5 Reasons To Preserve Your Own Food

There are 3 main ways to preserve your own food: Canning, Dehydrating & Freezing.

Today, as part of my June Contributing post I wanted to share with you 5 reasons why I think we should preserve our own food:

1.  Taste - Nothing tastes better than a vegetable or fruit picked fresh off the plant/vine/bush.  The texture, the flavor - everything is so superior when it is harvested while ripe.  You don't have to eat something that has been sitting in a truck or on a shelf for days and weeks.  All you have to do is take one bite of the garden fresh produce and you'll be sold - Grow Your Own Food!  OR – (if you live in a city) – Support your local farmers. 

2.  Health -  I believe in growing Organically - no cancer causing chemicals.  I also believe that "GMO" (genetically modified organism) foods are not healthy for us - it just doesn't make sense.  Your food will also be healthier when you “can”, dehydrate or freeze your own produce because you don't have to add in all of those preservatives that you would get if it was store bought.  Also, since home-canning is done in glass you won't have to worry about aluminum & tin levels in your food from store bought cans. 

3.  Cost - This is another "no brainer" - Pay a few dollars for 1 packet of tomato seeds and get hundreds of tomatoes! - With which you can freeze, make tomato juice or preserve whole.  Not to mention all of the money that you will be saving when you get to use your preserved food in the winter instead of going to the grocery store.  Again, if you are unable to have your own garden – buying from local farmers when fruit & veggies are in season and then preserving it is much cheaper than buying a little bit throughout the year. 

4.  Good Stewardship -  I believe that we should use everything that God has given us – no waste. 

“Let nothing be wasted” John 6:12 

"Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms."  1 Peter 4:10 

5.  Preparedness - Stocking up is a good way to be prepared for difficult times.  What if the electricity goes off for a few days or even weeks because of a winter blizzard or a summer thunder storm?  OR - What if you lost your job and it takes about 6 months to find another job?  Be prepared and have home canned food in the basement to prevent disaster during difficult times. 

Here are a few of my Preserving Recipes/Instructions:
Canning Your Own Grape Juice
Making Tomato Sauce
Peach Jam
Blueberry Syrup
Homemade Spicy Dill Pickles
Drying Basil
Freezing Garden Fresh Peaches for Winter Smoothies
Freezing Fresh Corn

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