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Sunday, January 12, 2025

Which Methods of Food Storage are Correct?

Water Bath Canner

Food Preservation is a process used to store food safely for extended periods. Not only does it help keep your food at its best quality, but it minimizes the possibility of bacteria growth. Also, eliminating food waste can save you significant money in the long run. As many of you know, several food storage methods exist. 

Which Methods of Food Storage are Correct?

I want to take a few moments to share with you not only what food storage methods are available, but also many of their pros and cons. That way, you can decide which food storage method is best for you. This isn’t a comprehensive Guide to Food Storage but an overview of correct food storage methods. The main goal is to avoid food spoilage, so let’s check out these methods!

Which Methods of Food Storage are Correct?

Canning

How many of you remember licking your chops while watching your grandmother or mother canning delicious jams, jellies, applesauce, and vegetables while growing up? Maybe some of you’ll continue with this practice today? Canning is a cost-effective food preservation method that has been practiced for centuries. Canned foods make for excellent gifts, especially around Christmas time.

Another benefit of this method is that you can get 1 to 5 years of shelf life from canned foods, depending on what you’ve canned. The USDA states one year, I get it. I admit I have eaten peaches that were 4 years old. They were still sealed and tasted great.

I used a Presto Pressure Canner for many years and saved up for an All-American Pressure Canner. The Ball Water Bath Canner shown is the one I have been using for the last few years. After taking my Master Canning and Preserving Class, I purchased The Ball Electric Water Bath Canner.

The Necessary Steps for Successful Canning

The basic steps for canning include sterilizing the jars and lids, preparing your food (washing, peeling, slicing), packing the food into the jars, sealing them with an airtight lid, and then heating them to a specific temperature for a particular amount of time to kill bacteria and eliminate the risk of the growth of bacteria or any other microorganisms. You may also need to add acids like vinegar or lemon juice if they aren’t acidic enough. 

Canning is especially beneficial for those living in rural areas because it can be done with produce from your garden. However, it has some drawbacks, such as the fact that you have to ensure the food is free from bacteria before canning.

Canning also does allow certain foods to lose some of their nutritional value, but not entirely. The canning method is still super popular today! I can only recommend these two books for canning: The Ball Canning Book and the USDA Canning Guide. Please be safe when preserving your food.

Dehydrating 

Dehydrating is another type of food preservation that dates back centuries. It can be used for fruits, vegetables, and even meats. Dehydrated foods don’t take up too much room because the water has been removed, making them great for long-term storage.

Dehydrating involves slicing your produce or meat into thin pieces so you can remove moisture quickly and evenly, then heating it until all the moisture has been removed. Dehydrated foods are typically stored in airtight containers, which makes them a convenient snack on the go.

The primary benefit of this method is that you don’t have to worry about spoilage since there’s no liquid involved in the process. However, it requires electricity, which can be a bummer for those looking to minimize their energy consumption. Some of the food’s nutrients may also be lost while dehydrating them. Dehydrating food items is one of the most popular food preservation methods! I use an Excalibur Dehydrator.

Freezing

This method of food storage is probably one of the more common methods used today. We all know how convenient it is to pop something in the freezer for later use! If you keep your freezer at 0°F or less, frozen foods are safe to consume for up to 6 months after being prepared and stored correctly. Freezing is especially beneficial for those living in urban areas because most don’t have backyard gardens. 

The process of freezing food is simple. First, prep the food by washing, peeling, slicing, and packing it into airtight freezer containers or bags. You’ll want to press out as much air as possible before sealing it and placing it in the freezer.

Freezing is a great way to preserve foods while still keeping their vitamins and minerals intact, as some of them are not lost during this method like they would with canning. The downside is that if your electricity goes out or you forget to put something back in the freezer after taking it out, you’d be wasting money on spoiled goods. You can “shop” in your own freezer instead of going to the grocery store in an emergency. Just make sure you have enough freezer storage space.

Pickling

Pickling is an excellent alternative to canning and freezing, but more so for those who enjoy fermented foods. This method of food storage works best with vegetables like cucumbers, okra, onions, and carrots. Once you pickle these veggies in a jar filled with vinegar, sugar, water, and spices, seal them up tightly before refrigerating them; they will last several months!

The pros of this method are that there’s no need to use advanced equipment or heat food over high temperatures. Pickled foods keep their crunchy texture and have an extended shelf life due to the vinegar solution used, which helps protect them against bacteria. The cons are that this food storage method doesn’t preserve foods as long as other methods (about 4-6 months) and doesn’t work with all vegetables. If you follow food safety guidelines, then pickling is easy!

Freeze-drying

When you hear freeze-drying, you probably think of astronauts and their space food! However, freeze-drying dates back to World War II when the United States Military used it. It is excellent for long-term storage because foods can be kept at room temperature in an airtight container or bag without losing their original flavor, texture, or nutritional value.

The freeze-drying process involves freezing a food item and then subjecting it to a vacuum chamber that removes any moisture from the food. This method is costly, so unless you plan on feeding an entire army, this may not be your best option.

However, if money isn’t an issue, freeze-drying may be a great way to preserve and store food for an extended period. Proper food storage that stores food products long term includes the method of freeze-drying! When you ask, “Which methods of food storage are correct?” ..it would be freeze-drying!

This is a method I’ve focused on for the past few years. I purchase most of my freeze-dried food which is commercially packaged by Thrive Life. There’ve been some price increases in the past year or so due to a number of factors like bad weather, wildfires, work shortages, and supply channel issues. My storage room is full of different types of food, including dairy products in the form of instant milk and eggs, ground beef, chicken, turkey, green beans, onions, cucumbers, sweet corn and peas, and much more.

Using freeze-dried food products in stews, soup, and casseroles is easy and the food has a fresh taste.

Cold Storage

Cold storage is a great way to store fruits and vegetables for long periods. It involves keeping food below 40°F, usually with extra humidity or carbon dioxide. This method works best with foods that don’t need oxygen, like potatoes, apples, beets, carrots, and onions. You can store them at home by placing the product in an airtight container and then storing it in your refrigerator crisper drawer or even a root cellar if you have one available.

The pros of cold storage are that no electricity is involved, and the food will remain fresh longer than stored without this method. The cons are that not all types of food do well with this type of preservation, so you’ll want to research what foods work and which don’t.

Additionally, the items must be handled carefully to prevent them from rotting or becoming moldy. There are many different food types that you can do cold storage with; make sure it’s one of the best methods for the food you want to preserve and that your family will eat.

Storing Dry Goods

Many items don’t need any special processing to preserve them for longer periods, as long as they’re stored in airtight containers and kept out of direct sunlight, high humidity, and extreme heat conditions. Natural grains like wheat have been stored for many years this way and then put to use to make flour. Rice and pasta varieties like macaroni are also good for long-term storage and make for a staple you can rely on. Salt is an item that can be stored indefinitely but MAY become hard, so don’t store it in large containers.

The storage in airtight containers also protects the food from insects, rodents, and other pests that can get into the original package and destroy the food.

Final Word

So, which methods of food storage are correct? Regarding long-term food storage, each method has pros and cons depending on your individual needs and preferences. Canning is helpful for those with extensive gardens, and freezing is excellent for urban dwellers who don’t have much room to garden. Plan to follow the FIFO method for using the foods you store. This means “first in, first out” so you use the oldest items first before they get too old.

If you like fermented vegetables, pickling could be a good option, while freeze-drying is the best choice if money isn’t an issue and you want the food for a longer time period. No matter which method you choose, make sure that you research how best to prepare, store, and consume your food before diving in! May God Bless this world, Linda

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