Learn Safe, Confident Food Preservation with The Canning Diva®

Whether you’re brand new to home canning or looking to build confidence in the kitchen, these free canning classes online will help you master the essential skills needed to preserve food safely and successfully.

From understanding the science behind pressure canning to creating flavorful tomato products and homemade pickles, each lesson is designed to give you practical knowledge you can immediately put to use.

Created by Diane Devereaux, The Canning Diva®, these classes combine decades of food preservation experience with easy-to-follow instruction, helping home preservers understand not only how to can food, but why each step matters. Every class is rooted in proven food preservation principles while remaining approachable for beginners and valuable for experienced canners looking to sharpen their skills.

Whether your goal is filling the pantry, reducing food waste, preserving your harvest, or becoming more self-reliant, these free online canning classes provide the foundation needed to can with confidence.

Free Canning Classes to Build Your Skills

Every great home canner starts with the fundamentals. Choose a class below and begin learning at your own pace with expert instruction from The Canning Diva®.

All Things Tomato Canning Class

Tomatoes are one of the most rewarding—and most versatile—foods you can preserve at home. In this class, you’ll gain an in-depth understanding of how to safely preserve tomatoes while learning why acidity plays such an important role in home canning. Together, we’ll create a variety of tomato-based recipes as I teach you the techniques and science behind preserving one of the garden’s most abundant harvests.

In this class, you’ll learn how to:

• Safely preserve tomatoes using both water bath and pressure canners while understanding the key differences between the two methods.
• Explore tomato varieties, learn about acidity, and discover how growing conditions influence flavor and safe preservation.
• Create and preserve a variety of tomato recipes, including diced, whole, and quartered tomatoes, Latin Sofrito, Green Tomato Jam, and Tomato Chutney.
• Master the culinary techniques of blanching and peeling tomatoes for successful home canning.
• Conquer culinary math using interactive PDFs with audio guidance.
• Easily convert fresh tomatoes into recipes while understanding the mathematics behind purchasing commercially canned tomatoes.
• Learn both hot pack and raw pack methods, along with the advantages of each, giving you greater versatility and confidence in your home canning.

With nearly two hours of video instruction, downloadable resources, and practical demonstrations, this class will help you make the most of tomato season while building the knowledge and skills to safely preserve one of the most popular foods in home canning.

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The Art of Pickling Class

If you’re new to home canning, The Art of Pickling is the perfect place to begin. In this class, you’ll gain an in-depth understanding of the many styles of pickling while learning the science, history, and techniques behind creating crisp, flavorful, and safely preserved foods. Together, we’ll explore the fundamentals of pickling so you can confidently preserve everything from family favorites to your own culinary creations.

In this class, you’ll learn how to:

• Understand the differences between fermentation and vinegar-based pickling.
• Explore the many styles of pickles and learn the proper methods for safely preserving each.
• Discover the rich history and cultural traditions that have made pickling a time-honored method of food preservation.
• Understand the reasoning and methodology behind the art and science of successful pickling.
• Create safe brine ratios for home canning while understanding why proper measurements matter.
• Prepare and preserve three delicious pickling recipes using both raw pack and hot pack methods from start to finish.
• Balance scientific precision with culinary creativity to confidently create flavorful pickled foods in your own kitchen.

With more than 1½ hours of video instruction, downloadable resources, and step-by-step demonstrations, this class will give you the knowledge and practical skills to safely pickle a wide variety of foods and begin preserving delicious homemade recipes in your own kitchen.

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Principles of Pressure Canning Class

Pressure canning is one of the most valuable skills a home preserver can learn, but it’s also the method that intimidates people the most. In this comprehensive class, I’ll teach you the science, techniques, and practical skills needed to safely preserve low-acid foods at home. Through more than five hours of in-depth instruction, you’ll learn not only how to pressure can, but why each step matters, giving you the knowledge to safely preserve food with confidence for years to come.

In this class, you’ll learn how to:

• Safely and confidently preserve low-acid foods using a pressure canner.
• Operate both stovetop and digital pressure canners with ease.
• Understand the science and mathematics that make home pressure canning safe and successful.
• Recognize foodborne pathogens and learn how to prevent spoilage and foodborne illness.
• Preserve two complete pressure canning recipes as we work together step-by-step from preparation to finished jars.
• Identify common myths, misnomers, and misinformation so you can confidently evaluate recipes and advice found online.
• Determine your altitude and understand how it affects safe pressure canning.
• Choose the essential tools and equipment that make pressure canning safer, easier, and more enjoyable.

With more than five hours of video instruction, downloadable resources, and practical demonstrations, this flagship class will give you the knowledge and skills to safely preserve meats, vegetables, soups, broths, and complete meals while building a pantry your family can enjoy year-round.

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Understanding Foodborne Pathogens & Microorganisms

Before you preserve food, understand what you’re preserving against.

