Preserving food - whether it's surplus from a home garden, grocery store sale, or farmers market - can be a safe and economical way to store fruits and vegetables to be consumed later, like in the cold winter months when fresh produce isn't as readily available. And, it's fun too! But before you jump into canning those garden goodies, it's important to follow the appropriate food preservation guidelines to ensure you have a safe, high-quality product for you and your family to enjoy.
Today there are many new science-based recommendations for food preservation, and it's important that home canners, from beginners to seasoned pros, are aware of and follow these USDA guidelines. The many advantages of home canning are lost when inappropriate or unsafe procedures are used, but when armed with sound information and safe equipment, you and your family can enjoy the summer's harvest all year long!
OSU Extension, Franklin County's Family and Consumer Sciences professionals are available to host presentations and workshops on the below topics for various groups and community members, sharing information about science-based food preservation techniques. Our staff also can test gauges on pressure canners, which should be tested yearly for accuracy.
- Freezing Fruits and Vegetables
- Drying Fruits and Vegetables
- Pickling
- Preserving Herbs
- Water Bath Canning
- Pressure Canning
- Jams and Jellies
- Food Preservation 101
For more information or to schedule an educational session about any of the above topics, contact Jenny Lobb at lobb.3@osu.edu or 614-292-7775. For information about our current class offerings, check our events calendar.
Food Preservation 101 Virtual Series Recordings
- Food Preservation 101
- Water bath canning
- Pressure canning
- Pickling and fermentation
- Freezing fruits and vegetables
- Dehydration
OSU Extension Food Preservation Resources
Ohioline Fact Sheets:
- Freezing and drying herbs
- Freezing vegetables
- Freezing fruits
- Freezing meat, poultry, and game
- Freezing cooked foods
- Canning basics
- Canning pickles
- Canning vegetables (basics)
- Canning fruit (basics)
- Canning tomatoes
- Canning tomato products
- Canning meat, poultry, and game
- Canning Soup
- Drying Fruits and Vegetables
- Making Jams and Jellies
- Making Jerky
- Making Sauerkraut
- Making Fermented Dill Pickles
- Preserving foods with less sodium
- Preserving foods with less sugar
OSU Extension YouTube videos: