Ask A Master Food Preserver Live Q&A (Online Delivery Program)

Are you interested in home food preservation?

Join UC Master Food Preservers for a free, interactive session focused on safe, research-based methods for preserving food at home, including fruits, vegetables, herbs, and more. Bring your questions about freezing, dehydrating, pickling, fermenting, canning, and more.

These monthly sessions are both educational and interactive. Participants are welcome to ask questions, share experiences, compare notes, and troubleshoot challenges—including batches that didn’t turn out as expected—with UC Master Food Preservers, ensuring that information shared aligns with current food safety guidelines.

Whether you are brand new, have years of experience, are trying to figure out what to do with a garden explosion, or just want to spend time with people who will not look confused when you start talking about headspace, pectin, or your new steam canner, you are welcome here.

Session format

Each session includes:

• a short presentation on a seasonal food preservation topic (such as water bath canning, pressure canning, freezing, or drying)
• a guided Q&A and discussion led by UC Master Food Preservers, with time to ask questions, swap stories, compare notes, and troubleshoot challenges
• practical tips for safely preserving fruits, vegetables, and more

You might find this session helpful if you…

• are new to home food preservation and looking for a friendly place to start
• have experience and want to ask questions, share tips, or troubleshoot
• are managing a big garden harvest
• are looking for practical ways to support meal planning, meal prep, and food storage
• want to reduce food waste and make the most of seasonal abundance
• are interested in learning safe, research-based preservation methods

If you are interested in preserving food, eager to learn, or simply looking for a community of people who understand why jars, lids, and a good seal can be genuinely exciting, this session is for you.