Home canning is a delicious food trend that’s seen quite a comeback in recent years, and it makes a great way to use up fresh produce before it has a chance to spoil. Here are a few safety tips that will help you to can your fruits and veggies safely.

1. Be aware of the safety hazards. Many first-time home canners don’t realize that there are deadly food poisonings associated with incorrect canning methods. Botulism is the most common one, and it comes from a bacteria found in soil that produces a toxin when sealed in a jar. Luckily, there are preventative measures to kill these bacteria before canning.
2. Throw out your old canning recipes. Those old family canning techniques are likely a botulism risk waiting to happen. Keep up with the latest techniques to keep yourself and your family safe.
3. Don’t stray from the recipe. Canning recipes aren’t just created to preserve the taste of your foods; they’re also meant to protect you against illness. Resist the urge to add extra herbs or a pinch more sugar, as this can threaten the pH levels in your jar.
4. Use a pressure canner. In recent years, it’s become apparent that the only way to stay completely safe while canning meats or low-acid vegetables is by using a pressure canner. This heats the food to 240 degrees Fahrenheit, a temperature that can only be reached in a pressure canner.

Don’t Botch It: Home Canning Safety Tips [Home Food Safety]
Home Canning: Keep Your Family Safe! [FoodSafety.gov]
Home Canning and Botulism [CDC]
Safety Tips for Home Canning [About.com]

CC-BY-2.0/Flickr/elizaraxi

Since their invention in the early 19th century, kaleidoscopes have entertained the young and young at heart by presenting the ordinary world in a new and extraordinary way. Kaleidoscope Toys in Round Rock thinks that quality toys, activities, and games can do the same thing for children today: awaken their minds to new possibilities, stoke their creativity, and delight them with the beauty of the world.

This locally-owned Round Rock toy shop features all manner of educational and enlightening toys, books, and fun kids' stuff that you'd be hard-pressed to find elsewhere. Know that the staff is always willing to help out with advice and recommendations.

Kaleidoscope Toys is open 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays and noon to 5 p.m. Sundays. Be sure to follow the shop on Facebook to get the latest scoop on special events and sales!

Kaleidoscope Toys
110 North Interstate 35
Round Rock, TX 78681
(512) 388-5048
www.kstoy.com
www.yelp.com/biz/kaleidoscope-toys-round-rock-2

CC-BY-2.0/Flickr/Wendy Piersall