Now’s the best time to get jam making
Jamming season is here. Yes, it’s that delightful time of year when tasty soft fruits are in season and they’re ripe for picking. Strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, cherries and plums, to name a few, are just waiting to be turned into sweet tasty jam. Whether you make a few jars at home, sell some batches at a food market or distribute your jams further afield, to farm shops, delicatessens, cafes or supermarkets; there is plenty of fresh fruit around help you do so.
It’s all well and good having plenty of fruit to make your jam from, but when you’ve made it, you’ll need the right jam jars to store it in. If you’re making jam to keep at home, you may just want a standard round 1lb jam jar, but if you intend to sell your jam, you’ll need jars that will make your jams appealing to consumers. The problem is that there are so many different sizes, shapes and styles of jam jar out there that it can be hard to find what you’re looking or. That’s why we’ve come up with a handy guide to help you select the right jars for your jam.
Which jam jar is best for me?
Below is our guide to finding the jam jar you’re looking for. Whichever you choose, don’t forget to sterilise your jars before use. You can do this by washing them in hot soapy water, then rinsing them off. To dry the jars, stand them on a sheet of baking paper, on a baking tray, in the oven (around 140°C) for about fifteen minutes. If you’re sterilising Le Parfait jars, boil the rubber seals instead, as dry heat can damage them.
If you’re looking for: a traditional jar
The standard round glass jam jar is a tried and trusted container that will give your jams a look of quality. Our industry standard traditional clear glass jam jars come in the following sizes: 370ml, 1lb, 500ml and 2lb. We also have a traditional French style ‘Bonne Maman’ jam jar, for a real rustic look.
If you’re looking for: different coloured lids
Most of our jars come with a choice of gold, silver or black rubber lined twist off lids. However, if you’d prefer your jam jar lids to have a bit more colour, some of our jars are available with different coloured lids.
If you’d like a red lid with white spots, try our: 324ml Bonne Maman, 2lb round or 190ml and 262ml Verrine jars. For the following lid options: white, red gingham, blue gingham or white with a fruit motif, try our: Orcio, 190ml, 212ml Bonta, 8oz, 280ml, 282ml, 370ml, 425ml Sette and 1lb jam jars.
If you’re looking for: a different shaped jar
To break from the norm and really make your jams stand out from the rest, try our uniquely shaped jam jars. We have a range of square, hexagonal, decorative Orcio and squat Verrine jars to choose from, as well as our globe shaped ‘Tipsy’ jar and Trittico jar. The Trittico jar is curved on one side, with flat walls on the other side. It can be stood in groups of 3 to form a circle – great for display purposes.
If you’re looking for: a miniature or squat jar
Our miniature jam jars are really handy for serving with breakfasts in restaurants and cafes; serving with scones in cake shops and cafes; including in preserve gift sets or picnic baskets and using for promotional samples. Choose from our 30ml (1oz) or 41ml (1.5oz) round mini jam jars or our 45ml and 55ml hexagonal mini jam jars for single or double serving jars of tasty jam.
If you’re looking for: a heavy-duty jar
You can’t go wrong with our Le Parfait jars, for that extra special seal of quality. Le Parfait jars are strong, heavyweight jam jars that have a reputation for naturally sealing in flavour. These jars come with a hinged lid and metal clasp closure, with their distinctive orange rubber seal. They’re available in sizes ranging from 500ml up to an extra large 3 litres.
