One of the biggest canning misconceptions is that small tweaks don’t matter, but in canning, some changes affect safety while others only affect flavor. You can safely reduce or omit salt, swap pickling salt for kosher or sea salt, adjust dried spices and herbs, and often reduce sugar in fruit, pickle, or tomato recipes. Sugar and salt mostly impact taste and texture, not safety. You can also add extra bottled lemon juice if desired, since bottled juice has standardized acidity. What you can’t safely change are ingredients or methods that affect acidity or density. Fresh lemon or lime juice can’t replace bottled, fresh herbs shouldn’t be swapped for dried, and low-acid ingredients like onions, peppers, garlic, squash, or extra vegetables shouldn’t be increased beyond what a tested recipe calls for. Avoid adding thickeners like flour or cornstarch before canning, and never change jar size, processing time, or canning method. When in doubt, ask yourself: does this change acidity, thickness, or the amount of low-acid food? If yes, it’s best not to tweak it. If you’ve got a recipe you’re unsure about, drop it in the comments. We’ll walk through what’s safe together.