For a single mom managing a household on a tight budget, canning and preserving food is not just an old-fashioned skill but a financially savvy strategy. This method allows for buying in bulk and seasonal produce at lower prices to be preserved and enjoyed throughout the year. It means fewer trips to the grocery store, savings on out-of-season produce, and a reduction in food waste, as even surplus garden produce can be canned for future use. This practice not only stretches grocery dollars but also helps improve our family’s access to healthy foods.

Canning and preserving food has been around for centuries as a way to extend the shelf life of fresh produce. However, in recent years, it has become more popular among budget-conscious households due to its cost-effective benefits.

One major advantage of canning and preserving is the ability to buy in bulk. This means purchasing a larger quantity of produce at a lower cost per unit, which can result in significant savings over time.

bread and butter pickles on a white plate
Canning and Preserves | Recipes

Grandma’s Bread and Butter Pickles

When it comes to growing cucumbers, my mom and I have a pretty clear plan in mind: the vast majority are destined to become our favorite dill pickles. There’s just something about that tangy, garlicky crunch that we can’t get enough of, especially when they’re fresh out of the jar. But, as every gardener knows,…

Homestead Sweet Pickled Beets: Easy and Delicious!
Canning and Preserves | Recipes

Homestead Sweet Pickled Beets: Easy and Delicious!

As summer winds down and the first hints of frost start to whisper through the garden, there’s a special tradition in our family that marks the changing seasons: making sweet pickled beets. While my kids rave about their beloved dill pickles, for me, there’s no contest—sweet pickled beets are the true star of the show….

fresh raspberries swimming in melted chocolate, illustrating a homemade chocolate raspberry jam recipe
Canning and Preserves | Recipes

Decadent Delight: Chocolate Raspberry Jam

Have you ever wondered what happens when you mix the tart sweetness of raspberries with the rich depth of dark chocolate? Let me introduce you to my latest kitchen triumph: Chocolate Raspberry Jam! This divine creation takes my classic raspberry jam recipe to an entirely new level, infusing it with luxurious dark unsweetened chocolate. The…

an open jar of homemade peach butter and fresh peaches on a rustic wood surface
Canning and Preserves | Recipes

Simple Spiced Peach Butter Recipe (or No Spice – You Choose!)

Welcome, frugal food lovers! Today, we’re making a delightful homemade preserve that will quickly become a kitchen favorite: Spiced Peach Butter. If you loved my easy homemade peach jam, you’re going to adore this recipe. It’s packed with the rich, concentrated flavor of ripe peaches, enhanced with a touch of warming spices. Plus, it has…

open jar of pear jam and fresh pears, illustrating homemade pear jam recipe
Canning and Preserves | Recipes

Homemade Pear Jam: A Taste of Summer in a Jar

Summer brings with it a variety of delicious fruits, each offering a unique taste of the season’s warmth and bounty. Among these treasures are pears, often overshadowed by their more common counterparts but no less deserving of a place in our kitchens. Like peaches, pears are a seasonal gem not readily available locally in the…

jars of homemade carrot cake jam with a carrot and bagel
Recipes | Canning and Preserves

Why Carrot Cake Jam Should Be Your Next Kitchen Adventure

I couldn’t believe it the first time I tried carrot cake jam. Yes, you read that right—carrot cake jam! The concept sounded almost too good to be true, but let me assure you, this delightful spread tastes just like a slice of carrot cake. The spices, the carrots, the sweetness—it all comes together in a…

a jar of homemade bumbleberry jam surrounded by fresh berries
Recipes | Canning and Preserves

Bumbleberry Jam: A Berry Medley for Your Pantry

When summer’s bounty graces your kitchen, it often brings a unique challenge: a handful of this, a smattering of that, and never quite enough of any one fruit to make a proper batch of jam. Enter bumbleberry, the perfect solution for your leftover fruit collection. With its vibrant color and rich, multifaceted flavor, bumbleberry jam…

homemade mango jam in a jar and cut mango on a rustic wood cutting board
Canning and Preserves | Recipes

Homemade Mango Jam: A Year-Round Delicious Delight

If there’s one thing that brings a burst of sunshine to any meal, it’s the delightful taste of mango jam. This golden-hued preserve is not only incredibly delicious but also versatile and easy to make any time of the year. Here at Pennywise Plates, we’re all about maximizing flavor while minimizing costs, and mango jam…

blueberry peach jam on toast, with peaches and blueberries in the background
Recipes | Canning and Preserves

