How to Stock Sugar & 8 Sensible Reasons Why You Should
October 9, 2024 by Linda Loosli 38  Comments , , , ,

How to Stock Sugar & 8 Sensible Reasons Why You Should

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Sugar is a consumer staple in most households, but what happens when you run out? Do you know how to stock sugar for what you need during good times and bad? I saw a lady at Costco today loading at least ten 25-pound bags of sugar into the back of her car.

According to Wikipedia, Florida is “the largest producer of sugar cane in the US, producing over half of the country’s sugar cane. The planting season is from late August to January, and the sugar cane is harvested from late October to mid-April.” They have had Hurricanes Helene and Milton. Please stock what you feel you’ll need now.

Many people overlook the importance of having a stockpile of staples like sugar when prepping. In this blog post, we’ll discuss how much sugar you should consider having, what type is best to have on hand, why you should stock it, and how to stock it properly. If you have health issues and can’t stock white sugar, stock the sweeteners of choice. In case you missed this post, Stevia: Everything You Need to Know

How to Stock Sugar & 8 Sensible Reasons Why You Should

Why You Should Stock Sugar

How to Stock Sugar & 8 Sensible Reasons Why You Should

If you’re like most people, sugar is probably one of the last things on your mind when stocking your pantry, particularly for the longer term and for emergencies. However, sugar can be a valuable addition to your food storage. Here are a few reasons why you should stock sugar:

1. Sugar Has a Long Shelf Life

Sugar can last for years when stored properly, making it an excellent option for long-term food storage.

2. Sugar is a Versatile Ingredient

Sugar can be used in sweet and savory dishes alike. Whether baking a cake or making a stir-fry, it can enhance the flavors of most foods.

3. It’s an Essential Ingredient in Baking

Many baked goods require sugar, so if you love to bake, it’s important to have sugar on hand.

4. Sugar is a Good Source of Energy

If you need a quick burst of energy, sugar can give you the boost you need. Just a few spoonfuls in a drink or baked item can help to increase your energy levels and help you power through your day. 

5. It Can Be Used For Cleaning

Sugar can be used for cleaning purposes. A mixture of sugar and water can be used to clean windows and mirrors, while sugar sprinkled on carpets can help to freshen them up.

Read More of My Articles  Molasses: Everything You Need to Know

6. Sugar Can Be Used as a DIY Exfoliant

Just mix equal parts sugar and olive oil and use it to scrub your hands, feet, or lips for soft and smooth results.

7. Sugar is Relatively Inexpensive

Unlike other staples like flour and grains, sugar is relatively affordable. This makes it a great option for budget-minded shoppers.

8. It’s a Natural Preservative

Sugar is a natural preservative. When added to food, it helps to prevent spoilage and keep food fresh for longer periods of time.

Types of Sugar to Stock

When you think of sugar, you may be thinking about white granulated sugar, but you should think of all the different types of sugar you should consider storing!  Here are some of the most common types of sugar and how you can use them:

  • Brown Sugar: Brown sugar is made by adding molasses to white sugar. It has a deeper flavor than white sugar, making it perfect for baking or sweetening coffee.
  • Raw Sugar: Raw sugar is made from minimally processed sugar cane. It has a lower glycemic index than white sugar, making it a good choice for diabetics.
  • Powdered Sugar: Powdered sugar, also known as confectioners’ sugar, is made by grinding white sugar into a fine powder. It is often used to dust cakes or make frostings and icings.
  • White Granulated Sugar: White sugar is the most common type of sugar. It is made from heavily processed sugar cane or sugar beets. White sugar has a delightful flavor and is often used in baking or to sweeten beverages.

How Much Sugar to Stock

The amount of sugar you need will depend on your family’s consumption habits. A good rule of thumb is to stock 2-4 pounds of sugar per person monthly in your household. This will ensure you have enough sugar to meet your family’s needs. If you do lots of baking, mainly baked goods in the form of desserts, consider having more in your inventory.

How to Store Sugar

Once you’ve decided how much sugar you need, it’s time to learn how to store it properly. Here are a few tips for storing sugar:

Store Sugar in Airtight Containers

To keep your sugar fresh, store it in an airtight container. This will help keep moisture and pests out. I store my white granulated sugar in 5-gallon buckets with Gamma Lids.

Keep Sugar Away from Heat and Light

Sugar can deteriorate in heat and light, so be sure to store it in a cool, dark place—a pantry or cupboard is the perfect spot.

