# Canning and Jam: Not Frugal



## crazyjackcsa (Aug 8, 2010)

I figured I'd give canning a try (Strawberry jam to be exact.) I already had the jars, and I could get the fruit for free.

Even with that, 1 package of Certo was $2.29, and the sugar required was about $1.50, never mind the natural gas required to cook it all. Total yeild was about 5-6 cups.Or about 1.3 litres. Total cost, about $4. At that point it's about half that as PC Strawberry Jam.

But after you figure in the cost of fruit, and the cost of jars, It works out the same, or slightly worse.

Sure there's the argument homemade taste better/better for you, but it isn't really cost effective.


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## brad (May 22, 2009)

I think the key phrase here is "economies of scale"

Make 5-6 cups of jam and no, it's not worth it, either from an effort or cost perspective. 

Make 56 cups of jam and now you're talking. Less effort and cost per cup, and now you've got enough jam for a couple of years plus gifts to family and friends for the holidays.


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## andrewf (Mar 1, 2010)

Having to make a several year supply to make it worthwhile is a good argument for buying it.


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## canehdianman (Apr 7, 2009)

My fiancee canned a ton of things last fall.

pickles, pickled carrots, pickled beets, a couple different types of jam, a couple jellies, peaches... I'm sure I'm missing some.

We calculated the cost per jar at $0.40. Definitely a better deal than buying.

It was only possible to get it this low by buying the fruit and vegetables at an annual harvest sale at Heritage Park (in Calgary), as well as already owning the jars required.


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## ChrisR (Jul 13, 2009)

I haven't tried making my own jam, but I have had lots of similar money saving plans that didn't quite work out. I think the worst idea I had was growing my own tomatoes. A little bit of labor, and I was going to save so much money... 

It went something like this:
2 terracotta pots = $20
2 bags potting soil (1 organic, 1 miracle-grow) = $8
2 small tomato plants = $8
1 watering can = $3

The two plants produced a total of 3 tomatoes between them. Some kind of animal (a squirrel or a grackle, I presume) took a bite out of each one just about the time it reached golf ball size.

Total cost = $39. Yield = 0 tomatoes

After failing so miserably to grow tomatoes on my balcony, I then decided that I would grow them indoors, using an Aerogarden. (Small self-contained hydroponics unit which is supposed to be idiot proof... well... basically idiot proof).

1 cherry tomato starter kit = $20
1 new set of grow bulbs = $20 (the Aerogarden has a proprietary fixture so you have to buy their special bulbs)
I won't include the cost of the Aerogarden as I already owned it, but it was about $169 if you're wondering.

Every day for 2 months I watered those plants, and pollinated them by hand. In the end they produced quite possibly the best tasting cherry tomatoes I have ever eaten (all 19 of the them).

Total cost = $40. Total yield ~ 1/2 pint cherry tomatoes.


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## brad (May 22, 2009)

In general, gardening isn't likely to save you a whole bunch. J.D. Roth documented his costs and savings for a year at http://www.getrichslowly.org/blog/2...s-project-how-much-does-a-garden-really-save/.

He did save money, but I don't think that's why he has a vegetable garden, and I doubt if many gardeners grow their own food in order to save money. They do it because they love to garden.

There are a few exceptions. I always grow basil and make my own pesto because 1) store-bought pesto is expensive, 2) the best store-bought pesto I've tried was still terrible pesto, and 3) I love fresh pesto.

I make almost all of our bread, but I'm under no delusions that I'm saving money. I might save a little, but I make it because it's actually easier than going to our local bakery and because my bread is better than theirs.


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## humble_pie (Jun 7, 2009)

going back to crazyjack's message:

jack says he got about 1.3 litres of homemade strawberry jam at a cost of $4, not including the jars since he had those already.

a fair market price for this amount of jam, artisan style maison, is about $20-25. $25 if you add in cost of jars.

the quality is so much better than pres choice, loblaw, metro etc. Both flavour-wise & dollar-wise, the homemade style is by far the better deal.

ps jack don't forget to buy new lids or new rubber gaskets every year ... cost maybe .50 per jar.


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## andrewf (Mar 1, 2010)

I find that when you are converting your leisure time into home production (cooking, cleaning, canning, painting the house) you should value your time. If it's something you don't mind doing, or even enjoy, your time might only be worth (net) a few dollars an hour. Of course, there is the consideration that sometimes you can do something yourself better than what you could reasonably buy, or on the flip side, you can't do something as well as someone you have hired (doing a good job of installing drywall) or product you bought (a dining room table and chairs).