A Perfect Blend: Blueberry Peach Jam

At Pennywise Plates, we love experimenting with new flavor combinations, especially when it comes to our favorite jams. One of our latest and most delightful creations is Blueberry Peach Jam. This unique blend of sweet, juicy peaches and tart blueberries creates a flavor profile that’s both refreshing and irresistible. While neither peaches nor blueberries are…

homemade ginger bourbon peach jam in a jar and a bowl and on toast
Recipes | Canning and Preserves

Spicing Up Tradition: Ginger Bourbon Peach Jam

Peach jam is a staple in our household, with its sweet, sun-kissed flavor capturing the essence of summer. While we don’t live in a region where peaches grow freely, we’ve found ways to keep this delightful preserve in our pantry year-round. Today, I’m excited to share a twist on our traditional peach jam recipe that…

jar of sour cherry jam with a rustic burlap covering lid, and cherries, on a white surface
Canning and Preserves | Recipes

Why Sour Cherry Jam Deserves a Spot in Your Pantry

There’s something incredibly satisfying about homemade jam. For me, sour cherry jam holds a special place in my heart and on my taste buds. Its tangy, slightly tart flavor balanced with just the right amount of sweetness makes it one of my personal favorites. Whether spread on warm toast, swirled into yogurt, or used as…

apples and cut apples on a rustic wood table, illustrating how to juice apples
Articles | Canning and Preserves

Methods of Extracting Juice for Crabapple (Apple) Jelly

When it comes to making crabapple (apple) jelly, extracting juice can be accomplished in a couple of ways: boiling and straining, or using a steam juicer. Each method has its own merits and can yield excellent results. Boiling and Straining to extract Apple Juice The boiling and straining method is a traditional approach that many…

several jars of apple jelly or crabapple jelly, jar lids have checkered designs, on a rustic wooden table
Recipes | Canning and Preserves

Harvesting the Sweetness: Making Crabapple or Apple Jelly

In the realm of homemade preserves, few things match the satisfaction of crafting your own jelly. Today, I’m excited to share a recipe that’s become a summertime tradition in my household: Crabapple or Apple Jelly. This delightful spread is as versatile as it is delicious, and the best part? The main ingredient is often free!…

an open jar of strawberry pineapple jam next to toast and jam, all on a white plate sitting on a rustic wood table
Recipes | Canning and Preserves

Strawberry Pineapple Jam: A Delightful Twist on a Classic Favorite

As a self-proclaimed jam enthusiast, there’s nothing I love more than turning fresh, ripe fruits into delicious jams that my family and friends can enjoy year-round. And that includes strawberry pineapple jam. Every summer, you’ll find me scouring farmers’ markets and local farms for the freshest fruits, knowing that they’ll soon be bubbling away in…

red and purple saskatoon berries on a branch against a background of leaves, to illustrate saskatoon berry jam recipe
Canning and Preserves | Recipes

Making Memories with Saskatoon Berry Jam

There’s something truly special about the summertime canning rotation, where certain fruits become synonymous with specific seasons. For our family, just like chokecherries, saskatoons were an essential part of our canning tradition. [Saskatoon berries are also known as Amelanchier, Serviceberry, Shadblow, or Juneberry. But where I live, everyone knows them as Saskatoons.] The process of…

3 jars of strawberry rhubarb jam and a plate with strawberries and rhubarb on it
Canning and Preserves | Recipes

A Pennywise Guide to Strawberry Rhubarb Jam

Rhubarb season is one of my absolute favorites. There’s something incredibly satisfying about harvesting those vibrant red stalks from the garden (or my neighbor’s!) and knowing that I’ve got a bounty of delicious, versatile produce that didn’t cost me a dime. One of the best ways I’ve found to use up this free rhubarb is…

fresh organic red rhubarb on wooden table, Rustic style, selective focus
Canning and Preserves | Recipes

Homemade Rhubarb Jam: A Frugal and Flavorful Delight

When it comes to cooking and canning, I have a particular fondness for rhubarb. The main reason? It’s free! In my small garden, I have one rhubarb plant that produces an impressive amount each year. However, the bulk of my rhubarb supply comes from my generous neighbor, whose garden has a ton of this versatile…

homemade raspberry jam on a wood table
Canning and Preserves | Recipes

Grandma’s Raspberry Jam Recipe: A Family Favorite on a Budget

There’s something about a homemade jar of jam that money can’t buy. For our family, Grandma’s raspberry jam recipe holds a special place in our hearts. Growing up, my memories are of her kitchen was filled with the sweet, tangy aroma of raspberries simmering on the stove. Grandma was a prolific canner, and while she…