Has anyone noticed the rising cost of canning jars, lids and other canning equipment?
As I can more and more each year, I find myself adding to my jar supply. Recently I realized I was out of both pints and half pints, and seeing as how I plan to make some pickle relish I knew I need to pick up some more.
Earlier in the year I picked up both smaller cars for $7 a dozen at a local Fred's. (Quarts were $8 a dozen). Now, these aren't Ball, but they work just fine and I've seen no difference in the jar quality. When I went to Fred's this time, jars are sold out for the year. Bummer.
Usually this time of year the Wal-mart carries them, but when I went by they were sold out as well! I realize that lots of folks can, but this was the first time I couldn't find jars.
I figured I would look at Kroger's since I had to pick up a few things, but was not prepared for the $12.53 price tag. I realize these were Ball's, but they were standard jars, not the Elite series or anything that (might) justify the cost.
Ridiculous!
I checked back at Wal-mart a few days later and found that they had gotten some in, and the price wasn't unreasonable - $8.26 a dozen. More than I would like to pay, but not terrible. I picked up four dozen pints but they had not half-pints.
Now lids are a whole different story. The Ball lids at Wal-Mart are (in my area) a 12pk for $1.63. That works out to just over thirteen cents a lid. Compare that to the bulk lids at Lehman's for $64.95 a sleeve (345 lids), which works out to just over eighteen cents each.
I still have a decent supply of lids since I bought a bunch of 12pks at the end of last year for $1 on clearance. I hope to get lucky and find a deal like that again.
Other things like pectin, granite canners, even canning starter packs, are up. Just another sign of the ever rising costs in this country? Hard to say. My suggestion is if you want to learn to can, get started now since I doubt prices are going to come down. And if you are a canner now, stock up!
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