Creating canned food is an excellent way to prevent food waste and create a tasty treat. Below you’ll find a quick guide listing canned food examples and how to create canned goods at home.
Canned Foods Examples
You can pickle or can nearly everything, from seafood to produce. Then, incorporate them into your life as part of a healthy diet.
- Fruits: peaches, pears, mandarins, grapefruit
- Vegetables: okra, asparagus, pumpkin, tomatoes
- Grains: pasta, barley soup
- Protein: tuna, salmon, beans, chicken, lentils
Canned Food Lifespan
When stocking your kitchen with healthy canned foods, it’s essential to note their canned food lifespan to ensure you’re not eating food that could potentially make you sick. Most canned goods are shelf-stable for about one to five years. However, if the packaging is damaged, it's best to discard the goods as they can cause food poisoning.
Discard any canned goods that are:
- Dented
- Swollen
- Rusting
Canning— Top 2 Popular Methods
If you're planning on making canned goods at home, it's best first to decide which items you want to can, as that will decipher the method you will use for canning. For vegetables, protein, and low-acidic foods, pressure canning is best. Water bath canning is the top choice if you plan to can fruits, pickled vegetables, or highly acidic foods.
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Water Bath Canning
Once you have your fruits or pickled vegetables in filled and closed jars, you need to add them to a pot with water. Bring the water to a boil for the allotted time (depending on what you're canning). The point of water bath canning is to bring the goods inside the jars to the same temperature as boiling water to help avoid bad bacteria from growing.
Once you’ve completed the water bath canning process, you can use a dishwasher like this Countertop Portable White Dishwasher. It's perfect for kitchens low on space and can clean your dishes in 45 minutes.
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Pressure Canning
You will need a special pressure canning pot for this option. Once your canned food is ready, add them to your pressure pot with a few inches of water. Then, close the pot. As the pot heats, the steam creates a seal on the pot. This seal allows the goods inside the cans to pressurize due to steam. In this case, the contents of the cans need to be above the temperature of boiling water. Otherwise, C. botulinum bacteria can grow as it thrives in damp, low-acid environments.
Allow your canned goods to cool, and they're ready to store or consume. Once you've opened a jar of your produce or protein, remember to keep it in the fridge to extend its lifespan. This Compact Refrigerator is a great option for opened canned goods, as it comes with removable shelves so you can adjust the interior depending on your canned goods needs.
Comfee products are affordable and space-saving, so you can easily explore your creative talents in the dorm, apartment, or smaller kitchens. From portable dishwashers that make the cleanup process a breeze to multifunction rice cookers and pressure cookers, Comfee products add style to any home.