Fresh tomatoes are summer for the taste buds. When I was a child, we filled our flower beds with cherry tomato plants that my siblings and I helpfully harvested right into our mouths. My area’s summer growing season had a late start this year so my tomatoes are still green on the vine. However, I recently scored a deal on a large box of beefsteak tomatoes from a warmer neighboring county.

As much as we love Caprese sandwiches and bruschetta, my household of five can only eat so many tomatoes. Rather than let them go to waste, I’m putting in some weekend effort to stock our pantry. We’re nowhere near food independence, but foraging, growing, or buying local produce and preserving it keeps our grocery bill down and gives us a taste of summer all year.

Here are five easy ways to stash away your tomatoes:

1. Canning
   I don’t buy or eat a lot of canned food but even our household uses canned tomato products at least once a week. Beyond simple canned tomatoes, you can also can homemade tomato products like spaghetti sauce, salsa, and bruschetta topping. A water bath canner is great for simple recipes; pressure canners let you make hearty, meat-filled sauces for winter.
2. Freezer Stash
   Too busy for canning? Core your tomatoes, toss them whole into freezer bags, or blitz into purée. I stack them flat in silicone freezer bags. They’re perfect for stews and sauces when the frost hits. 
3. Slow and Low Drying
   Sun and oven dried tomatoes have a rich, concentrated flavor that elevates a variety of dishes. Slice the tomatoes, sprinkle with salt, brush with olive oil and dry in a low oven or dehydrator at 250°F. Pack in jars and cover with olive oil for tossing later into pasta or topping fresh bread.
4. Wild Fermented Salsa
   Chop your tomatoes, stir with onions, garlic, and salt, and let them bubble on the counter for 2-3 days. Once the salsa is fermented enough for your taste, put it in the refrigerator. Wild fermented salsa is tangy, probiotic, and lasts in the fridge for weeks.
5. Sweet-Tart Tomato Jam
   Cook tomatoes with sugar, lemon, and warm spices. It’s a homestead treat that will be the star of charcuterie boards or turn simple bread and cheese into a feast.

A little work now, and your pantry will whisper of summer even when the snow falls.

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