He who gathers in summer is a prudent son,
but he who sleeps in harvest is a son who brings shame.

Proverbs 10:5

Whether you’re harvesting your own fruits and vegetables, buying from the local farmer’s market or buying straight from the grocery store, summer is the best time to stock up on groceries at good prices!

Of course the best way to save money on food and to stock up your pantry is to can, freeze or dry as much as possible.

 

It’s All in the Planning

 

First, try to calculate how much of your usual food you need to last your family 6-12 months.

Some Examples:

We eat green beans once a week on average, which is 1 or 2 jars to feed 6 of us. Some weeks we may not eat green beans and some weeks we may have company and need extra, so this is an average.

Green Beans- 40 weeks x 2 jars = 80 quart jars (we eat the beans fresh for about 12 weeks of the year).

I canned 28 jars from one bushel last week, so 1 - 1 1/2 more bushel will give me enough for the fall through the spring.

This amount applies to sweet corn too.

Jeff is a huge pasta lover and I make my own sauce. I need 4 quarts of tomatoes a month for sauce and 2 more quarts a month for soup, chili, etc…

Tomatoes- I plan 6 quarts a month x 12 months = 72 quarts to last me a year. I usually do about 100.

Jam- 1 -1/2 pint a month for us, plus I make 10-15 to give away, they make great hostess gifts = 25 -1/2 pints.

Sweet Pepper Relish- 12 pints for us, 10-12 to give away = 25 pints

Apples- 2 jars per pie. I make pies for us occasionally, but I mostly make them for fellowship meals and desserts to take other places. Plan on 20-30 quart jars.

Berries- for pies, pancakes, waffels, muffins, I can as many as I can, at least 20 quarts.

Having a list of what you need helps you to be alert to good sales while items are at their peak season.

Other items I hope to get canned this year:

squash

potatoes

apple sauce

vegetable soup

tomato soup

pickles

It does take some extra work, but it is SO WORTH IT!

Watch for great prices and buy in bulk. Keep your canning supplies stocked and ready to be used. Even if you are only canning one canner at a time (7 quarts for mine) it is better than canning nothing.

 

Stock your pantry, plan for winter or hard times. Teach your kids to always be planning for the future. It’s not just about living for the day, but about thinking ahead, to provide for your own and to meet the needs of others.

 

More post about resourcefulness.