Food Pricing: Trying to Manage Food Prices? Caning can be your solution
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Canning saves money and improves food quality those are two good reasons to can. I was was born in Kansas which is called the heartland because agriculture is so plentiful there. So I can tell you first hand, during the harvest season a tremendous amount of food is wasted if it’s not used immediately. That is why I recommend returning back to the custom of canning. The beauty of canning is that you can store just about any food using this process. In the past many used it as a specialty items to give away as Christmas gifts, that was a blessing or malediction, depending on the talents of the preparer. If you received canned peaches or tomatoes from my grandmother it was definitely a blessing, she was well respected for her specialty recipe called Cha Cha. In the South and Mid-West Cha Cha is a popular green tomato relish that is eaten with many Soul Food dishes. The art of canning is something that can be economical and healthy, because canning can be done for pennies on the dollar and you have control of all the ingredients that will be added. There are simple PH meter rules for safety, and cleanliness is also very important, the internet has many old proven recipes to follow.
When I was a little girl, there were canning parties that were formed to support each other and to train the young people. The most expensive component was the canning jars, and back then neighbors would return jars so they could be reuse. One great way to learn canning is to organize some of the older women in your community. Most of them know more about canning than you’ll ever need to know. If you come up with a special recipe there are manufacturing companies that will produce your special recipe for you. If canning is something you’d like to do, locate all the farms in your area and find out if they allow residents to come and harvest their fields and what are the best times to come to their farms. Here in Arizona the seasons for harvesting may be different than some other states because of the heat.
Even if harvesting is not an option for you, paying attention to super market prices can be economically beneficial for a person that wants to can. Often times it’s the foods that are in season that have the great prices. One added perk is in really ripened fruits and vegetables turn out the best results when canning. You can catch fruits that have a really short season like cherries, and make some jams that will last all year long. With all the talk about food shortages little attention is given to food waste.1 Food waste is calculated by the Agriculture Organization of the United Nation (FAO).1 Since 1974 there has been a progressive increase in the per capita of the US food supply.1 In 1974 approximately 900 kcal was wasted, per person per day, whereas in 2003 the number increased t0 1400 kcal per day.1 That works out to 150 trillion kcals per year, that’s in waste alone, this was study done in 2003, I cringe at the thought of what the numbers are now.1
The beauty of canning is ripe fruits and vegetable that are generally tossed aside are the best buys and make the great jellies and canning recipes. I’ve posted a site that has some manufactures that will help anyone with their canning projects.2 If you want to join a caning groups contact your local Chamber of Commerce or form one yourself. Within a year of continual practice you’ll be able to teach others or perhaps give your canning away as gifts. Canning is not only a great way to preserve food; it’s also a means to bring community together. And who knows you just might be the next Betty or Martha feeding thousand, perhaps even more with your wonderful healthy canning recipes, yes that’s right “it can happen.” Yes you can.
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The powerpoint above is a brief overview of how food pricing has become detrimental to health promotion with today's economy. The quality over quantity issue comes into play due to the value of food and "bang for your buck" theory that has become important when America is struggling financially. When American parents are worried about feeding their children, nutrition takes a back seat when the main concern is making sure children don't go to bed hungry.
by: Tory Pelot
by: Tory Pelot
References
1. Hall KD, Guo J, Dore M, Chow CC. The progressive increase of food waste in America and its environmental impact. Plos One. 2009; 11: 1-6.
2. Specialty Food Resource.com http://www.specialtyfoodresource.com/page/page/4225601.htm
1. Hall KD, Guo J, Dore M, Chow CC. The progressive increase of food waste in America and its environmental impact. Plos One. 2009; 11: 1-6.
2. Specialty Food Resource.com http://www.specialtyfoodresource.com/page/page/4225601.htm