Wednesday Why: Sugar or Honey?

Today's question:  Which is better to store:  sugar or honey?


The answer:  really what you prefer.  They both have a long shelf life--as long as they are stored properly.  So it really comes down to personal preferences.  You can store all of one and none of the other, or a combination of the different types of sugars:  honey, sugar, brown sugar, corn syrup, molasses, etc.  But honey or plain white sugar should be a part of your storage plan since they store the longest and best.


But just to give you some things to think about as you decide:
1.  Honey can crystalize, but that doesn't render it unusable or change its taste.  If your honey has crystallized, simply heat it by placing the container in a bowl of hot water for a while or if you are really in a pinch, I personally have microwaved it to liquify it again--but only if it is a smaller container and I'm not having to heat up a huge bunch of honey.
2.  Sugar must be stored in an airtight container (no oxygen absorber though!) that prevents both bugs and moisture from entering.
3.  Both sugar and honey should be stored in cool, dark places if possible.
4.  In exchanging honey for sugar in recipes, lessen the amount of honey--example if recipe calls for 1 c sugar, use only about 3/4 c. honey.  
5.  Honey is much more expensive per pound than sugar, but if you prefer the taste and health benefits of honey, the extra cost can be worth it for at least part of your sugar/honey storage.
6. For normal use I prefer smaller containers for honey, as they are easier and more convenient to use if I need to liquify the honey after it crystallizes.


I hope these few ideas on sugar and honey help you in getting the sweet side of home storage!