4 Foods I’ll Never Can Again (And What I Do Instead!)

Thinking about canning strawberries, potatoes, greens, or apple pie filling? I’ve tried them all—and I likely won’t do it again. Find out why these foods didn’t make the cut and what I do instead.

In this video and article, I’m sharing five foods not to can — or at least the ones I personally won’t be canning again. These aren’t unsafe foods (they all have tested recipes), but after trying them, they simply didn’t make the cut for my family.

Foods Not to Can: 4 Things I’ll Never Can Again (and Why)

If you love canning as much as I do, you’ve probably tried preserving just about everything at least once. But here’s the truth — not everything turns out great in a jar. Some foods just don’t hold their flavor, texture, or appearance after canning, no matter how carefully you follow the recipe.

Let’s get into it!

1. Strawberries

Canned strawberries are one of those foods that look beautiful in the jar at first — bright, red, and full of promise. But after a few months on the shelf, they turn brownish and mushy.

The flavor isn’t terrible, but the texture and color are just unappealing. You can still use them in smoothies or as a syrup for ice cream, but overall, I find they’re much better frozen or dehydrated instead of canned.

• Freezing Strawberries is my favorite.
• Dehydrating Strawberries is second best… but a pretty good second best.

So, strawberries are officially off my canning list.

2. Greens (Spinach, Swiss Chard, etc.)

Next up — greens.

I tried canning spinach once since we enjoy it cooked, and I thought it would be convenient. But honestly? I never used it. It just sat on my shelf. The texture isn’t great, and the color turns dull. I’ve found that greens are much better frozen — they hold their texture, flavor, and color far better. So now I just freeze spinach or cook it fresh from the garden.

For me, greens are a definite no when it comes to canning.

3. Potatoes

Potatoes are one of those tricky foods. Potatoes are completely safe to can, but the texture changes a lot in the jar. Some varieties get very starchy, leaving a cloudy, thick liquid that looks less than appetizing. Some people LOVE canning potatoes. It is just not my thing.

The flavor is okay — not bad, just not great. You can mash them quickly after draining, which is convenient, but I still don’t love the look or taste compared to fresh or frozen potatoes.

So while canned potatoes make fast mashed potatoes, I’d rather store, freeze, or dehydrate them instead.

4. Apple Pie Filling

This one might surprise you! I love apple pie filling- it’ts delicious, convenient and makes dessert super easy. But after canning it several times, I realized that canning plain apples is actually simpler and more versatile. Apple pie filling tends to swell and leak out of jars, creating sticky messes. Plus, you have to make a thickener before canning, which adds extra work.

Now I just can apple slices instead. When I want pie, I open the jar of plain apples, and thicken them on the stove — no overflow, no sticky cleanup, and the flavor is just as good. Bonus is you can use whatever thickener you prefer when you are not processing them for storage.

Conclusion: Some Things Are Just Better Frozen or Dried

While canning is amazing for many foods, some ingredients truly shine when dehydrated or frozen.
Here are links again to these foods. Both canning
For example:

• Strawberries – Freeze or dry them for snacks and smoothies.
• Spinach and greens – Freeze for soups or sautéing later.
• Potatoes – Dehydrate for scalloped potatoes or hash browns.

Experiment and see what works best for your own family. Canning is personal — and that’s part of the fun! Do what works for YOU, considering how much time you have available, how much work you want to do, and how much space you have in your storage areas.