Discover how bacteria, molds, yeasts, viruses, and other microorganisms affect food safety. This foundational class explains why food spoils, how harmful pathogens grow, and why modern home canning methods work. Whether you’re new to food preservation or looking to strengthen your understanding of canning science, this class will give you the confidence to preserve food safely.

In this class, you’ll learn how to:

• Understand what causes food spoilage and foodborne illness.
• Identify harmful microorganisms, including botulism, and learn how to prevent them.
• Recognize the warning signs of spoiled food and know when it should be discarded.
• Build a strong scientific foundation for safe home food preservation.

Approximately 1 Hour • Beginner Friendly • Science-Based Education

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The Three Pillars of Safe Home Canning

Master the three scientific principles behind every safe canning recipe.

Every tested home canning recipe is built upon three critical factors: Time, Temperature, and Acidity. In this focused class, you’ll discover how these three pillars work together to destroy harmful microorganisms, create shelf-stable food, and determine exactly how long a recipe must be processed and at what temperature. Understanding these principles will help you confidently evaluate recipes, troubleshoot common canning questions, and preserve food safely every time.

In this class, you’ll learn how to:

• Understand why Time, Temperature, and Acidity determine every safe canning recipe.
• Learn how tested processing times are scientifically developed and validated.
• Properly use and calibrate a food-grade pH meter.
• Evaluate food acidity and understand how pH affects safe home canning.

Approximately 1 Hour • Essential Canning Science

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The Benefits of Learning Online

Learning to preserve food doesn’t have to fit into someone else’s schedule. Online canning classes allow you to build your skills at your own pace, revisit lessons whenever you need a refresher, and learn from the comfort of your own kitchen. Whether you’re canning your very first jar or expanding your food preservation knowledge, online instruction gives you the flexibility to pause, rewind, and practice each technique until you feel confident.

Unlike traditional classroom instruction, online learning lets you return to important topics as often as needed. You can review pressure canning procedures before preserving meats, revisit pickling techniques each summer, or refresh your understanding of safe food preservation practices before harvest season begins. The lessons become a resource you can reference throughout your canning journey rather than a one-time experience.

Online education has also made expert instruction more accessible than ever. Instead of waiting for a local workshop or traveling to an event, you can learn directly from an experienced food preservation educator wherever you live. Whether your goal is preserving your garden harvest, reducing food waste, stocking your pantry, or becoming more self-reliant, online canning classes make it easy to gain practical skills that fit your lifestyle.

Why Learn with The Canning Diva®?

For more than 30 years, I’ve dedicated my career to helping people confidently preserve food at home. As an internationally recognized food preservation educator, best-selling author of seven cookbooks, television presenter, and host of the Canning with The Diva!™ podcast, I’ve taught thousands of home preservers the science, techniques, and practical skills needed to safely build a well-stocked pantry.

My straightforward teaching style removes the fear and confusion surrounding home canning, replacing it with knowledge, confidence, and recipes families actually enjoy preparing and eating. Whether you’re preserving your first jar or expanding your food preservation skills, my goal is simple: to help you become more self-reliant, reduce food waste, and preserve food with confidence.

Continue Your Learning with My Best-Selling Canning Books

These free classes are the perfect place to begin, but if you’re ready to build a deeper understanding of home food preservation, I encourage you to add a few trusted references to your bookshelf. My Beginner’s Guide to Canning walks you through the fundamentals with easy-to-follow instruction and confidence-building recipes. The Canning Diva Presents Meals in a Jar teaches you how to transform shelf-stable ingredients into convenient, ready-to-enjoy meals your family will love. And for those looking to safely preserve meats, vegetables, soups, stocks, and complete meals, The Complete Guide to Pressure Canning provides an in-depth resource dedicated to one of the most versatile methods of home food preservation. Together, these books complement the lessons you’ll learn in my online classes and serve as trusted references you’ll reach for again and again throughout your food preservation journey.

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Why Chose Canning University™ to Teach You?

Learning to preserve food is about more than following recipes—it’s about understanding the techniques, science, and confidence behind every jar you place on your pantry shelf. At Canning University™, you’ll receive expert instruction designed to help you build those skills through practical, easy-to-follow lessons you can revisit anytime.

Founded by Diane Devereaux, The Canning Diva®, an internationally recognized food preservation educator, best-selling cookbook author, and trusted recipe developer with more than 30 years of experience, Canning University™ has helped thousands of home preservers develop the knowledge and confidence to safely preserve food.

Diane’s practical teaching style removes the intimidation often associated with home canning, replacing it with clear instruction, proven techniques, and recipes families can enjoy for years to come.

Whether you’re preserving your first harvest, learning to pressure can meats and complete meals, creating shelf-stable pantry staples, or preparing your family for greater food security, you’ll find classes designed to meet you where you are. Study at your own pace, learn from an instructor dedicated exclusively to food preservation education, and gain the confidence to preserve food safely for every season of life.

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