I was wondering what came first canning jars or cans for food.

Ruth n Jersey

Ruth n Jersey

Well-known Member
Location
Northern New Jersey
The hubby and I were discussing the history of canning at lunch today. I began researching the subject online and it was quite fascinating how it all began. I couldn't get any info as to what came first. The jar or the can. I thought maybe the can because we call it canning even though we use jars.

I remember there being a canner for home use but I never saw it being used. My Grandma used the open kettle method for all her canning. That wasn't the safest way to go but I guess that's how she learned to do it.

My Mom switched to freezing in the 50's. Even that is done differently now. I remember tons of ice to cool the veggies down quickly.

I canned in the 70's but used a pressure cooker. I gave up canning but still freeze my garden vegetables. I don't use all that ice my Mom did. Peppers go in raw as well as parsley and chives.Some veggies I cook completely which shortens the cooking time when I use them. I use baggies. My Mom had little boxes and freezer paper.

Today I doubt you save money by canning if you have to buy the produce. The befits today of canning is that you know exactly where the food came from and you can control the salt and spice content. And the satisfaction that you did it yourself.

I really enjoyed it and I still make jelly now and then because I can still find berries to pick.
 

Ruth n Jersey said:
The hubby and I were discussing the history of canning at lunch today. I began researching the subject online and it was quite fascinating how it all began. I couldn't get any info as to what came first. The jar or the can. I thought maybe the can because we call it canning even though we use jars.

I remember there being a canner for home use but I never saw it being used. My Grandma used the open kettle method for all her canning. That wasn't the safest way to go but I guess that's how she learned to do it.

My Mom switched to freezing in the 50's. Even that is done differently now. I remember tons of ice to cool the veggies down quickly.

I canned in the 70's but used a pressure cooker. I gave up canning but still freeze my garden vegetables. I don't use all that ice my Mom did. Peppers go in raw as well as parsley and chives.Some veggies I cook completely which shortens the cooking time when I use them. I use baggies. My Mom had little boxes and freezer paper.

Today I doubt you save money by canning if you have to buy the produce. The befits today of canning is that you know exactly where the food came from and you can control the salt and spice content. And the satisfaction that you did it yourself.

I really enjoyed it and I still make jelly now and then because I can still find berries to pick.
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I believe preserving by putting products in a glass jar and sealing them predates putting things in cans. I'm not sure but I believe sealing in a can using lead solder and then sterilizing the can is more recent method of preserving because it's difficult for the average homeowner to do.

I do think you save money by canning even if you do buy the produce. For instance, today I bought a cauliflower. I can preserve it in it's entirety by using the jars. If I just use what I need fresh everyday eventually it will not be edible and might even rot. I believe more produce gets thrown out than used.

I do remember my mother putting everything away for the winter. She had a nice garden. And everything she grew was available all year long due to 'canning'. We called it preserving.

I wish I knew the technique for preserving fresh caught fish. That's a huge way of saving fish for long periods of time.

I never really appreciated what my mother went through to make sure we had food on the table. She was remarkable in that nothing ever got thrown out.
 
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