Nutrition Labels for Jams & Preserves
Jam is the classic cottage food: high-sugar, shelf-stable, allowed in nearly every state program, and sold in exactly the kind of jar that needs a proper label. It's also the category where the Added Sugars line does the most work — a strawberry jam is mostly fruit and sugar, and buyers (and inspectors) can tell when the label was done carelessly. We pre-loaded a simple strawberry jam below; put your own recipe in to see real numbers.
Step 1 — add your first ingredient
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USDA FoodData Central data · FDA rounding built in · every ingredient match shown
Added Sugars in a sugar-based product
In jam, the granulated sugar you add counts as Added Sugars, while the fruit's own sugars count only toward Total Sugars. A typical tablespoon serving of jam runs around 50 calories with 8-10g of added sugar — a big chunk of the 50g daily value, which is why the math has to be right. We split natural and added sugars automatically from your ingredient list and apply FDA rounding, so "Includes 9g Added Sugars" on your jar is defensible.
Jars, cottage food rules, and the small serving
The FDA reference serving for jams is one tablespoon (about 20g), so an 8 oz jar holds roughly eleven servings — our builder does that division from your batch weight. If you sell under a cottage food program, most of our 10 covered states require a specific home-kitchen statement on the jar in a specific type size; pick your state in the builder's settings and the exact sentence is added for you. Cooking down the fruit concentrates everything, so weigh your finished batch for the most accurate per-serving numbers.
Frequently asked questions
Is jam allowed under cottage food laws?
High-sugar jams and jellies are allowed in nearly every state cottage food program. Low-sugar or pepper/wine jellies are restricted in some states (New York, for example) — check your state's page.
How many servings are in my jar?
The FDA reference amount for jams is about one tablespoon (20g). Enter your batch weight and jar count in the builder and it suggests the servings number.
Do I count pectin and lemon juice?
Yes — everything in the pot goes in the ingredient list, ordered by weight. Small amounts barely move the nutrition numbers but must appear in the list.