Where are you finding best prices on canning jars?

[worth1]

I bought 12 of the new ball plastic leak proof lids yesterday 2 something for 6 regular lids.
Also keep in mind your canner will hold more regular jars than they will wide mouth.

[GoDawgs]

First year canning so not sure what is a good amount of jars and lids to have... anyone have suggestions about that?

So far I have 12 wide mouth quart jars, 36 regular quart jars, and 12 half pint jars DH saw and thought we could use... I also have 3 packages of lids for the regular jars.... have not found extra lids for the wide mouth around here. And just realized I have no idea what I need to use those half pint jars....

[mention]wykvlvr[/mention], good questions for someone new to canning. A few suggestions based on my experience:

Wide mouth vs regular mouth jars. Think about what you will be canning or storing. Most things can be easily canned in regular mouth jars unless you're canning things like big chunks of meat which go into and come out of wide mouth jars better. Also important, which someone else mentioned, is that you can fit more regular jars in a canner load than you can wide mouth jars. We use way more regulars that wides.

Pints vs quarts. This all depends on how many people you are feeding. We (two of us) used to can a lot of stuff in quarts (mainly green beans and tomatoes) but have since switched mainly to pints. A pint of green beans will do for lunch for two people with maybe a wee bit left over. A quart of beans will be used for two days lunches and still be some left over. Too much. Quart jars are also good for storing things like pickled eggs and kimchee in the refrigerator, or items like dried beans and rice.

Half pints. Good suggestions from others about what to use those for. I would add they're also good for small batch test recipes of mustards, relishes etc where if you don't like the results, there's no big loss. They make good homemade Christmas gifts too.

Cost. There's no need to spend more on quart jars or large lids than you need to.

Hope that helps!

[worth1]

Also when you're canning you won't get a pint in a pint jar.
A pint is a pound and to get a pound of liquid in a pint jar it goes to about a quarter inch to the top.
Well beyond that head space ring and about to the top of the first threads on top.
I use pint and half pint jars as measuring cups.
Like with rice.
Measure out rice first and liquid last in same jar.

[zeuspaul]

The wide mouth pint jars can be used for freezing, also the 1/2 pint regular mouth.

[wykvlvr]

DH does the in person shopping most of the time as I have agoraphobia which limits the amount of time I can spend away from the house before having a panic starts to set in. Trying to explain what I need can be hard so now he calls and says I found this is it what you need? Yesterday he found a box of rings and lids for those wide mouth jars. And yes it was A box that is all that was there. He also snagged the single box of 1 pint jars the store had. I did find a box of lids and rings for the wide mouth jars on Amazon choked at the price but that is coming here also . So slowly but surely we are building up the supplies we need now to hope for a good gardening year.

[wykvlvr]

Pints vs quarts. This all depends on how many people you are feeding. We (two of us) used to can a lot of stuff in quarts (mainly green beans and tomatoes) but have since switched mainly to pints. A pint of green beans will do for lunch for two people with maybe a wee bit left over. A quart of beans will be used for two days lunches and still be some left over. Too much. Quart jars are also good for storing things like pickled eggs and kimchee in the refrigerator, or items like dried beans and rice.

There are just two of us so it sounds like we need more pint jars for the most effective use of our produce. Those may actually be easier to find as most folks like us who are starting out and many of the larger families in the area are going for the quart jars. Thank you for the insight.

[pondgardener]

[mention]wykvlvr[/mention] You may be able to trade some of your quart jars for pints with some of the larger families or sell to someone wanting quart jars.

[worth1]

The quart jars make good storage jars for things like dried pasta.
Plus you can see what's in the jar.

[Danny]

Walmart has canning jars now, at least around here, shipped free with a 25 order. Picked up 2 quart and 4 pint dozen. Limit on quarts is 2 dozen at a time. We keep flours and cornmeal in big ones. Prices were different on each size, but worked out under a buck apieve.

[Danny]

Even with normally just the two of us, quarts are great for the meals in a jar sort of thing, like a stew put up or veg soup, tomato juice. Using more pints, but the quarts get a work out too.

[GoDawgs]

Right now the local Walmart has Ball pint jars for $8.98 a case, the same as back in October. Quarts are $11.97. WMT here seems to have a good supply of both right now.

[karstopography]

Our local tractor supply just opened a garden center with a canning section. I don’t remember the exact prices, they didn’t strike me as high, and they had a decent supply of jars and lids. Tractor supply is my go to place to refill propane tanks for the cooker. WAY cheaper than the bottle exchanges at the big box or supermarkets.

Our HEB seemed pretty stocked up on canning supplies and the prices seemed reasonable. Maybe the grow and can your own food craze from Covid times is subsiding.

[worth1]

Some time ago the only place I could find 1/2 gallon canning jars was Tractor supply.

[Danny]

Locallt, the Walmart is the best /lowest price for jars, pints at $7.05 a dozen, 1.2 pints at 8.35.

[JRinPA]

With the plague scare winding down, and a lot of new canning chefs having realized how much work it is, the best prices will be the first spring yard sales this year.

[worth1]

I just looked on the All American website and every canner they have is out of stock available for backorder.
Looked on Craigslist and nothing but a sterilizer for 700 dollars.

[Danny]

All American site is still on back order for any of theirs. Best on the market, though, so will continue to contemplate a 25 or the next bigger one for a bit. LOL.

[JRinPA]

Are they even in production? I imagine they sold all their inventory in 2020/2021. Years of built up supply. But to manufacture more is going to cost a whole lot.

Also, I went to a single yard sale this month, and they did have jars and lids for half or less what they probably paid, recent issue. But they had sold the canner already, a presto. The canner they sold for $40, used once it sounded like, but then the buyer tried to take the jars and lids as well as if they were included. So they still had the jars and lids.

[worth1]

Are they even in production? I imagine they sold all their inventory in 2020/2021. Years of built up supply. But to manufacture more is going to cost a whole lot.

Also, I went to a single yard sale this month, and they did have jars and lids for half or less what they probably paid, recent issue. But they had sold the canner already, a presto. The canner they sold for $40, used once it sounded like, but then the buyer tried to take the jars and lids as well as if they were included. So they still had the jars and lids.

For technical information i dug really deep as to the root maker of All American canners.
Can't remember the foundries name.
They basically make a sterilizer and a canner.
The bosses in the upper lid are the same for both.
It's just the pressure release valves are different.
It just what they decide to drill out and tap for which one they make.

It may very well be they simply can't find people to work.

[Danny]

Several places to buy All American canners are about, just bought one on Amazon for less than the price at the All American site by about 50 bucks.