Low Acid Tomatoes

[myra33]

I miss my tomatoes! Seriously, I make a lot of soup and things are just not the same without the tomatoes. I also like a good tomato based pasta sauce. Soooooo, I thought that I would go to the local Whole Foods Market (a specialty market that has a lot of organic and unusual items) and asked if they had canned low acid tomatoes. They looked at me as if I just stepped off a spaceship. "What are low acid tomatoes?" :loco: Got the same response from two other stores in the area.

So, my question is: has anyone ever SEEN low acid canned tomatoes? If so, do you know a brand name? What kind of store carries them? Is there even such an item?

I live in the Chicago suburbs. Have car, will travel. Sometimes we take road trips, so if anyone who knows of a store on the route from Chicago to New Haven, CT - that would be good, too. Or Michigan, Indiana, Wisconsin, Iowa. (My passion is quilting, and I am always looking for quilt stores on my travels --- so, why not tomatoes!!!) :help:
Myra

[desolationangel]

I think you might have to grow them yourself. :-(

Also roasted red bell peppers taste a bit tomatoey.

[Red Hatter]

:woohoo: I miss my tomatoes! Seriously, I make a lot of soup and things are just not the same without the tomatoes. I also like a good tomato based pasta sauce. Soooooo, I thought that I would go to the local Whole Foods Market (a specialty market that has a lot of organic and unusual items) and asked if they had canned low acid tomatoes. They looked at me as if I just stepped off a spaceship. "What are low acid tomatoes?" :loco: Got the same response from two other stores in the area.

So, my question is: has anyone ever SEEN low acid canned tomatoes? If so, do you know a brand name? What kind of store carries them? Is there even such an item?

I live in the Chicago suburbs. Have car, will travel. Sometimes we take road trips, so if anyone who knows of a store on the route from Chicago to New Haven, CT - that would be good, too. Or Michigan, Indiana, Wisconsin, Iowa. (My passion is quilting, and I am always looking for quilt stores on my travels --- so, why not tomatoes!!!) :help:
MyraI live in alabama and i found some in Big Lots and they are great and i am looking for some more. Good Luck.

[rubjen]

Hi Myra33, I Found A Canned Yellow Tomatoe,that I Can Use.how Ever It Does Say Vitamin C Added, This Does Pose A Problem For Some Ic. They Are Put Out By Del Monte,in Natural Juices(i Drain Mine) Happened Upon Them In A Big Lot Store. Once I Tried Them I Requested My Local Publix To Get Some.hope You Get The Chance To Try Them. We Share A Interest I Quilt Also. Have Been Sided Tracked With Some Big Flares Lately, But I Am Trying To Finish One Quilt For The Project Linus. Sure Wish I Could'v Done More. I Pray
That Next Year Will Be Better,not Only For Me But All Of Us Who Have Ic. :) Ruby Jean

[Dixiefireball]

I can eat home grown tomatos and we make it a point each year to plant me some.
you have to have your soul tested to make sure it doesn't have a lot of acid in it and make sure the tomatos get a lot of sun light.
Now don't get me wrong i can't go an eatting spree but i can eat like a tomato sandwich make a sauce with it. I haven't frozen any yet because i normally eat them before it can go that far but i would think if you grow them yourself and there low acid when you picked them they should be if you froze them
also i have heard but not tested that the yellow tomato's are low in acid also but they should also be home grown or gotten from someone who you know has home grown them and hopefully has gotten low acid in the soil.
Good Luck hon i can't wait for spring to get here i think i'm going to plant more tomato plants this year but of course i got to get the soil tested again to be on the safe side.
my dad has sometype of kit he test it with.
but in either case even if you do this i still say take a perlief with it before you try it don't over eat and only try a bit at a time to make sure your not going to flare.
Not all icers can handle even the homegrown tomato but you have a better shot at trying those then you would out of a store.
Good Luck
Rhonda

[trytosmile]

I too eat the yellow tomatoes. Very hard to find and when I do, big $$ for them. Not the same as the juciy red ones but you adjust.

I am moving to a 50 acre horse farm soon so have lots of room for a garden, hoping I will be able to find the plants, then I can grow lots and will be able to can and freeze my own IC friendly sauces etc. I looked for plants last year and was going to put in a couple in my parents garden but none to be found. Thinking, maybe I should check garden centres now for seeds and start right from scratch. Hum, never done that before. No harm in trying.

[rubjen]

I Live In S C , An Found Some Plants At A Nursery, But You Can Find Some At The Feed Stores. Our Soil Has A Lot Of Acid So I'm Trying To Do Them In A Pot.however We Are Enriching Our Soil, Had Good Luck Starting From Seed.
Hope When You Get On The Horse Farm You Will Be Able To Grow Your Own.
I'm Using The Canned Ones That Are Hard To Find.(these Are Yellow One's)
Didn't Say That To Start,just Having A Brain Infart. Keep In Mind To Try A
Small Amt Untill You Are Sure They Won't Start A Flare. Ruby Jean

[Katrina]

I grew some but don't have the guts to try them....I live in WI come here lol! I know my mother in law grew them in my garden for me....she had no problem getting the seeds.

[myra33]

Thank you all for the info on tomatoes. I have NEVER seen canned yellow tomatoes in the mainstream markets, and never thought to look in the specialty ones. That will be my first quest for this week. Also, good advice on the growing of them. I was going to get to the garden center this week as well, but had not thought of the soil problems. Is this a great website, or what?!!

Rubjen: you found them in Big Lots? In my wildest dreams I would never have imagined that!
Myra

[rubjen]

Myra 33, If You Decide To Grow Them, Get Some Jiffy-7 Peat Pellets.
They Expand To Form Pot An Soil In One. Works Like A Dream When Starting New Plants.get Them At Almost Any Where,ie Wallmart, Feed Stores,lowe's
Home Depot.
Hope You Fine The Tomatoe's , But Remember Try Them A Little At First In Case They Cause A Flare. You Can Find A Lot Of Things In A Big Lot At Least Once. Rubjen

[darlene]

To all gardeners, do not home can low acid tomatoes with the water bath method! The high acid of regular tomatoes prevents botulism! Years ago, when my IC wasn't as severe as it is now, I used to add citric acid to my pressure canned tomatoes to prevent botulism poisoning. Botulism is a killer, be careful!

[myra33]

Darlene: interesting about the botulism and the acid in red tomatoes. I do not can anything, but thought that I would peel, puree, and strain the low acid tomatoes and then freeze them. That should be OK, right?

BTW, I did call my local garden center and they told me that they have several varieties of yellow tomatoes in the spring. They also carry the seeds, so maybe there is some info on the acid content on the package so that I can make some comparisons. This is getting to be a challenge, but at least there are some choices.

Here's one for the "you have to laugh" category: I decided to put a small amount of onion in something I was making. I've been feeling great since I am on the diet and I guess I was getting a little cocky about not being so vigilant. Anyway, as I was cutting, the knife slipped and I made a nasty gash in my ring finger. Even after 1/2 hour of pressure the bleeding would not stop. We cleansed it and wrapped it tight and this a.m. I put a butterfly closure on it and rewrapped it. :bonk: I probably could use one stitch, but could not face the ER for just that. Must have been God's way of telling me that I should be a little more respectful of my IC!!
Myra

[darlene]

Yes, it is ok to freeze low acid tomatoes and sauces made with them. Onions are one of my WORST trigger foods.