8 ways to use up that jar of jam

Jam and cheese go together well. Picture: Pexels/Karolina Grabowska

Jam and cheese go together well. Picture: Pexels/Karolina Grabowska

Published Jun 27, 2024

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Jam is more than just a simple spread for toast. It is a versatile and delicious ingredient that can elevate any dish, from breakfast to dinner. Whether you prefer classic strawberry jam or a unique flavour like blackberry lavender, there is a jam for everyone.

Beyond spreading it on bread, you can use jam imaginatively to add a burst of flavour to your favourite dishes. Here are a few ideas on how you can use up that jar of jam.

Make jam and cheese toasties

Jam and cheese go well together. If this is a new flavour combination for you, just ask around - you will be surprised how many people really enjoy it in a sandwich.

Make a milkshake

Out of strawberry syrup? Not a problem! Add your favourite jam to your next homemade milkshake for an extra flavour boost.

You can make a salad dressing with jam. Picture: Pexels/Jam

Make a marinade

A bit of fruity sweetness is a great addition to most marinades. Use berry jams for beef and pork and citrus and stone fruit jams for poultry, seafood, and tofu.

To make the marinade, add three parts oil to one part vinegar (or citrus juice) to the jar along with seasonings of your choice, such as minced garlic and fresh herbs. Cover with a lid and shake to combine.

Make salad dressing

Keep it in the jar and add some balsamic vinegar, olive oil, herbs, mustard, salt and pepper. Shake vigorously until blended, check flavour balance, and pour over salad greens.

You can add jam to ice cream. Picture: Pexels

Add jam to ice cream

Level up your favourite store-bought vanilla ice cream by mixing in your favourite fruit jam - or, if you are still in a peanut butter and jam mood, throw your favourite nut butter into the mix for a homemade swirl.

Jam cocktails

Yes! Add to a cocktail - marmalade with whiskey or gin, plum or raspberry with vodka, topped with soda water. The combination is delicious. You will need to shake and then strain them though, otherwise you will get lumps and an uneven disbursement of flavour.

You can make a jam-infused cocktail. Picture: Pexels

Flavour your own sparkling water

Thanks to TikTok, we learned that adding a little bit of jam to plain seltzer can create delicious fruit-infused sparkling water. Pour in the sparkling water of your choice and stir. Add a few slices of citrus or pieces of fruit for even more fun.

Cookie or cake filling

Put a thin layer of jam between two oatmeal cookies, make thimble cookies with a lot of jam in the centre, or put a jam filling in a white cake. You can also add thin jam with a bit of lemon juice and drizzle over the cake to glaze.