Making the Most of Your Fruits: Let’s Jam Against Food Waste!

Fruits are a favorite in our home, from nightly treats like bananas and apples to special seasonal delights like strawberries. However, the age-old problem of overbuying during sales often leaves us with ripe, unused fruits by week’s end.

Two years ago, I ventured into jam-making. Homemade jam has become our way of utilizing surplus fruits and preventing them from going to waste. The process is straightforward and devoid of preservatives; just combine fresh fruits, sugar, and a touch of lemon juice. The outcome is a delicious, soft jam, far superior to the gelatin-like store variants. Moreover, these jams can be presented as thoughtful gifts, especially when packaged with beautiful printable labels found online.

For the uninitiated, note that homemade jams tend to be slightly runny, which is perfect for your morning yogurt or even ice cream. And as for the recipe? It’s a basic 2:1 ratio of fruit to sugar. The only requirement? A bit of patience and stirring. Here are some delightful recipes to get you started:

Blueberry Lime Jam
Yields: 3
Ingredients:

• 500g blueberries
• 250g caster sugar
• 1/4 cup lime juice
• Zest of 2 green limes

Instructions:

1. Combine sugar and berries in a saucepan and let sit for 10 minutes.
2. Mix in lime zest and juice, then place the pan over medium heat.
3. Frequently stir and let it simmer for around 40 minutes.
4. Transfer the finished jam to sterilized jars.

Strawberry-Rose Jam
Yields: 3
Ingredients:

• 500g hulled, sliced strawberries
• 250g caster sugar
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon rose water

Instructions:

1. In a saucepan, combine strawberries, sugar, and rose water. Let it stand for 30 minutes.
2. Cook over medium heat for about 40 minutes.
3. Once done, incorporate lemon juice, then divide the jam between sterilized jars.

Pineapple Ginger Jam
Yields: 3
Ingredients:

• 500g pineapple (preferably honey pineapple)
• 250g caster sugar
• Grated young ginger
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 1 teaspoon vanilla essence

Instructions:

1. Extract the pulp from the peeled pineapple.
2. In a saucepan, combine pineapple pulp, ginger, vanilla essence, sugar, and lemon juice.
3. Cook over medium heat, stirring continuously, for about 40 minutes.
4. Transfer the cooled jam to sterilized jars. Store in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.

Bonus: Apple & Pear Crumble
Yields: 6
Ingredients:

• 1 packet of Apple Pear Crumble Mix from Ikea
• Ripe pears/apples (chopped)

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 225C.
2. In an oven dish, layer the frozen fruit mix and the freshly chopped fruits.
3. Top with the crumble mix and bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown.
4. Serve warm with a scoop of vanilla ice-cream.

As we approach World Food Day, it’s crucial to reflect on food wastage. While we enjoy abundance in Singapore, neighboring countries grapple with malnutrition. On average, each Singaporean generates about 126kg of food waste annually. This has risen by 50% over the past decade, putting pressure on our only landfill, Semakau. By being mindful, we can all take steps to reduce our food waste and its impact on our planet.

Products from IKEA featured in this post:

1. IKEA 365+ Plate, white $1.90
2. IKEA 365+ Serving plate, white $5.90
3. IKEA 365+ Wine glass, clear glass $2.90
4. KASTRULL Saucepan with lid, green $19.90
5. GEMAK Colander, off-white $16.90
6. IKEA 365+ Utility knife, stainless steel $19.90
7. IKEA 365+ Oven dish, white $20.90
8. PROPPMÄTT Chopping board, beech $5.90
Not seen in collage: KORKEN jar with airtight lid (0.4oz)

Disclaimer: This guest post is in collaboration with Ikea for World Food Day. All ideas and photographs are entirely our own.