Who doesn’t enjoy the crunch of a good pickle? But did you know that pickles are healthy, too? According to the National Institute of Health, pickles can help control blood sugar and provide antioxidants. Yes, pickles are nutritious and dill-icious. What’s more, you can even make them yourself at home!

My family pickles peppers, cucumbers, carrots, green beans, and onions. A new food we pickle is cauliflower. Our pickling ingredients are cheap because we grow most of them in our garden. We even grow the dill that flavors our pickles. During peak season, we pickle thirteen to twenty jars a week. It’s enough to fill most of our fridge. We then sell our pickled products to the community for around $2 per jar. One of our repeat customers is Amber Miller, who raves, “I love it when you guys pickle cauliflower. It always has good taste.”

While my mom and I do most of the pickling, I have also been teaching other family members about the process. People may think that pickles are a quick thing to make, but they actually have to marinate in the fridge for 7 to 10 days, depending on how much there is in the jar or how potent you want the taste to be. The longer you let them sit, the less crunchy they get and the more flavorful they get. Pickling may seem complicated, but it’s not that big of a dill. First, you fill a jar with the fresh vegetable of your choice. Then you mix up brine (vinegar, water, salt, sugar, and spices), boil it, and fill up the jar. Let it cool, then seal it and refrigerate it. Anyone could do this if they have the time and the space to store the pickles.  

So make yourself a scrumptious jar of pickles today. It’ll be dill-lightful, and you’ll relish the experience.