7 Canning Recipes That Save Us the MOST Money

If you’ve been with us a while, you know we love canning around here.

But canning isn’t just about putting up food for fun—it’s a powerful way to steward your family’s budget and build a pantry you can depend on.

So today, we’re sharing the 7 canning recipes that save us the most money, hands down. These are the ones we go back to year after year—the recipes that stretch meals, replace store-bought staples, and keep our pantry full without breaking the bank.

1. Homemade Broths (Onion, Chicken, Veggie)

Broth is a pantry workhorse. We use it in:

• Rice
• Beans
• Soups
• Casseroles
• Roasted veggies
• Even as a marinade base

Our personal favorite? Onion broth. It’s rich, flavorful, and works with just about everything.

Get the recipe.

🧮 Savings math: We used to buy 5 cartons/month at $2.50 each—that’s $150/year for low-quality broth. Now we make organic broth from veggie scraps, free-range chicken, and garden onions—for pennies a quart.

💡 We aim for 60 quarts a year to keep us out of the broth aisle.

2. Mild Salsa (Our Taco Night MVP)

We do some version of Tex-Mex every week (Taco Tuesday, anyone?), and each dish uses a full pint of salsa.

After years of experimenting, we finally landed on a go-to mild salsa recipe that hits the mark for flavor and shelf stability.

Whether it’s tacos, burrito bowls, nachos, or just a snack with chips—this one’s always in use.

Get the recipe.

🧮 Savings math: At $3.50 per jar x 52 weeks, that’s $182/year saved just from salsa!

🌱 Bonus tip: It’s perfect for topping baked potatoes, flavoring black beans, or mixing into soups.

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3. Pizza Sauce (And a Pasta Stand-In!)

Every other Friday is pizza night around here. We make the dough, grow the toppings, and the only store-bought item left was… pizza sauce.

Well, not anymore.

While we haven’t landed on our forever recipe just yet, the one we’re using now works beautifully. And if it needs thickening, a sprinkle of tomato powder does the trick!

🍝 Double duty: When our homemade pasta sauce runs out, we season up our pizza sauce with garlic and basil—and it passes for pasta sauce just fine.

4. Pineapple Zucchini (Canned Fruit Replacement)

Stick with me—this one might sound wild, but it’s been a huge money-saver for our family.

By flavoring zucchini with fruit juice and citric acid, we’re able to create safe, delicious “fruit” chunks that sub in for:

• Canned pineapple
• Peaches
• Fruit medleys

Flavors we’ve tried:

• Strawberry kiwi
• Grape
• Watermelon
• Peach
• Pineapple

Get the recipe.

🍎 Bonus tip: Blend the chunks for homemade “fruit sauce” to serve with yogurt, oatmeal, or pancakes.

📉 No more spending $2+ per can of fruit when your zucchini patch is overflowing!

5. Herbed Potatoes (Canned with Broth + Seasoning)

This is hands-down one of the most versatile staples on our shelves. We flavor the potatoes with:

• Rosemary
• Thyme
• Salt + pepper
• Onion broth (instead of water)

Ways we use them:

• Mashed potatoes
• Potato patties
• Breakfast hash
• Roasted potatoes
• Casseroles

Get the recipe.

These potatoes have saved us from so many last-minute side dish scrambles—and from buying overpriced convenience potatoes at the store.

🧂 Shelf-stable + flavorful = total win.

6. Canned Coleslaw Starter (Relish-Style Base)

Our BBQ night essential.

This is basically a sweet relish made from:

• Cabbage
• Carrots
• Onion
• Bell peppers
• Mustard seed

Get the recipe.

When ready to serve, just drain the liquid and mix with mayo. It’s that easy!

🌭 We use it for:

• BBQ sandwiches
• Pulled pork nights
• Quick summer sides

Making side dishes shelf-stable has been a game changer for keeping meals fresh and frugal.

7. Jam & Jelly (Strawberry and More!)

Store-bought fruit spreads are expensive—especially the ones without corn syrup or artificial sweeteners. So we preserve our own!

Besides toast and biscuits, we use jam to:

• Flavor homemade yogurt
• Stir into oatmeal
• Add to muffins
• Layer in cobblers and crisps

💡 Pro tip: When we’re running low on fresh fruit, jam makes a sweet, fruity breakfast feel extra special.

From classic strawberry jam to blueberry lemon and even apple butter—these jars keep our shelves full and our breakfast budget down.

Each of these recipes started with a question:

How can we stop buying this from the store?

We didn’t figure it all out in one season. But by learning to preserve the foods our family eats every week, we’ve:

• Cut our grocery bills dramatically
• Reduced our waste
• Created a more reliable, self-sufficient kitchen

And that freedom is priceless.

If you’re overwhelmed by the idea of canning, start with just one of these recipes. Master it. Use it. Watch how much it changes your routine and your budget!

If you need help, our online, self-paced Canning 101 Master Class will walk you through it: