Cost of Home Food Preservation
| Energy | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Method | Time | Fuel | Human effort | Dollar cost from kitchen to table | Quality satisfaction |
| Freezing | Minimal low | High | Low | Very high | Very high |
| Canning | Moderate | Moderate | High | Moderate | Moderate to high |
| Drying | High | Moderate to high | Moderate | Moderate to high | High (specialty items) |
| Low, if only method available | |||||
| Pickling | High | Low | Moderate | []Depends upon type chosen | High |
| Storage (Unprocessed) | Low to moderate | Low | Moderate (Checking/culling) | Low | Moderate to high |
[A]Some (such as quick dill pickles) are quick to make, take little effort, and use inexpensive ingredients. Others require prolonged brining over several days’ time plus expensive sugar and other ingredients.
There is no one right answer to the question, “Does it pay to raise and preserve my own food?” It depends upon your personal goals. You may not save a significant number of dollars. You will work hard. And you probably will experience one of the most exciting activities possible—raising at least some of the food your family uses.
“We grew it” are heady words which bring people back to home food production and preservation year after year.