May 20, 2026

Easy Berry Chia Jam

Back in 2020 when we were all at home more, I wanted to find easy recipes to preserve abundant seasonal produce that didn’t involve canning. This Berry Chia Jam really fit that bill! It’s quick, easy with just a few ingredients and can be used for any seasonal berries, fresh or frozen, or even a combination of berries. The chia seeds add fiber which makes this jam healthy and delicious. I love serving them on hot, fresh biscuits with some local butter but it also makes a yummy PB&J. I hope you enjoy it! -Amy Wilson, Head Veggie Fairy for Petersburg, Virginia

Ingredients

1 cup trimmed, locally-grown berries, frozen or fresh
1 Tablespoon chia seeds
½ Tablespoon lemon juice
Honey or other sweetener to taste
(Optional) Butter

Sourcing Details – Locally sourced, fresh ingredients, hand-delivered by Seasonal Roots

Berries are from Agriberry and Crossroads Farm, local farms here in Virginia that harvest the sweetest berries you’ll find!
Honey is sourced from sustainable farmers and foragers in Appalachia at Falling Bark Farm.
Butter comes from Richlands, a quaint family-owned creamery in Dinwiddie, Virginia.

Berries in Saucepan

Instructions

1. Add berries to a saucepan over medium-high heat and cook until the berries start to break down and the mixture is bubbling. You can use a potato masher to mash the berries and create your desired consistency.

2. Remove mixture from heat. Add the chia seeds, lemon juice and honey. Let cool the mixture cool and thicken, about 15 minutes.

3. You can use immediately or let it cool to room temperature before transferring the mixture to a sealed container. Hold chia jam in your refrigerator for up to 1 week.

About the Chef

Amy Wilson grew up in Kentucky on a family farm where she learned the importance of growing, cooking and eating healthy, homemade food. She has been in Virginia for 20 years supporting local CSAs and farmers. Access to healthy food and supporting local producers has been something that has been important to her for a long time. She joined Seasonal Roots in 2019 as a customer and started working as an Area Manager (Veggie Fairy) in early 2020 during the pandemic.

Her dedicated work with Seasonal Roots, has led her to get involved in a variety of local food systems in the city of Petersburg where she is currently based. In addition to being our Head Veggie Fairy for her area, she manages various local farmers markets, runs a Farm to Food Pantry program, and works with Virginia Fresh Match— a network of farmers markets and local food retailers that double the value of SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) food assistance spent on fruits and vegetables. She wears many hats, but they all loop back to supporting local farmers and building strong, local food systems!

Interested in Joining Seasonal Roots?

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About Seasonal Roots

Since 2011, Seasonal Roots’ online farmers market has connected families in Virginia, Maryland and Washington D.C. with local family farmers who use sustainable, humane practices. Our neighborhood market managers – who believe in living better through scrumptious, healthy eating, being kind to animals, protecting the environment, and spreading joy – home-deliver freshly harvested produce, pastured eggs, grass-fed dairy and meat, plus artisan fare. We empower our members to eat better and live better with more nutritious, flavorful food that’s good for us and good for the planet. More info at seasonalroots.com.