Yesterday I talked about the importance of salt and spices and I included sugar in that blog. I want to continue talking about sweeteners a little bit because I think it is important to be able to sweeten foods and make snacks or deserts in stressful times. They are also cheap and delicious calories that may be helpful in time of scarcity. I believe that when times get tough and it becomes difficult to obtain food, your special diet will probably and should be set aside if possible for the basics that you have stored. We are often bombarded with the health effects of eating too much sugar and calories, but shouldn't be a concern when you are faced with starvation.
White cane sugar is cheap and easy to store. I can buy 4 pounds for less than $2 at my local grocery store and less per pound if you buy in bulk. Store it in a cool, dry, airtight container. It will probably clump up over time, but is easily broken up. I have heard not to use oxygen absorbers in your sugar, but have not personally had problems with sugar stored this way. Brown sugar can be stored as well, but will harden over time. It can be softened by leaving a damp towel over a container of it over night. There are several other similar methods I have read about. You can also just break off clumps and add a little water, then smash it up. Molasses is supposed to be good for several years in its original store bought container, but most people don't use molasses regularly.
Honey is a great natural sugar with a distinct flavor as an ingredient, as a topping, or in tea or some other drink you like. It should be stored in a cool dark place like all other foods and should be able to be stored indefinitely. If it crystalizes you can warm it up in a pot of water or microwave. If it is raw honey and you don't want to ruin the health benefits of raw honey, don't heat it much more than a 100 degrees Fahrenheit. I buy it in bulk at Costco or Smart and Final (A local membership free bulk food/restaurant store.
Another type of sugar to store is actual candy. Soft candies get hard and brittle overtime, and chocolate gets stale. Hard candies are a best bet for storage. Store in a cool, dark place and keep dry as well. Hard candies can soften up on the outside over time if exposed to moisture in the air. Jolly ranchers and Werther's are my favorites. Candies help children find some normalcy when nothing is. Later.
