Homemade Jam Label
Homemade jam labels need the fruit and the word "jam" or "preserves" on the front, the net weight, an ingredient list, your name and address and, unless you are exempt, Nutrition Facts per 1 tablespoon. To use the name "jam", your recipe has to meet the FDA fruit-to-sugar rules. Enter your recipe and we do the math.
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What has to be on your jam label
Six parts on the front and back of the jar. The numbers match the example.
- 1Product name21 CFR 150.160"Strawberry jam" or "Strawberry preserves". Two to five fruits? Name them in order of weight, or say "Mixed fruit jam".
- 2Net weight21 CFR 101.7Jam is sold by weight, not by the jar's fluid ounces. Ounces and grams, bottom 30% of the front.
- 3Nutrition Facts21 CFR 101.9Per 1 tablespoon. Small sellers may be exempt; shops and markets often ask for it anyway.
- 4Ingredient list21 CFR 101.4Heaviest first. Pectin, lemon juice or citric acid count too.
- 5Allergen statementFALCPAPlain fruit jam usually has none. Add walnuts or pecans and the nut must be named.
- 6Name and address21 CFR 101.5Who made it, with city, state and ZIP. Your state's cottage food law may add a line of its own.
Things that are different for jam and jelly
Jam jars and the label that fits
Most jam goes in canning jars with little flat space. Pick your jar and switch label styles in the tool.
| Jar | Typical label area | Style that usually fits |
|---|---|---|
| 4 oz jelly jar | 3 × 1 in | Small package (linear) |
| 8 oz half-pint jar | 6 × 2 in | Wide (tabular)Most common |
| 12 oz jar | 6 × 2.5 in | Wide (tabular) |
| 16 oz pint jar | 6 × 3 in | Wide (tabular) |
Start from a strawberry jam that's already filled in
Use your own fruit and sugar, then weigh the finished batch and enter it as the weight after cooking. The label updates as you type.
| Ingredient | Amount | Unit |
|---|---|---|
| Strawberries✓ USDA match | 2 | lb |
| Sugar✓ USDA match | 4 | cups |
| Lemon juice✓ USDA match | 1/4 | cup |
Jam label questions
Jam and preserves follow the same FDA standard and are made from the fruit. Jelly follows a separate standard and is made from strained juice. A spread made from crushed or chopped fruit is jam, not jelly.
Only if it still meets the jam standard, which includes at least 65% soluble solids in the finished jam. Cut the sugar a lot and you drop below that. Many makers of low-sugar recipes pick a different name, such as fruit spread.
Yes. The sugar you stir in counts as added sugar. The natural sugar from the strawberries does not. Our example shows 13 g total sugars per tablespoon. Nearly all of it is added sugar; the strawberries bring less than a gram.
Not always. Sellers under the FDA small business limits who make no nutrition claims can skip it. Your state's cottage food rules still apply. Our free quiz checks the federal side in a minute. Do I Need a Nutrition Label? →
Yes. Use the front of the jar for name and net weight, and print the Nutrition Facts and ingredients on a sticker. Our print sheets fit common Avery-style rectangle sizes; for a round lid sticker, send the PDF or SVG to your sticker printer. Avery Food Labels →
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