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Canning for Financial Stability
If you’ve ever stared down a grocery bill and thought, ‘there’s got to be a better way,’ you’re not alone. Between rising food prices, shrinking package sizes, and the chaos of supply chains, feeding a family may feel more like financial warfare than domestic bliss.
This is why I lean hard into canning. Not just for food security, but for our financial stability. For my family, it’s not just a hobby; it’s my strategy. Canning and food preservation saves us over $10,000 a year on groceries. Yep. You read that right.
How We Save $10,000 a Year
(And You Can Too)
Let me break it down. Every year, I keep a sharp eye on local markets, seasonal trends, and bulk sales. When strawberries are at their lowest price in June? I don’t buy one pint—I buy three flats. Tomatoes in August? I’m that lady with a cart full of 100 pounds. Green beans, apples, corn, meat—if it’s in season and at its rock-bottom price, it’s going home with me.
The cheapest food you’ll ever buy will be local and in season!
When I spend a few focused days preserving my hauls: we save thousands of dollars while eating quick and healthy foods. Is it work, yes but it’s work with a huge return on our health and our wallets. That food goes into my pantry and becomes the base of our meals for the entire year.
Here’s an example from this year alone:
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Tomatoes (bulk farmer’s market): $0.35/lb
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Bought: 120 lbs → Cost: $42
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Yield: 80 quarts of pasta sauce, salsa, pizza sauce, and diced tomatoes
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Store price equivalent: ~$400
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Savings on tomatoes alone: over $350
This means in just one canning session my food savings cover the cost of my canning equipment! Multiply that by the dozens of other items we preserve—meats, beans, jams, soups, stews, pie fillings, broths—and you start to see how the numbers climb.
The Original Fast Food
What I love most is that canning isn’t just about saving money—it’s about convenience without compromise.
People think of “fast food” as drive-thru and deep-fried. I think of it as walking into my pantry, popping open a jar of homemade beef stew, and having dinner on the table in five minutes—no mystery ingredients, no preservatives, no inflated prices. By pressure canning our meals, I can spend one day of work making 12 months’ worth of meals. Why make chili once a month when I can make it once, pressure can it and have 12 months’ worth of chili ready to eat? This saves me a ton of time in the kitchen – letting me get to the chicken coop cleaning I’ve been meaning to tackle (don’t judge me).
It’s like having my own grocery store, stocked by someone who actually cares about my family’s health and my wallet. (Spoiler alert: that’s me.)
Canning is a Tool, Not a Trend
In uncertain times, self-reliance is a superpower. And canning is one of the oldest tools in the tool shed. You don’t need a massive farm. You don’t need to be a homesteader. You just need to start with the food resources you have now.
One food. One season. One jar at a time.
Pick your family’s favorite vegetable, learn how to can that one vegetable and before you know it = stocked pantry. If you’re ready to take control of your grocery bill, your pantry, and your peace of mind, this is your sign. Because this isn’t about perfection. It’s about preparation. And trust me, your future self will thank you when a home-canned chili or peach cobbler saves the day on a busy night.
Want to Learn More?
Pick up your copy of “Preserving with a Purpose” and stick around. I’ve got canning classes, a step-by-step guide book, and tools to help you make this lifestyle work no matter your budget, time, or space. Follow me @PeeliesNPetals on your favorite social media, hop into my TikTok live canning demos, and grab a jar (or six)— let’s preserve the good stuff together!
Your Pantry Warrior,
Sarah