So, by all means, can if it brings you joy. But if you apply even a measly $10 an hour for your time, I imagine the cost savings gets eaten up fairly quickly.


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## crazyjackcsa (Aug 8, 2010)

brad said:


> I think the key phrase here is "economies of scale"
> 
> Make 5-6 cups of jam and no, it's not worth it, either from an effort or cost perspective.
> 
> Make 56 cups of jam and now you're talking. Less effort and cost per cup, and now you've got enough jam for a couple of years plus gifts to family and friends for the holidays.


Sure, but in my example, the economies of scale don't change. The fruit per jar doesn't decrease, the pectin and sugar per jar doesn't decrease either. I suppose the cost of cooking it may decrease slightly.

And as I said, this is strictly from a frugality stand point. "Artisan" jam doesn't factor in since it isn't a frugal option. And I never even allowed for my time, I never do, since I don't get paid for my free time anyway.


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## Dana (Nov 17, 2009)

I find the same can be said for most hobbies (at least the ones I enjoy). I am an avid knitter and I enjoy sewing. Neither are exercises in cost savings. People comment all the time on how much money I must save knitting all the hats/scarves/mitts/socks/sweaters etc that my family wears, but it is way cheaper to buy the stuff at a big box discount store. Hobbies are for the love of it, not the cost-efficiency of it. That being said, I think I actually get a high when I find a really great deal on nice yarn. 

Ditto for sewing. It is way cheaper to buy window coverings, etc than to make them, but I get *exactly* what I want.


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## humble_pie (Jun 7, 2009)

hey jackx your own homemade strawberry jam would be artisanal jam. The best you can get. Pure, 100 % style maison.

it's not a question of choice between frugal homemade jam or deluxe homemade jam. All homemade jam is deluxe. All you have to do is tie one of those frilly red gingham caps on top of the jar lid, and it's martha stewart. A quaint label, and it's $5 for 250 ml.


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## brad (May 22, 2009)

crazyjackcsa said:


> Sure, but in my example, the economies of scale don't change. The fruit per jar doesn't decrease, the pectin and sugar per jar doesn't decrease either.


Right, but if you buy fruit, pectin, and sugar in bulk then the cost per jar does decrease, at least somewhat. If I buy 50 pounds of strawberries, the cost per pound is usually going to be less than if I buy just 1 pound of strawberries.

But I do think jam-making is more trouble than it's worth, especially since I can get really great jam here in town. In contrast, making my own tomato sauce and freezing it does save me a bit of money and gives me a lot of enjoyment; it's pretty cheap (the cost of tomatoes, onions, a little garlic; I grow my own basil for the sauce as well as for pesto). Homemade tomato sauce is better than anything you can get in a supermarket. It freezes well and freezing is a lot easier than canning.

Like you I never value my time for these kinds of things unless they happen to take the place of some activity that could bring me money.


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## Dana (Nov 17, 2009)

brad said:


> ...making my own tomato sauce and freezing it does save me a bit of money and gives me a lot of enjoyment; it's pretty cheap (the cost of tomatoes, onions, a little garlic; I grow my own basil for the sauce as well as for pesto). Homemade tomato sauce is better than anything you can get in a supermarket. It freezes well and freezing is a lot easier than canning.


+1


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## Addy (Mar 12, 2010)

This is an interesting thread to me personally because shortly, in about 2-3 months, we will be moving and I will switch from full-time working mom to stay at home mom. This, combined with our daughter will start attending public school every second day full days, will give me enough time to garden, can, cook, bake, freeze, and make lots of things at home I would have otherwise bought. I expect to save money, maybe not a lot, but certainly some. More importantly I hope to have my family eating healthier, more delicious foods!


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## Pigzfly (Dec 2, 2010)

My canning adventures have produced some quite good food, like relishes that are a far cry from hamburger relish; antipasta, etc.
We get apples for free, buy the rest of the stuff, my mom got me some great canning jars for cents at a giant garage sale. It was awhile ago, so I can't remember the cost per jar, but know that it worked out to be a fairly good price because of the products I made. 
Also, the jelly turned out absolutely amazingly. Normally we would just use maple syrup on pancakes, so it is a cost savings but because we are substituting a less expensive product!


