Summertime is often a good time to introduce children to hands-on experiences that use skills learned in school. However, new skills can be learned anytime and food preservation is one such activity that uses reading, math, and science principles. It is also a great way to teach new or life skills, pass on family activities/heritage, and enjoy produce all year long. If it is to be a summertime activity, now is a good time to prepare for the adventure.
Activities should be geared to the child’s age and/or ability. Young children may enjoy slicing bananas and dehydrating them. Older children may enjoy making strawberry jam for the freezer or canning for shelf storage. Every food preservation adventure should begin with clean hands, equipment, workspace, and fresh, quality fruits or vegetables. If the project includes canning, a tested recipe from a reliable source should be chosen. Easy, tested recipes can be found with the National Center for Home Food Preservation, USDA Complete Guide to Home Canning, Mrs. Wages mixes, or Sure-Jell/Ball® pectin.
The National Center for Home Food Preservation at the University of Georgia has updated their curriculum Put it Up! Food Preservation for Youth. These educational lessons are written for youth, from 4th to 12th grade, but could be used for anyone to understand the science of safe food preservation.
This curriculum can be used for schools, summer camp instructors, parents, 4-H agents, other Extension educators, farm to school programmers, and classroom teachers…anyone who is comfortable with food preparation and food preservation, or is willing to learn! A request for access is needed to obtain the curriculum.
The series is composed of six different food preservation methods: boiling water canning, making jam, pickling, freezing, drying, and pressure canning. Each method is divided into a beginning hands-on activity and an advanced hands-on activity. Activities may stand alone or be sequenced for cumulative learning. In addition to step-by-step procedures, reflection questions, and ideas for experimentation, each method also includes additional activities: a science-based fill-in-the blank challenge, a history-based word search, a glossary, a resource list, a knowledge test, and more. Each preservation activity is also accompanied by a legal-sized “poster” with simplified step-by-step instructions to be printed and posted as a checklist to help keep everyone on track and working together.
Other resources to use with children learning food preservation include:
- Home Food Preservation Lessons, University of Nebraska Extension
- Preserve It & Serve It: A Children’s Guide to Canning, Freezing, Drying, Pickling and Preparing Snacks with Preserved Foods, University of Georgia Extension
- Exploring Food Preservation, KidsGardening.org
- Home Food Preservation: Boiling Water Canning Project Manual (4H), Shop 4-H
- Home Food Preservation: Drying Project Manual (4H), Shop 4-H
- Home Food Preservation: Freezing Project Manual (4H), Shop 4-H
- Food Preservation (STEM), STEM Learning
If you love home food preservation, share your enthusiasm with a child. It is a lifelong skill and a great bonding experience!
Updated 9/2024, mg
