Canning
/ˈkænɪŋ/
nounverbB1present participle
Definition
Canning means putting food or other things into metal or glass containers and closing them tightly. This process helps keep the food safe and fresh for a long time without needing a refrigerator. It is often used for fruits, vegetables, and sauces.
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⚡ See It in Action
The process of preserving food by sealing it in cans or jars
- •She spent the afternoon canning tomatoes from her garden.
- •Canning vegetables allows people to store them for months.
- •Many families learn canning to keep fruits fresh through winter.
The action of putting something into a can (informal, also means firing someone in slang)
- •They are canning the new soda flavor next week.
- •The factory is canning the soup today.
🧲 Make It Stick
- ✓Think of "canning" like "putting food away," but instead of a fridge or box, you use a sealed can or jar.
- ✓Picture a kitchen with many glass jars full of colorful fruits and vegetables, all closed with lids.
- ✓It feels like saving summer fruits so you can eat them in winter, like keeping a secret treasure safe.
- ✓Sounds like "can" + "ning" → imagine a metal can being closed tightly with a lid, like locking a tiny treasure chest.
- ✓Think of the story of home cooks making jam or pickles and putting them in jars to share later.
- ✓NOT like "freezing" (cold storage), canning uses heat and sealing to keep food without cold.
- ✓NOT like "cooking" only, canning is cooking plus sealing to keep food for a long time.
- ✓NOT like "packing" (just putting in a box), canning seals and preserves food inside containers.
🔄 Try Other Words
- •Preserving: keeping food safe for a long time (use when the method is not specific)
- •Bottling: putting liquid food into bottles (use when glass bottles are used instead of cans)
- •Sealing: closing something tightly (use when focusing on the closing part)
- •Packing: putting items into containers (use when no preservation is involved)
🔍 Unboxing
- •Word parts: "can" (container) + suffix "-ing" (shows action or process)
- •Etymology: From the word "can," meaning a metal container, with "-ing" to show the action of putting into cans
- •Historical development: Canning started in the early 1800s to preserve food for armies and sailors; the word grew to mean the process itself
- •Modern usage: Used for home and industrial food preservation; also used informally to mean firing someone from a job
💭 Reflect & Connect
•How does canning help people save food and reduce waste in your country?
•What foods would you like to try canning at home, and why?
Fill in the blanks with the correct word:
1.People do canning to ___ food so it lasts longer without spoiling.
2.Canning usually involves heating food and then ___ the container tightly.
3.Unlike freezing, canning does not need ___ to keep food safe.
4.When someone says "They are canning the new drink," it means they are ___ it into cans.
5.Home canning is popular because it helps people ___ seasonal fruits and vegetables.
6.The process of canning often requires ___ jars or cans before filling them.
7.If food is not sealed properly during canning, it can ___ and become unsafe to eat.