This post is sponsored by Ball® Fresh Preserving Products by Newell Brands, all thoughts and opinions are my own
I remember when I was little, how excited I would get when someone would gift us a jar of homemade jam in one of those famous Ball® Mason Jars. It was always so sweet and fresh, and it tasted so much better than the store-bought stuff. When I was a kid, much like now, I was always super into crafts, cooking, and DIY. I would literally spend hours on end flipping through home and cooking magazines, fascinated by the projects and recipes. Naturally I thought the whole concept that you could make your own jellies and sauces at home and can them was super cool, and I couldn’t wait until I was old enough to try it myself.
Fast forward several years to around the time I got married, when I decided that it was time to buy my own canning kit. My husband had been going on and on about how the mom of one of his college friends made the best strawberry jam he had ever had. “See if you can get the recipe,” I told him. So he did, and sure enough it was the recipe straight from the Ball® website. I couldn’t wait to try my hand at canning, and I was so excited to make a batch of jam at home. I was particularly excited to preserve it so that we could keep it stocked in our pantry and share it with friends. I couldn’t believe how easy and satisfying small-batch canning was when I finally tried it on my own. The strawberry jam turned out amazing, and I had so much fun making it and creating handmade tags to put on the jars. I couldn’t wait to preserve more foods. Salsa, tomato sauce, more jams and jellies. I was instantly hooked on this hobby!
Now here we are, four beautiful babies later, and my love for canning still runs deep. I’m on a mission this summer to pass the tradition along to my kids. We have always enjoyed taking them berry and apple picking, and canning has become the perfect way to spend even more quality time with them in the kitchen. Plus it means that we get to jar up the freshness of summer to enjoy all year long and save a little bit of money too. This spring we planted a garden in our backyard, and the kids were really excited about picking their favorite vegetables to include in it. The excitement has continued as the garden has grown, and they are able to walk right out into the yard and pick what we want to eat. I want to teach them about preserving these fresh vegetables in different ways and just how cool canning can be!
Recently we whipped up a batch of Mixed Berry Jam. We used the Ball® recipe, which you can find HERE, and a mix of some of our favorite fresh berries. Prior to making your jam, you’ll want to collect some canning essentials like jars, a canning pot, and utensils, and be sure to print some super cute custom jar tags too. Once you try your hand at canning, and you become as obsessed as I am with it, you’ll want to can anything and everything too!
You guys, this jam is so delicious. You have to try it! We have been eating it on EVERYTHING! I love it on a warm english muffin with butter in the morning along with my coffee. My kids love it with peanut butter on a sandwich. They had so much fun helping me mash the berries, and watching the canning process that they have already been asking what we can preserve next. I seriously can’t wait to share this tradition with them through the years!
Have you ever tried your hand at canning? What did you make?
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