Food preservation has been a priority throughout history. Unfortunately, these basic principles have been forgotten in our present society.
Few of us need to worry about food shortages, and because of this, we have failed to develop and learn the skills that the mothers of the past relied on.
However, as we have discarded the skills that women used in the past, the quality of our food has decreased, and our dependence on the local grocery store has increased.
Even as close as twenty years ago, women were often in charge of extensive gardens and preserving the food from those gardens.
There is a new interest in food preservation.
The recent generations have begun to see two vital truths.
First, food supply lines can be interrupted.
And two, the easily accessed food may not provide the nutrients needed for a healthy lifestyle.
Food preparation methods were common in the past, but today, we may need a refresher course on the options available.
There are two exciting ways to begin your food preservation journey.
Canning.
When I was young, my mom introduced me to canning. She seemed to have a special joy in completing this task. And now that I’m older, I can see why.
She knew the food was high-quality and available in our pantry, and her satisfaction was evident.
I may not have appreciated peeling and pitting prunes for jelly and syrup, but the warm plum syrup was especially loved on bitterly cold mornings.
And the fact that I had helped make it was exciting!
Canning requires a few tools that can initially be expensive.
To begin with, choose a reputable book to guide and help you with the process.
A kit may help provide bare essentials if you are new to canning.
These include a pressure cooker or large pot for water bath canning.
Canning is an investment, but most items can be reused every year. You can reserve fruit, vegetables, and meat with canning.
Freezing.
Freezing meat, veggies, and fruit is also a great option and cheaper initially. The one holdback to freezing is the need for room in the freezer.
(There are often used freezers on the FaceBook marketplace or Craigslist for a discount.)
You will need to purchase basic freezing supplies.
There are additional ways to freeze food, including a food saver system that seals the food in plastic, but I did not include these options because I have not used them yet.
But I have heard good things about them. Please feel free to leave comments if you have had any experience with that technique. I would love to hear about it!
Freezing and canning are excellent beginning skills to learn for food preservation.
You can preserve meat, vegetables, and fruit with these two essential skills. Knowing these skills will provide you with a way to decrease the amount of money you spend on groceries.
This article will provide you with additional information on decreasing your food bill.
https://www.singlemomoutwest.com/skills-for-single-moms/how-to-save-money-on-food/
The quality and availability of canning and freezing your food will provide you with a sense of satisfaction and decrease your food budget.
