Home canning can be one of life’s greatest pleasures or one of life’s greatest frustrations for beginning canners as well as those with years of experience. Frustrations generally come from lack of time due to busy schedules, trying to do too much without help, equipment failures and late nights that lead to mistakes. Overwhelming frustration can eclipse any satisfaction derived from seeing a pantry well stocked with home-preserved food. Consider these tips to keep satisfaction high and frustration low.

               

Recruit help. Canning can be more enjoyable if it becomes an activity that includes family and friends. Some families even plan family reunions around canning season. Everyone who wants to participate brings jars, lids and assigned ingredients and takes a “canning shift” in addition to other reunion activities. At the end of the reunion, those involved go home with jars of home-canned food.
               

Quit while you are still having fun. Many people simply try to do too much, especially if they are canning alone or if their only help is under 10-years old. Often, successfully preserving one bushel of peaches can be just as satisfying as preserving five bushels. When deciding how much to buy, decide if canning is something you really want to do and if home canning is the best use of financial resources. Honestly assess how much time you have to devote to home preservation of food, how much help you can count on and what kinds of food you want and need. After taking inventory of the food on hand, decide if you really need to preserve everything every year. Then preserve only what your family wants and what can be used in a reasonable amount of time.
               

Understand the most up-to-date, scientifically tested recipes and procedures before you start the preservation process. Know and understand the most recent methods for boiling water or pressure canning, including altitude adjustments. Closely follow canning directions for recipe ingredients and directions including uniform size of pieces of food. Don’t wait until your salsa is in the boiling water to call your Extension agent to ask how long to process salsa. The first question that will be asked is, “What is the source of your recipe.”
               

Understand your personal reasons for preserving food at home. In many instances, it is more cost effective to purchase a case of canned goods when your local grocery store has a case lot sale. For some, canning isn’t worth it, but for others, food preservation is a way of life. To make preservation of food a joy instead of a frustration, consider your reasons. Does your family like the taste of home-canned food better than commercially canned food?  Do you grow your own garden vegetables or have a fruit tree in your yard? Do you want to keep your canning skills up-to-date?  Is canning a family tradition you want to maintain? Do you gain satisfaction from seeing your pantry fully stocked with home-canned foods?  Is it important that you know exactly what ingredients are contained in the food you serve your family?
               

If you don’t have a good reason for preserving food and canning season causes stress and unhappiness, maybe canning isn’t for you. However, if one or more of the above reasons describes you, then contact your local Utah State University Extension agent or go to the USU Extension Web site at www.extension.usu.edu for the latest home preservation information with links to other pertinent sites.