Canning and preserving food is one of the most essential survival skills we can have. If the grocery store foods are no longer available we will be left with our knowledge and skill to survive.

Many simply shy away from canning because of fear of the unknown, but canning is a very fun, rewarding and again essential skill that is not near as complicated as people think.

I have canned many things along the way and shared those experiences on our YouTube Channel. There is a whole playlist dedicated to canning and preserving and I encourage you to take time and watch those videos. I honestly LOVE to preserve my food. It is a time that I often spend with my son and we have such a fun time

Additionally, I understand your struggle when you enter the interwebs and find SO much information available, but how do you know which information to trust because not all information on the internet is correct?

You’ve come to the right place…

My 5 Favorite Canning & Preserving Resources

First and foremost, I must mention my dear friend Sharon Peterson of SimlyCanning.com for her devoted work with her website and educating, her ever growing community. She also has some amazing books available to you which I feel are a MUST for on your shelves. I especially like The Pantry Journal, but I must say all her books are on my shelf and I go to them regularly! She also has her new Home Canning Basics Course to which I highly recommend!

Another dear friend that you hear me mention often is Melissa K. Norris of MelissaKNorris.com. Her website is loaded with heritage recipes from her family that have been passed down for generations and she continues to keep the tradition alive by sharing them with you. She is also the author of The Made From Scratch Life: Simple Ways To Create A Natural Home which is a wonderful book of alluring stories and recipes. To boot, I have the honor of being mentioned on page 111 with my Gluten Free Bread Recipe… Melissa’s heart is to share the Lord, her knowledge and to help people to better feed their families. She has an amazing course available to you which will take you step by step through the entire canning process. Her course, Home Canning With Confidence is another course that I highly recommend!

For those of you that struggle to learn online or have limitations with your internet, you may like this next choice. My dear friend Kendra Lynn from NewLifeOnAHomestead.com has an amazing dvd titled At Home Canning From Beginner To Beyond available to you. She too is a wealth of information when it comes to canning and her dvd is perfect for those of you that like learning from the comforts of your home and detached from the internet.

You may be familiar with my dear friend Jennifer at the SelfReliantSchool.com has a wonderful program available for those of you that are seeking guidance.  She specifically has a wonderful dehydrating class that I recommend.  She is a wealth of information and has a lot to offer.  She also has her SelfReliantLife.tv which I also highly recommend.  She has great information and guests and I am blessed to be on her schedule!  YAY!

Another dear friend of mine, Diane Devereaux, otherwise known as the Canning Diva can be found on her very informative site CanningDiva.com where you will find meals in jars. She focuses in great detail on not just canning your fruits and vegetables, but also canning soups, stews and meals in jars. She also has a product line of unique items for sale including my favorite, her silicone canning mitts which can be found here.

What About Purchasing The Equipment For Canning ?

Honestly, I am truly blessed to have so many wonderful friend’s and you will definitely want to stop by and visit my friend Chaya at PantryParatus.com where you will find not only everything you need to can and preserve your food, but so many other essential items for your kitchen! She has a nice selection of amazing and useful items.

Now Chaya at PantryParatus.com does not carry canners on her website and although I am affiliated with other companies that do have canners, I find them to be WAY too over priced so I recommend that you just visit Amazon and do some searching around. I got my (2) 23 Quart Presto Canner’s on Amazon for an AMAZING price delivered to my door with FREE shipping so I really feel that is the way to go or check grandma’s attic or the thrift stores and yard sales. I just last week, got an Excalibur Dehydrator which retails close to $300 for a mere $20 and it was in perfect shape and has been running like a charm since the day I got it with zucchini and yellow squash dehydrating for my winter soups and stews!

Another very important piece of equipment for your canning needs is the Tattler Re-Usable Canning Lids which can be found here. These seals are unique in that they can be used endless amounts of time unlike your metal flats or lids. In my opinion, with food being our most important need, I choose the Tattler Re-Usable Canning Lids as a safeguard which will allow me to continue putting up food continuously!

The Truths About Canning

For those of you that have never canned before, the time is NOW!! Learn this important skill and find a new love as the rest of us have. Keep in mind that us canning lovers often question our level of love when we are canning for two and three days straight because we are so obsessed. It can be tiring and taxing, but when you pull those jars off the shelves during the winter months or put together a care package of canned love for a new neighbor or friend in need it does make the heart skip a beat! Not to mention, the incredible food you are providing for your family!  Canning time is one of my favorite times I spend with my son – pricely conversations and memory making going on!! ♥

Share Your Thoughts With Me

Now I have shared all my favorites with you, how about those of you that enjoy canning as much as I do share your favorites in the comments below!

For those of you that have not started canning or are new to canning, what questions might you have or what is holding you back?

I would love to know, please leave your comments below….