Never Use Oxygen Absorbers

Never use oxygen absorbers with sugar; the stored sugar will become solid like a brick. Oxygen absorbers are not necessary because sugar is a low-oxygen food.

Check Your Sugar Regularly

Be sure to check your sugar regularly for signs of spoilage. If you see any bugs or notice that the sugar has clumped together, it’s time to figure out where the bugs were able to get into the sugar and how moisture is gaining access. If stored in airtight containers, you really shouldn’t have an issue with pests or moisture. It may be time to replace those containers if they don’t seal tightly or have cracks.

Read More of My Articles  25 Creative Ways to Use Outdated Sugar

Storing Brown Sugar

There are two types of brown sugar: light brown and dark brown.  Light brown sugar has a milder flavor, while dark brown sugar is more molasses-flavored.

Light brown sugar can be stored in the same way as white sugar. Be sure to store it in an airtight container in a cool, dark place. However, dark brown sugar stores best in airtight glass containers.

In case you missed this post, How to Make Brown Sugar

Storing Powdered Sugar

Powdered sugar can be stored in the same way as white sugar. Be sure to store it in an airtight container in a cool, dark place.

How Long Does Sugar Last?

When stored properly, sugar can last indefinitely. However, over time, it may begin to lose its flavor-enhancing properties. If you notice that your sugar doesn’t taste as sweet as it used to, it’s time to replace it or use it in recipes without flavor enhancement requirements.

The Best Sugar to Stock

There are many types of sugar, but the best type to stock is the type that you and your family will use the most. If you bake often, you may want to stock more brown sugar than white sugar. If you have trouble keeping track of when you last used your sugar, it’s a good idea to buy smaller quantities more often. This will help ensure that you always have fresh sugar on hand.

No matter what type of sugar you stock, follow the proper storage instructions to keep it fresh and flavorful.

You May Also Like

Will the Severe Weather in Florida Affect Sugar Production and Pricing?

Although sugar has global markets, the sugar industry is certainly affected by weather conditions. If growers can’t plant or harvest their sugar crops due to adverse weather, the markets will experience sugar shortages. With shortages, the sugar market will see the pricing for sugar go up. The effects of supply and demand kick in with lower prices when there’s a surplus and higher prices when there are sugar shortages.

With the nature of sugar as a global food, other countries can often help fill the global sugar consumption requirements. It seems that history tends to reflect surpluses being the exception. Supply chain challenges have also affected sugar availability like it has for other consumer products. American consumers recently jumped in and started buying sugar and other staples on larger quantities due to the dock worker’s strike. When that happens, it’s comforting to know you have a sufficient supply to tide you over.

There have also been issues with labor challenges with the growers and refiners. The work in this industry can be labor-intensive and difficult during hot and humid periods. Keeping high-quality and hard-working personnel can be a challenge when labor markets are tight, as we’re seeing right now.

Final Word

Sugar is an essential ingredient in many recipes. It’s important to have sugar on hand to make your favorite sweets and treats. When stocking sugar, buy the type of sugar you and your family will use the most. And don’t forget to store it properly to keep it fresh and flavorful.

What type of sugar do you like to have on hand and why? If you have other uses for sugar that I haven’t highlighted, let me know, and I’ll pass them on to my readers. Share your thoughts in the comments below! May God Bless this world, Linda

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38 Comments

  2. So this year I harvested mulberry and red buds and made jelly and jams. It took a tremendous amount of sugar to do so.
    I thought I had enough stored. I don’t

    Reply

    1. Hi Matt, oh my gosh, that sounds so good!! I have never seen mulberries or made mulberry jelly and jam. I remember back in the 1980s, I think, I was in the middle of canning and there was a sugar shortage. That was not good! Please stock more than you need. You’ll be glad you did! Linda