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## hboy43 (May 10, 2009)

hi:

Any time I get my pencil out and calculate my "wage" for gardening and canning, I find it hard to come up above $3/hour. Then depending on my mood, I might apply a "premium quality multiplier" of 3 or 4. After all, a carrot out of the garden is a completely different beast than a carrot out of a bag. This is as good as it gets folks on a purely economic basis without considering secondary factors.

What secondary factors? Well, what value do you place on getting exercise in the garden? What value do you place on knowing that there are no chemicals? What value do you place on just being outdoors with nature? One needs to take an integrated approach to life to see the whole economics. If all you see is a pile of work to recreate a Big Mac, then go for the Big Mac.

My garden is sucking this year BTW. Cold spring, poor germinantion of many crops, and I am unable to work it currently due to recent medical issues. Gardening is like a professional sports team (Vancouver?): there is always next year.

hboy43


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## brad (May 22, 2009)

When I was an avid vegetable gardener (for the better part of 20 years), I became pretty selective in the things I would and would not plant, based on my experience and the availability of good produce in supermarkets. For example (not an exhaustive list, just things that come to mind):

Worth Growing


Tomatoes (always better and cheaper than what you can buy in the store)
Lettuce (I think fresh lettuce has a special something that you don't get from store-bought)
Peas (I ate most of my peas raw from the pod, they were so good they never even made it to the kitchen)
Corn (only if you have room; corn is wind-pollinated and requires some space, but fresh-picked corn is out of this world)
Most herbs (simply because it's convenient to be able to just go out and pick as needed rather than buying bags of them that rot in the fridge)

Not Worth Growing


Carrots: (Even Loblaws has excellent organic carrots these days; I honestly can't taste a difference unless I'm growing an heirloom or other rare variety)
Cilantro: (You get a couple of good cuttings and then it bolts; I think you have to plant it just about every week in order to have a ready supply all summer)
Broccoli: (Heavy feeder, you only get one good head per plant and then a bunch of smaller ones after that's cut; store-bought broccoli is usually pretty good).
Potatoes: (Tough call here, but potatoes are so cheap and readiliy available; I admit that young potatoes just dug are phenomenal, but not so much more phenomenal as to make them worth growing, especially if there are potato bugs in your area)
Zucchini: (You know why)
Cucumbers: (Same problem as with zucchini: you'll be overrun with them)
Peppers: (Super-long growing season, often not ripe before frost hits, store-bought taste just as good)
Melons: (Same problem as peppers: too-long growing season. Although if you start them indoors in winter, you'll have great melons by August, and it's hard to find good ripe melons in supermarkets; they're picked when rock-hard.)

Now, I'm doing this somewhat tongue-in-cheek because even at the end of my gardening career I was still growing lots of the things on my "not worth growing" list just because I like growing them. But if I were constrained for time or space, I wouldn't bother with them. For me, one reason to grow some of the "not worth" varities is if I can get my hands on heirloom or specialty seeds that produce veggies unlike anything you can get in the stores. Those are fun to grow and eat.


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## Homerhomer (Oct 18, 2010)

brad said:


> , but I don't think that's why he has a vegetable garden, and I doubt if many gardeners grow their own food in order to save money. They do it because they love to garden.
> 
> .


Absolutely, it's the love of doing it yourself, not money saving that drives most of us into it (and that applies to canning and many other hobbies). For me any saving would be offset by the beer I drink after I put in some work into it.

With that said one bush of rasperries planted 5 years ago is producing plenty of organic fruits every year, organic heirloom tomatoes would cost me a bunch from supermarket, and having fresh herbs throught the summer with every meal is priceless ;-)

One of the reason I would want to move in the future is to have a bigger yard, now this calculation should be interesting:

$100,000 additional real estate cost divided by 58 tomatoes = $1,724.13 per tomatoe, love the savings ;-)

BTW - I also own the aero-plastic something "garden", what a waste of money.


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## humble_pie (Jun 7, 2009)

tch tch those tomato figures. Are. Not. Fair.

how about:

cost of land / (3000 tomatoes x 50 years)


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## andrewf (Mar 1, 2010)

Good quality greenhouse peppers will blow anything you grow in a garden outdoors out of the water.

