Welcome to Pantry Provisions Blog

Dive into stories about home canning, herbal teas, and immune boosters, plus tips on preserving your pantry’s best flavors.

a wooden shelf filled with lots of jars of food
a wooden shelf filled with lots of jars of food

Since I was a little girl, I've had allergies, both environmental as well as food. It made life interesting for my parents as I grew up, but we all survived. I grew up in the country on a few acres, and we had a large garden as well as numerous fruit trees and some animals. Mom was a stay at home mom most of my childhood, and stretched the budget through canning the fruits and veggies we grew, which also helped with my food allergies. I helped Mom can a little, but not much. My sister and I did more with the planting, weeding, picking produce and taking care of our animals. It wasn't until I was an adult, struggling more with my food allergies and limitations around commercially processed foods, that I started canning my own foods. I also started researching herbal remedies more as I couldn't consume something as simple as antacids for heart burn without consuming a food allergen. Within the herbal remedies, I've found products that significantly help, although don't eliminate, my allergic reactions, as well as helping with my asthma and seasonal suffering during cold and flu season. I'm working to expand my knowledge of this field and will share as I learn. I grow as much produce as possible in my own garden for my canning/drying, but I also get some from friends and family, local farms, volunteering with local nonprofit Salem Harvest and, last resort, buying from commercial stores/organizations. Not only is home canned food delicious, it's also healthier, with none of my food allergens and no chemical preservatives, and, when done myself, it's also more budget friendly.