Canning With Kids

Home canning is a great family activity that can help you save money. We've put together some tips that'll get your kids in on fun!

Home canning with kids is a great way to preserve the summer's harvest, while modeling self-sufficiency and saving money.

It is such a treat to pull a jar of homemade jam, pickles, salsa or peaches off the shelf and serve it to your family, knowing that you had control over ingredients that were put into that glass jar. You may have even grown the cucumbers or tomatoes in your garden or supported your local farmers and communities buy purchasing, fresh, garden ripe produce for your preserves.

Home canning is a fun and valuable family activity. Consider these tips in your efforts to involve children in the process:

Be Prepared - Read recipes and tutorials ahead of time and make sure you have all the tools, materials and ingredients that you will need on hand. Budget the time needed to complete your canning recipe from start to finish and work to time the experience with your children's needs.

Be Safe - It may go without saying that when you are working with sharp knives, a hot stovetop and boiling water you need to be mindful of safety. Also, when canning it is your responsibility to maintain sanitary conditions to make sure your products are safe from spoilage. Keep your child out of the kitchen when you are filling and processing the jars.

Involve Children in a Developmentally Appropriate Way - Make the experience of home canning fun for your child by involving them in a way that caters to their interest and development. Kids can....
Collect the harvest
Mash fruit for jam
Peel skins of blanched tomatoes, peaches or pears
Help measure and pour ingredients
Sort, count and play with lids and rims
Taste test.
Listen and count seal "pops"
Help label contents