pres:preserving_food

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pres:preserving_food [2025/12/17 20:48] – [What is preserving food?] Simon Grantpres:preserving_food [2026/03/26 18:33] (current) – external edit 127.0.0.1
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-# Preserving food+This topic is part of [[gt:food|Food & drink]]. 
 +====== Preserving food ======
  
  
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-## What is preserving food?+===== What is preserving food? =====
  
 To many of us preserving food means extending  ‘shelf-life’ by opening the fridge, freezer or kitchen cupboard and bunging in our processed supermarket purchases for up to the recommended time.  But is this the best way to obtain and store food? We now take this processing for granted, because we’ve got used to it being done for us. We’ve lost track of the original reasons, like extending availability of local fresh produce, minimising waste and keeping costs down. To many of us preserving food means extending  ‘shelf-life’ by opening the fridge, freezer or kitchen cupboard and bunging in our processed supermarket purchases for up to the recommended time.  But is this the best way to obtain and store food? We now take this processing for granted, because we’ve got used to it being done for us. We’ve lost track of the original reasons, like extending availability of local fresh produce, minimising waste and keeping costs down.
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 ![](https://lowimpactorg.onyx-sites.io/wp-content/uploads/preserving-herbs.jpg) ![](https://lowimpactorg.onyx-sites.io/wp-content/uploads/preserving-herbs.jpg)
 <caption> <caption>
- _A variety of herbs drying in the kitchen – recycled jars are used for storage._+ _Sage and thyme drying in the kitchen – a variety of herbs are stored in recycled jars._
 </caption> </caption>
 </figure> </figure>
 </WRAP> </WRAP>
 +===== Some methods of preserving food – modern and traditional =====
  
-Some methods of preserving food – modern and traditional +==== High-tech / high-energy ====
-: +
-### High-tech / high-energy+
  
 - Refrigeration - Refrigeration
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-### Low-tech / low-energy+==== Low-tech / low-energy ====
  
 - Fermentation - Fermentation
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 </WRAP> </WRAP>
  
-### No-tech / no-energy+==== No-tech / no-energy ====
  
 - Dry storage, root-cellaring - Dry storage, root-cellaring
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 </WRAP> </WRAP>
  
-## What are the benefits of preserving food?+===== What are the benefits of preserving food? =====
  
 Traditional preservation techniques can add value and nutritional diversity to food, and offer an alternative to bland supermarket produce. Most ingredients that you find in a ready-meal will store for longer than the processed product, and retain more nutrients, so contributing to a healthier diet. Preserving at home is also fun, rewarding, easy to learn and educational – bringing us closer to our food and helping understand the consequences of modern food consumerism, particularly transport, energy use and waste. Traditional preservation techniques can add value and nutritional diversity to food, and offer an alternative to bland supermarket produce. Most ingredients that you find in a ready-meal will store for longer than the processed product, and retain more nutrients, so contributing to a healthier diet. Preserving at home is also fun, rewarding, easy to learn and educational – bringing us closer to our food and helping understand the consequences of modern food consumerism, particularly transport, energy use and waste.
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-### Reducing waste+==== Reducing waste ====
  
 Preserved food can be used as required, with no wastage. Apart from the land use and environmental issues, wasting food is pretty scandalous in a world where many people don't have enough to eat. The following information on food wastage is from WRAP's [_Love Food Hate Waste_](https://wrap.org.uk/taking-action/citizen-behaviour-change/love-food-hate-waste) campaign: Preserved food can be used as required, with no wastage. Apart from the land use and environmental issues, wasting food is pretty scandalous in a world where many people don't have enough to eat. The following information on food wastage is from WRAP's [_Love Food Hate Waste_](https://wrap.org.uk/taking-action/citizen-behaviour-change/love-food-hate-waste) campaign:
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 </figure> </figure>
 </WRAP> </WRAP>
-### Reducing energy use+==== Reducing energy use ====
  
 There are two main ways that home food preservation can save energy (and its associated emissions): There are two main ways that home food preservation can save energy (and its associated emissions):
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-## What can I do?+===== What can I do? =====
  
 As you can see, there’s a lot more to preserving food than just jams and chutneys. Have a look at the list of methods above. Could you be doing any of them yourself? We can’t all do them all, but we can all do some, and many of them take little effort and save time, money and energy. It can be as simple as setting aside a shelf or hanging space in the shed, garage or cellar for storing in-season fruit or vegetables such as apples or marrows. As you can see, there’s a lot more to preserving food than just jams and chutneys. Have a look at the list of methods above. Could you be doing any of them yourself? We can’t all do them all, but we can all do some, and many of them take little effort and save time, money and energy. It can be as simple as setting aside a shelf or hanging space in the shed, garage or cellar for storing in-season fruit or vegetables such as apples or marrows.
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-## Further resources+===== Forum ===== 
 + 
 +This topic belongs to the section [[gt:food|Food & drink]]. You can ask questions or add information on the corresponding [Forum section](https://forum.growingthecommons.org/t/food). 
 + 
 +===== Further resources =====
  
 - [Allotment Garden](https://www.allotment-garden.org/recipe/storing-harvesting/) - lots of info on harvesting & storing - [Allotment Garden](https://www.allotment-garden.org/recipe/storing-harvesting/) - lots of info on harvesting & storing
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-## Specialist curators of this topic+===== Related topics ===== 
 + 
 +- [[lifo:food|Low-impact food & drink]] 
 +- [[beer:beer|Beer brewing]] 
 +- [[wine:Winemaking]] 
 +- [[fosm:Food smoking]] 
 +- [[chee:cheesemaking|Cheesemaking]] 
 +- [[cidr:cider|Cider, perry & juices]] 
 + 
 + 
 + 
 +===== Specialist curators of this topic =====
  
  
  
  • pres/preserving_food.1766004507.txt.gz
  • Last modified: 2025/12/17 20:48
  • by Simon Grant