Wednesday, September 2, 2020

RETAIL CANNING SUPPLIES RUNNING LOW

Was at the grocery store near the farm (like going there because they are never really busy and they are good at enforcing the mask rule).  Anyway, it's a great way to top off things like milk, eggs, canned goods, cheese, etc. 


 While I was there I noticed this; the section with canning supplies.  It was pretty much gone.  We were thinking that it's a sign of what is going on in the world in general, especially being in the country.  People with gardens are filling their pantries.  

But then again, it turns out it's not just limited to the  rural areas around Houston...


...this is at a store here in Houston, near downtown of all places.  Almost all the jars are gone.  Pint and quart, widemouth and regular, all gone.  There was even a bottom shelf of bigger packages of jars that was empty too (I thought I got it in the photo).

SO I guess it helps to be prepared.  I didn't think about canning supplies when I was stocking up.  Of course we DO have quite a few jars at the farm but probably need some more rings and lids.  Still, a well stocked pantry should include canning supplies. 


I might just add a few more things to our supplies for canning.  We might not have our garden growing right now but stopping at the farmers market or even the grocery store for some fresh produce can give us what we need to can some more food to supplement what we already have in the pantry and fridge.

Anyone else notice a canning supply shortage in stores lately?

16 comments:

  1. Being it's mostly the jars that are gone off the shelf probably, is maybe because right now it's getting close to holiday season and people do use canning jars for other projects besides canning.
    Me; I use jars to put dry mixes in along with recipe and give as gifts. People paint / decorate up jars for Halloween, Christmas, weddings, baby or bridal showers, etc.
    I even use jars as individual dessert containers.
    There are many, many uses for canning jars

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  2. lids, rings, jars......all are disappearing across the USA. You might look into reusable lids from tattler (www.reusablecanninglids.com) I think that's right. Even tattler is behind on production. BEWARE of fake sites which are a scam. You will never receive your lids. People are seeing the food supply chain disappearing and are rushing to can and freeze and dehydrate food for storage.

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  3. It may be the time of the year.. Canning is usually seasonal. However,I'd get a good stock of lids laid by.. All my Apocalyptic Fiction books say those are the hardest to get and replace. (Dies the Fire by S.M.Stirling -- almost a bible)

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  4. I don't can, so I don't notice. I still see empty spots for other items on my store's shelves (paper towels, tuna, soup).

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  5. A friend came by the house yesterday, he had tried to get some canning jars from Walmart. No joy, all sold out. I hooked him up with some of mine. But that's what friends do.

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  6. I work in a grocery store. Canning supplies, for the most part, are simply not available. I'm assuming we (meaning all stores) at the beginning of the season were selling what was left of last year's stock, but most of it sold months ago. Anything with aluminum, which is lids and rings (but also includes soda cans) are in short supply because of the messed up trade relations with Canada, which is where much of the aluminum comes from. Plus, yes, I think more people put out gardens this year.

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  7. I had three sets of coupons for lids and rings, jars, and specialty jars. I got on package of specialty jars, but they are so expensive. One coupon was for $1 off two boxes of rings or lids. I used only the one coupon because there were only two on the shelf! I did use my three coupons for canning jars by getting the last three packages of jars on the shelf--two regular mouth quart jars and one wide mouth pint. That last transaction saved me $9 by using coupons. Every year around May to June, Ball put out coupons for jars, lids and rings, and other specialty jars. The specialty jars are expensive and cute, but they will still can food! I think the usual canning buying is happening now, but shortages are being exacerbated by the increased canning caused by the pandemic, plus jars are an excellent way to store extra sugar and things that can be affected by bugs, moisture, and air. I love canning jars!

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  8. Yes, several months ago I couldn't find wide mouth jars and canning lids, and no low-sugar pectin. Now the regular mouth supplies are gone as well. I'm glad I have what I do, but I could really use some more regular lids!

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  9. I think it’s a triple whammy. It’s the usual seasonal depletion, this year’s increase in demand for canning supplies, and the disruption in supply lines. I live in a rural town where many people have gardens and do canning, so supplies are always low at this time of year. So I usually stock up in the winter when the stores are re-supplied. I also have friends saving their canning jars for me and we canners also trade jars and supplies among us.

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  10. I use jars to put dry mixes in along with recipe and give as gifts. People paint / decorate up jars for Halloween, Christmas, weddings, baby or bridal showers, etc.
    I even use jars as individual dessert containers.
    There are many, many uses for canning jars

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  11. This time of year it is common around here to run low on certain canning supplies. I stocked up in April when the seed companies started to struggle to keep up. I'm dropping some lids off at my step-Mom's this afternoon because she didn't think ahead. Amazon is ordering two weeks out and I told her she could replace my stock later. I'm done for the year.

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  12. I've not seen lids only in months, and now the only lid/band combo available is reusable ones and even those are nearly gone. Jar supplies had been OK until recently, I have to wonder how many people are buying those as the only way to get lids? I guess it's a good thing derecho flattened my garden?? I don't have enough to worry about canning, just stuff the few tomatoes I have left in a freezer bag and into the freezer. Hmmm, maybe I should stock up on freezer bags before they are in short supply. Or is it too late for that already?

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  13. No shortage where we live, in fact, our big local grocery and Ace Hardware are having sales.

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  14. Just yesterday at our local thrift store I bought 8 purple canning jars - (qt.size, with lids) for .50 each. The pint jars -( a doz.)with lids for .25 each.

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