Special Diets
Foods made commercially for special diets can be costly. Consumers who must eat these foods may want to preserve these products at home. This includes making low-salt and low- or no-sugar products. Just know that the color, flavor, and texture may be different and less acceptable.
For canned tomatoes, vegetables and all types of meats, salt may be left out. It is only used for flavor. For canned fruit, sugar may be reduced or left out, leaving plain water as the canning liquid. Another option, instead of water, is unsweetened fruit juice.
For jellied products using artificial sweeteners, be sure to use low-methoxy pectin (low- or no-sugar pectin) that has calcium in the ingredient statement. Calcium will help these types of jellied products form a gel.
Pickling without Sugar or Salt
- Pickles for Special Diets - University of Georgia
Canning without Sugar or Salt
- Food Preservation without Sugar or Salt - Colorado State University
- Making Reduced-Sugar Fruit Spreads - University of Georgia
- Refrigerator Jelly with Splenda® - University of Georgia
- Home Canned Peaches with Splenda® - University of Georgia
