Tuesday, August 31, 2010

Canning 101: Labeling

Wow, I just realized that today was the last day of August! Where did this month go?
I wanted to get in one last post on canning; labeling.
It's important to label all of your jars with it's contents and a date after you've completed canning them. This helps with 2 things.
The first, knowing what's actually in your jars. I know, it seems obvious to just look at a jar and know it's contents but trust me, if you can a lot, 10 months from now you may not be able to really tell if that jar is peach pie filling or just canned peaches!? I'm only talking from personal experience here though. ;)
Or second, a jar of jam gets pushed to the back and somehow left. Hmm, this looks like blackberry jam. But I can blackberry jam every year, when is this jar from??
Labeling. Just do it.
photo credit: sweet preservation
You can just take a pen an write on the lid of your jar with all the info or you can get creative and buy or print up some fancy schmancy labels that will wow everyone who sees your jars. I'm going to opt for the pretty labels.
Here are a couple links for pre-made labels that you can print up yourself on your home computer.
So, get down to your office supply store, pick up some blank labels and decorate those jars up real pretty like.
Edit: Dont'cha love it when people comment, you click their name to see if they have a blog and then you find really neat stuff when you read their blogs?
Yep. Just happened to me. Check our Kristina's great post about canning with kids! I loved it!

5 comments:

Leslie said...

i like to do my labels on the lid so that the jars don't get sticky when you finish the jar and use it again. we use the jars for drinking glasses mostly once the yummy stuff is emptied out.

Proverbs Thirty One Woman said...

I always label the lid with a Sharpie, but I also like to add a label-maker label to the front of the jar. I find these labels easier to read at a glance once the jar is in the pantry. They also stay put! I can never get them off until after the empty jars go through the dishwasher.

Erin @ Why Not Sew? Quilts said...

I like your labels. I write on the lid since I replace them. But the labels are more fun. Just read Leslie's comment. We use our mason jars for drinking. I usually always have a 32 oz. widemouth near me. I love your canning posts.

Anne-Marie said...

I'm on the same page. Where did August go? Although I love Fall! Thanks for the link to the cute labels!

Lynn said...

Great advice, to just do it. Label those puppies. I may know it's canned peaches I've got, but were they this year's, or last year's? :)

Related Posts with Thumbnails