How to Decrease the Time Commitment for Preserving Food

Factors That Impact Preservation Time

The time you might need depends on a few key factors. Like, the type (& quantity) of food, your chosen preservation method & your skill level girl, I’ll just gonna be real about that.

But even if you’re new to this, how long will it take to preserve food is a Grade A question to ask.
Also, having the right tools (& a clean setup) helps streamline the process too, making it faster for sure. And definitely more enjoyable.

Popular Food Preservation Methods (& Their Time Requirements)

Now let’s hit on the biggest factor of this time commitment for preserving conundrum first. “What methods are there?”

Related Blog Post: Beginner’s Ultimate Guide to Preserving Food at Home This Year

When you understand the time requirements for different food preservation methods, you can plan out your preserving schedule in a breeze. Here’s a breakdown of the most popular methods I know of & a rough estimation of how much time they typically require:

• Freezing: Freezing is one of the quickest and easiest methods. And I can almost guarantee without even knowing you like that, that you’re probably accustomed to it. Whether it’s berries, herbs, or meats, freezing usually takes less than 30 minutes, including the prep & storage. Because all you really gotta do is wash, chop & bag for a fast & effective way to keep food fresh. (Blanching your veg is recommended for best texture, color & flavor, but while fairly quick-a-step, it’ll add maybe 15min to this time.)
• Dehydrating: Dehydrating is a hands-off method that works well for busy schedules. So if we look at the hands-on time commitment for preserving food, this is another gimme, taking as long as it takes you to slice & dice some apples (maybe 20 minutes). However, the full process requires longer drying times (like…12-24+ hours sometimes depending on the food). With a food dehydrator or even an oven, you can prepare something in the morning & let it dry throughout the day, freeing you up for other tasks. Boo-yah.

• Fermenting: One of the most time-efficient food preservation methods, fermentation has a short prep time (about 20-30 minutes), but the actual fermenting process can take days or even weeks. Foods like kimchi, sauerkraut & yogurt can be left to ferment while you’re free to handle other tasks. Fermented foods are also some of the easiest “health” foods you can make when you’re just starting out. Get that gut biome going, girl!
• Infusions & Pickling: Quick, yet flavorful, pickling & infusing foods take under an hour. The end product might not taste like it did though! And like ferments, they provide tasty results for weeks. This method is perfect for vegetables, which can be prepped quickly then stored for use in salads, sandwiches, or side dishes.

Pickling this way results in what people call “refrigerator pickles” meaning they’re not shelf-stable. Don’t try it. This isn’t canning. Infusions mean immersion into a liquid like oil or vinegars. Think, garlic-infused olive oil & flavored vinegars.

• Water Bath Canning: But this is! And I know you’ve heard of canning so here it is. For preserving fruits, jams & canned pickles (different from the pickling we did above, these will be shelf-stable) water bath canning is a popular method. Plan for 1-2 hours, including prep time & processing. Since it’s relatively quick, it’s an ideal weekend or evening project for anyone looking to keep jars of delicious preserves on hand. I especially love it for the canning marathons I tend to run during the summer.
• Pressure Canning: Low-acid foods like vegetables, meats & soups need a pressure canner, which requires a bit more time. Generally, plan for around 3-4 hours per session, including time for preparing, filling jars & the pressure canning time. Pressure canning can be a bit of a time investment (not to mention cost too), but the results can feed your family long after the session ends. It’s high on my list of recommended kitchen skills because of it’s ROI (return on investment). 

Related Blog Post: 19 Unique Ways to Preserve Food (Mostly) at Home

Making Food Preservation Fit into a Busy Schedule

I know we’re all pressed for time these days. That’s why planning makes all the difference. Wanna decrease your time commitment for preserving food? Here’s what you do:

1. Plan Ahead: Use weekends or a free evening for your preserving session. Go into it knowing exactly what you’ll make. Set aside the ingredients & get your jars ready.  That’ll make the process much smoother.
2. Multitask with Hands-Off Methods: If time is truly short, consider a hands-off method that won’t hold you to the kitchen or your equipment for longer than you can spare. Plug & play some methods like dehydrating or fermenting. Set things up in the morning then let the rest happen while you sleep…because…well, you might actually have set things up at 2 in the morning…😬 (ask me how I know).
3. Preserve in Batches: You save the most time (& money) buying seasonal produce in bulk so you can preserve it in batches. This is especially helpful if you plan to can food. You can freeze fresh produce until you have enough to fill your canner for example, running 1 standard batch vs several smaller batches. (Pro tip: always aim to run a full-canner load anyway. It’s more efficient than running less than.)
4. Use Time-Saving Tools: Girl, whip out that food processor for chopping or a food mill (or blender) for sauces. From-scratch food might be slow, but you can use some small appliances to speed up prep time significantly. That’ll drop your preservation time commitment even more.
5. Involve Your Family: There’s no better time than the present for someone to learn how to properly freeze the green beans. And I know having people in the kitchen when you’re working can give off anxiety vibes. Trust me, I know. Especially if you’re short on time. But it’s well worth pushing through those growing pains. And beyond the skills, the memories will carry with your family for years to come. 

Sample Time-Saving Preservation Schedules

Just real life strategies I’ve used before to make preserving food fit into an already filled-out life.

Weekend Preserving: A few free hours on a Saturday or Sunday is all you need. This is an especially sweet spot for SAHMs whose homes are fully staffed when their husbands are off work on weekends. With this much time, set up for water bath canning or pressure canning. You’ll be able to preserve enough food for the week or month to hit your food preservation goals, all in one afternoon. (At least for one recipe, anyway). 

Evening Freezer Prep: If your weekdays are packed, try giving 30 minutes after dinner to prepping fresh produce or herbs to freeze. I absolutely adore my FoodSaver vacuum sealer, girl. Real talk. Like Frank’s Red Hot sauce, I use it for everything. But a quick 30-min timer can become an evening habit that builds up your stock of freezer-friendly foods in no time.

One-Day Dehydrating: Start dehydrating vegetables, herbs, or fruits in the morning, so that by evening, they’ll be ready to store. Dehydration is the crockpot method of preserving food. Set it up once & let it work while you go about your day. Just be sure to store these foods in an airtight container like glass jars vacuumed sealed with jar attachments or Mylar bags with Oxygen absorbers (I highly recommend Wallaby Goods for durability; use code CLAIRE5 for $5 any order!) because moisture will cause them to spoil!

Related Blog Posts: How to Properly Freeze Food with Vacuum Seal Bags – Part 1 & Part 2.

Key Take-Aways

The time commitment for preserving food isn’t intimidating when you know the right method for your time & have the right tools. Yes, the time varies by food & method from less than an hour to more than 12 hours, but there’s always a way to fit it into your schedule. Planning is the key. Fit preserving food into your life as a simple evening activity, a weekend project, or even a daily habit if you like a slow-but-steady approach.

For a quick & easy start, consider small-batch methods or proper freezing techniques. As you get more comfortable, gradually branch out to larger projects like pressure canning. Girl, whatever you do, just do it – Nike. This is how you keep your pantry stocked with homemade, nutrient-dense options to make those crazy good comfort meals a.l.l. year round.