Search

Ask Our Family, Food and Wellness Experts

If you have a question related to family, food or wellness, our team of experts is ready to help.

A woman preparing a jar of pickled cucumbers in a kitchen.

Modifying Canning Recipes

Understanding how swapping ingredients, adding ingredients, increasing or decreasing ingredients and making changes to processing plays a vital role in ensuring that home-canned products are safe.

Several jars of sealed, canned peaches in a boiling water bath.

While peach season is only May through September, you can enjoy peaches all year by preserving them through safe canning methods. Learn how to can peaches in your own kitchen with these step-by-step instructions.

Left: Fresh herbs preserved inside ice cubes. Right: Variety of fresh herbs hanging in bunches from a burlap string.

Preserving Herbs

Fresh herbs add amazing flavor to recipes during the summertime! Their great flavors can be carried over to cooler seasons through the preservation of the plants and leaves, and the two best ways to extend the life (and flavor) of herbs is through freezing or dehydrating.

Canning supplies arranged on a kitchen counter.

Canning With Less Sugar

As low and no-added-sugar food products have become increasingly popular, new alternative canning recipes have been created. It is possible to preserve fruits with little or no added sugar, which is great for those who prefer reduced calories.

Botulism testing supplies arranged in a lab.

Canners Beware: Botulism

Botulism is a serious, rare illness that is caused by a toxin produced by the bacteria Clostridium botulinum. Botulism is a concern when it comes to canning and fermenting foods, as the anaerobic conditions can cause the Clostridium botulinum spores to create a harmful toxin.

Blueberries inside a plastic storage container.

Have Excess Produce? Freeze It!

Freezing is one of the easiest forms of preserving food. It reduces food waste, saves money and allows you to have quick quality produce on hand at all times. The

A pressure dial for home canning with altitude adjustments for zones 1 through 3.

Steam Canning

Steam canning is a quick and simple method of preserving produce using steam. While steam canning was previously not an evidence-based practice, recent research indicates steam canning may be a safe home food preservation method for canning naturally acidified foods.

Several jars of canned jellies lined up on a pantry shelf.

Canning Jams and Jellies

Sweet fruit products like jelly, jam, preserves, conserves and marmalades are jellied or thickened and preserved by sugar. The differences between the fruit products are categorized by the way they are prepared, proportions of fruit, pectin, acid and sugar in the mixture and the method of cooking.

Jars of cut cucumbers being prepared to make dill pickles.

Quick Fresh-Pack Dill Pickles

Try this research-tested recipe for quick, fresh-pack dill pickles courtesy of the National Center for Home Food Preservation.