Not sure I agree with growing corn. It takes a lot of space. The best value is definitely in growing herbs. They aren't cheap in the grocery store, and you always need to buy way more than you need for any one dish, so you end up eating cilantro-flavoured dishes for a week. And making pesto with store-bought basil is (1) gross (2) exorbitant. I'd only bother with rosemary, basil, cilantro, parsley, chives and maybe thyme. I don't use the others too often. I should try using tarragon more often. Never plant oregano or mint--they just take over.


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## andrewf (Mar 1, 2010)

humble_pie said:


> tch tch those tomato figures. Are. Not. Fair.
> 
> how about:
> 
> cost of land / (3000 tomatoes x 50 years)


You'd need to discount those tomatoes. You could possibly treat it as a perpetuity, and discount at six or seven percent. Thus, it's the yield per year times 14 - 16. Keep in mind you can bushels of field tomatoes in late summer for making sauce for not a whole lot of money. I find even with three or four tomato plants, you usually get overwhelmed with fruit in August.


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## MoneyGal (Apr 24, 2009)

Andrew you are ruining my impression of you as a thirty-something urban male. You grow CILANTRO?


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## MoneyGal (Apr 24, 2009)

Also. I'm not sure it is possible to be "overwhelmed" with tomatoes - that's when the canner really gets used. My elderly Estonian neighbour still gives me several wagonloads (my kids' wagon) of ripe and unripe tomatoes at the end of each summer. (The unripe ones make a fantastic salsa or jam.)


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## brad (May 22, 2009)

andrewf said:


> I should try using tarragon more often. Never plant oregano or mint--they just take over.


Tarragon and eggs is an amazing combination -- one of my favourite lunches is a portobello mushroom, sauteed in olive oil and put on a piece of garlic-rubbed toast, then topped with an egg sauteed in the same olive oil and sprinkled with salt, pepper, and fresh tarragon. Tarragon is also great in bouillabaise and with mussels.

I always plant oregano and mint -- but I plant 'em in pots. That keeps them from getting out of hand; learned it the hard way of course!


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## MoneyGal (Apr 24, 2009)

I have oregano in a rock garden and mint in an old tin teapot.


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## andrewf (Mar 1, 2010)

Hah. You're right MG. I don't have a garden now, but I used to. I'm also a decade younger!


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## brad (May 22, 2009)

andrewf said:


> I don't have a garden now, but I used to. I'm also a decade younger!


Hey, I'm a former gardener too, but giving it up didn't make me a decade younger, how'd you manage that trick?


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## MoneyGal (Apr 24, 2009)

Oh, now I'm even more impressed. So, you are a twenty-something male who grew cilantro...in his teens?


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## brad (May 22, 2009)

One thing I'll say about growing peppers: if you grow hot peppers and dry them, one season's batch can keep you going for years. When I lived in Vermont I grew a crop of Thai Dragons and another of Mexican Firecrackers and dried them; I like spicy food and I use them regularly but I still, 12 years later, I haven't made it through the whole bunch. And they still taste great, they haven't lost any flavour or piquancy. I keep them in glass jars so they don't get dusty.


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## andrewf (Mar 1, 2010)

MoneyGal said:


> Oh, now I'm even more impressed. So, you are a twenty-something male who grew cilantro...in his teens?


You'd be less impressed if you knew my parents' line of work.


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## davidcalgary29 (Jun 19, 2011)

andrewf said:


> Good quality greenhouse peppers will blow anything you grow in a garden outdoors out of the water.


I think that this is largely a function of location. Even with four grocery stores in my small Northwestern Alberta town (Peace River), "fresh" warm-weather vegetables (hothouse or not) invariably all taste like styrofoam by the time that they've been trucked a couple of thousand kilometres across the country. I simply haven't been able to buy any green produce at the markets that is equal or superior in taste to my own.



> Not sure I agree with growing corn. It takes a lot of space. The best value is definitely in growing herbs. They aren't cheap in the grocery store, and you always need to buy way more than you need for any one dish, so you end up eating cilantro-flavoured dishes for a week. And making pesto with store-bought basil is (1) gross (2) exorbitant. I'd only bother with rosemary, basil, cilantro, parsley, chives and maybe thyme. I don't use the others too often. I should try using tarragon more often. Never plant oregano or mint--they just take over.


Again, I have to plant everything -- none of my markets stock herbs on a regular basis. And it's been a few years since I've lived in Calgary, but I can't remember seeing Rue, Sorel, Lovage, Borage, or Stevia on the shelves, either. And I'll one-up you on store-bought basil: supermarket dillweed is almost always slimy and horrid.


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