Sugar is a staple ingredient for any survival stockpile. Knowing how to store it properly ensures that white sugar and brown sugar will last as long as possible in your stockpile if you're prepping for a long-term survival scenario. (h/t to AmericanPreppersOnline.com)
Check out the tips below if you want to learn how to store sugar long-term.
Tips for storing sugar long-term
You can store sugar indefinitely if you do it correctly. Doing this ensures that when SHTF, you have access to a versatile ingredient in your emergency food shortage stockpile.
Sugar has an almost unlimited shelf life. It doesn't support microbial growth as long as it's not exposed to other elements.
Keeping sugar dry ensures that it won't go bad even if you don't use it for a long time.
Remember these tips when storing sugar long-term:
- Keep sugar away from moisture. Moisture will make granulated sugar hard and lumpy, which makes it hard to use and restore.
- Store sugar in a cool, dark place. This means not keeping it in the refrigerator.
- Use airtight containers or food-grade buckets.
- Store sugar in an odor free-area. This is important because sugar can absorb strong odors, even through plastic packaging.
If you decant sugar from its original container, write the expiry date from the original packet and the date that you transferred it to another container. This will make it easier to track your supplies and decide which container of sugar needs to be used up first.
While you can refrigerate or freeze sugar, it's not recommended unless you have a pest problem getting into your supply.
Because there are different kinds of sugar, you need to know how to store them correctly.
Storing white sugar
White sugar is a popular option if you want to buy sugar in bulk. It's cheaper than other types of sugar and more widely available in larger quantities.
The amount of white sugar you buy will depend on the amount of storage that you have. If you buy white sugar in larger quantities, such as two kilograms or more, you can decant them into other containers for long-term storage.
One option is to portion them into smaller containers or resealable plastic bags so it's easier to divide them into different places like a bug-out bag or emergency food stockpile. (Related: Prepper essentials: 50 Emergency items to stock up on before disaster strikes.)
Keep in mind that decanting sugar exposes it to the air and possibly moisture. Before you decant sugar, make sure new containers are sterilized and completely dry before transferring the sugar.
If you want to keep white sugar in the original paper bag that it comes in, you need to store this paper bag in an airtight container to keep it away from moisture.
Storing brown sugar
There are different grades of brown sugar, but this article will focus on light brown sugar since it's the most popular among preppers. Like white sugar, light brown sugar can be bought in bulk and stored in your emergency stockpile.
Light brown sugar is cheaper than dark brown sugar. It also has a similar texture to white sugar so you can store it in similar ways.
Here are the main ways to store light brown sugar:
- Decanted into a glass, airtight container.
- Decanted into a resealable plastic bag.
- Placing the original paper packaging in an airtight container.
- In a deep freeze or refrigerator. This isn't recommended except for special cases, like when ants keep getting into your sugar supply.
Storing honey
If you need another alternative to sugar, you can also stock up on honey. Since honey has a very long shelf life, it's easy to store.
Honey’s shelf life can be indefinite if you store it in ideal conditions. Keep honey in its original container and store it in a cool location away from direct sunlight.
If you want to decant honey, you can use a clean glass jar or an airtight container. Avoid storing honey in metal containers because it can oxidize and spoil.
Use a dry spoon when decanting honey to avoid starting off the fermentation process, which may happen if you use a wet spoon. Honey can be refrigerated, but it's not ideal because it will harden in cold temperatures.
When prepping for a survival scenario, store white and brown sugar properly to make it last a long time in your stockpile. It's best to use glass and plastic containers when storing brown and white sugar long term.
Visit FoodStorage.news for more tips on proper food storage.
Watch the video below to know more about organic coconut palm sugar, a healthy alternative to white sugar.
This video is from the Health Ranger Store channel on Brighteon.com.
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Freeze-drying is one of the best ways to preserve food for long-term storage.
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