart for canning supplies. Their supplies are frequently on sale — every week something canning related is on sale. I then use any canning coupons — I recently saved $11.00 between the coupons and the on sale items.
For example, Last time I went in the pint jars (regular mouth) were on sale for $6.99 for a box of 12. They also have lids lots cheaper than the other places in my area that sell them.
Good shopping tips, thanks.
For those who are planning to can tuna, “MIX — Portland’s Magazine of Food + Drink” had a good tuna canning package “Do- it yourself Tuna Canning Party on the Coast” with good tuna canning guide
http://www.oregonlive.com/mix/index.ssf/how-to/a-do-it-yourself-tuna-canning-party-at-the-coast.html
I grew up on a farm, and this time of year I make a few trips back home because there I have access to fresh fruits for next to nothing. I like to can pears, peaches, applesauce, and grape juice. Some years we also press cidar to freeze. I don’t have much extra freezer space, but growing up we always froze our own pie filling, corn, beans, and peppers. We also used to can cherries, apricots, & tomato sauce and jammed darn near anything. I can’t do it all in a few short days home, but I always bring home as much fresh apples and plums as will fit in my car to dehydrate!
I also can meats. So if I see a great sale and don’t have room in my freezer, I can. It’s great. The other day, I boiled egg noodles, opened a can of beef, added 1 can of cream of mushroom soup and a can of mushrooms and a dallop of sour cream and we had fantastic stroganoff in less than 15 minutes. I prefer to raw pack. All you have to do is cut up raw meat, lightly put in jars (don’t pack down), add a pinch of salt and can it. It creates its own juices. So simple. Here’s a link to the USDA publication about canning meat.
http://extension.usu.edu/utah/files/uploads/Canning/Guide%205%20-%20Canning%20Meats.pdf
Canning tuna this weekend!! I’ve done other things in the past, but never stuck with it from year to year. It’s a lot of work to do on my weekends……maybe I should start again.
i have yet to invest in a pressure cooker, so i’ve just been canning jams and pie fillings for the last few years. since my initial investment, i’ve been getting jars on craigslist. i routinely find entire cases of jars for under $5 – hard to beat that!
Hey Melissa,
I am going to try Tuna for the first time this year! I’m looking forward to it!! i think I am going to go the coast to get the best deals. Want to stay in touch on those?? I’m also going to go pick peaches in the next couple of days to get those done!! A good tip for those is to put in a bit of raspberry flavoring, and man!!! they are awesome!!
🙂
Carrie / krafty119@hotmail.com
Canning tuna this weekend too! We buy off the dock in Newport or at Local Ocean on the bayfront. Some people recommend adding oil to the cans, but experience has taught our family that it’s just best to chunk up the tuna with nothing added…..maybe a pepper if you like it hot. Have fun – oh, and up the cooker up outside. The smell is overwhelming.
Carrie – I actually have my Tuna already … my parents are from Tillamook and have a friend who went out in the ocean and got it Saturday (its froze right now – so we can process it this weekend). I know that the dock in Garibaldi had it for $2 a pound (whole fish) last weekend. I don’t know if you can find a better price than that? I’m not sure what Astoria or Newport prices are … since I got lucky and had someone who made us and unbelievable deal! And thank you for peaches tip … can’t wait to try it.
Melanie – I have heard the same thing about just packing the tuna maybe with a little salt/pepper … but no liquid and that outside is the best because of the smell!
I bought lids at Bimart because they had the quantity I wanted.
I need to stock up on jars.
Their is nothing like canned green beans. When I was first married my husband hated green beans, then he tried my canned green beans and he loves them! I recommend them to everyone!
I also get my canning supplies (mostly jars) at the thrift store. Go in when they’re having a 50% off sale first thing in the morning and clear them out!
My Rite Aid had canning jars 50% off or around $6.25 (50% off $12.49) Limited supply.
Bi-Mart also carries canning supplies and would be worth a price comparison. 🙂
I too have been canning jelly like crazy this year & still have a freezer full of berries for more. I am hoping to can some vegetables as well. Green beans, stewed tomatoes, salsa & if we get enough ripe tomatoes I want to try tomatoe sauce, ketchup & maybe even BBQ sauce.
I too enjoy the feeling of being able to produce & feed my family from our garden.
I bought a stack of the $1 off any 1 Kerr or Bell product & am trying to wait patiently for the next Albertson’s doublers to stock up on lids, pectin & maybe a few more pint size jars. My BF found a pile of quart jars for me months ago @ a garage sale 🙂
Thank you for this list of prices..it will certainly come in handy!!
I don’t think you are crazy for feeling the way you do. My neighbor was gracious enough to come to my house and walk me through canning pickles for the first time. I was amazed at how beautiful they looked in the jar. I was filled with a sense of accomplishment, knowing that my family will soon be able to enjoy those and that I was the one that provided that for them instead of the grocery store.
It is quite an expense up front, as this is my first year, but I am looking forward to doing this year after year and watching my family enjoy all of it. Thanks Emily for your wonderful posts.
I’ve been canning jelly like crazy so far this summer (strawberry, raspberry, blackberry), also made a chocolate raspberry ice cream topper, and strawberry lemonade concentrate (hubby and kid loves this – I know I’m not saving any money but at least I know whats in it!). I have the ingredients to still do a 4 berry jam, and blueberry pie filling. Also on my lists to try is Tuna, Peaches, and Applesauce, Tomato/Spaghetti Sauce. This is my first year to can … so if all goes well I will hopefully move on to vegetables next year! Thank you for all your great post from bargins to great recipes!!!