Just adding my two cents about making jams being too much work, I think this was true some years ago but not necessary today with all the gadgets out there that make it easy and simple. Just 2 weeks ago I made pumpkin jam and lemon curd and canned it so I don’t have to store it in the fridge and although the total time for doing them was about 3 h the time in which I was actually doing something was less than 30 minutes, so I think it was worth it.
You can make jams without canning them, you have to sterilize the jars and pour the jam will it is very hot, you then close the lid and put them upside down and let them cool that way. You can sterilize the jars in the oven, easier than using boiling water, and some people even use the microwave to sterilize the jars (not sure how effective it really is though).
About the amount of sugar in jams, where I live the usual amount is equal weight sugar and fruit, I’ve reduced the amount off sugar to half with good results, and even substituted with sucrose. However reducing the sugar makes the jam more prone to spoilage, so in that case I canned it just to be safe.
My mom makes tomato jam every year and she doesn’t cann the jars and the jam last several months, or as much as we allow it
Two years ago we started making our own tomato sauce when she collects the tomatos in july, we can the jars in a water bath using an electric sterilizing pan and we have homemade tomato sauce without additives or preservatives that lasts until the next season. This year I experimented with green beens and even dried beans from our plants and all turned out well. I tried peaches one time just to see out it turned out and would like to make more, but the peach tree is small and doesn’t grow that many, maybe in a few years.
I’m not one of those persons that only eat natural, organic and unprocessed food but I tend to read the ingredients in the food products and sometimes I’m quite surprised with the ingredients in some of them, so when I can I like to make things myself, so I know what actually is in the food.