      Reply

  3. We should note there is Cane sugar which as of present is not genetically modified, and what is labeled granulated sugar is BEET sugar and genetically modified. One company with yellow package has changed their label. to say granulated Cane( very small Letters). I am guessing that cane is in process of being replaced entirely by beets.
    These packaging changes are to de-sensitize the common consumer from making these choices.. If one does not want genetically modified ingredients, stocking as much as possible and swapping many foods to honey, and growing your own Stevia inside, may be Our only options.
    Thankfully our use of sugar is low,most of the year. We use mostly for preserving fruit, Jellies/syrups….and the limited types we buy are still available.I was thinking about our sugar and fruiting harvest a couple days ago….yes time to up my game here too..
    Brown sugar i have a little,…usually make from white, with my molasses.I keep for this purpose… have enough molasses to use for a while.The powdered sugar – i have but have used 2 x in 4 years…(no I don’t do cake icings.).
    Honey have upped our use/amts on hand.. Have a little home grown stevia..
    I MUST use all sweetners very lightly- tolerate none of the artificial ones…and very limited natural ones.. EX: when making a cake i will add fruit and juice instead of water or milk…and then i do not put any frosting on it…(for the two of us i use a cake mix for 2 cakes.) yes i know how to make from scratch, while i have cake mix available in flavors i will keep a few…also note more flavoring extracts will be needed when cooking without mixes.. and more toppings.. One of our favorite cakes is orange flavored with pineapple,..(can use pineapple cake mix and add orange Jello) Or Banana flavored cake w/ additional pineapple added.Every cake mix i bring into the house i freeze for 2 weeks. then remove.. from freezer and store dry.This keeps them from going buggy.
    Like other basic ingredients, Our use of sugars will change when availabilities of commercially-baked goods change. Having sugar, oats, Cocoa, flours,cornmeal,vanilla,extracts will be vital to keeping our respective families happy as our access changes with the Grand Solar Minimums-which are historically proven to last 33 years..
    Sugar is used in wounds for debriedment, often with betadyne.Honey can be used after debriedment is completed- even w/ tea tree oil drops in it, for deep wounds…..as can colloidial silver. There are specific ways to use each item,to best utilize. Make sure you do the research on each item you may need to use- and write it down.Been there done that!

    Reply

        1. Linda regular honey and tea tree oil makes a honey with same benefits as Manuka honey… and can be used in an emergency… It often takes days to weeks to get the original product-when the need is immediate. I used the fake out one for my Mom when she was injured in hospital… from lack of care. i used 45 cc of honey to 3-5 drops of tea tree oil,,, that was several years ago..strengths of some oils have changed since then. i did get good results with it.. Manuka honey is honey made by bees from the same plant as tea tree oil is extracted.

          Reply

          1. Hi Denise, I’m glad you shared what you made to help your mom in the hospital. WOW! Lack of care, that makes me sad and mad. I hear you, its frustrating. Thank you for the recipe, I have Tree Oil in my stash, thank you. Linda

  4. Sugar is also a great barter item! When you say “to stock 1-2 pounds of sugar per person in your household” is that per week or ? ;-). Because we use way more than that – especially if you do much baking or cooking from scratch! In canning season you can also really use a lot bottling fruit & jams.

    An essential item for keeping brown sugar from going hard (and thus be able to store more of it) is to buy those brown sugar round disks or bear shapes that you soak in water for a few minutes and put in with your brown sugar. It even softened up some rock hard dark brown sugar I had that I rarely use. I bought a multi-pack and gave my daughters all one too. They are inexpensive too!

    Reply

    1. Hi Kay, thank you for reminding me to fix that 1-2 pounds (I changed it to this: 2-4 pounds of sugar per person per month). Either way, someone will say it’s too much or too little. It all depends on how much you bake or cook. Canning has a number of pounds all for itself!! I say, just stock up and don’t look back. It’s better to have too much than too little. Just my 2 cents. I love those brown sugar disks by the way. Linda

      Reply

  5. While re~organizing my pantry/stock I found my brown sugar(s) pkgs were rock hard. I seldom use it so this didn’t surprise me. Probably the pkgs were many years old. One pkg was less dry so I was able to break easily into small chunks. Put this dark brown in a plastic mayo jar, added a cracker on top. It softened within a week. One pkg could be broken into large chunks, so I put those in a wide mouth mason jar, added boiling water, stirred til it was liquid. I keep this in my freezer then thaw (microwave is fastest but can sit in the sun too) , use it as a brush~on coating when grilling. Sadly, I did throw out a few lbs of the light brown sugar as no matter what I did, it wouldn’t soften. Buying and properly storing brown sugars is now on my to do list.

    Reply

    1. Hi Wendy, great tip on how to soften the brown sugar. I never thought about making it a glaze/coating for meat. Love it! Once I stored brown sugar in FoodSaver Bags, they went hard as a rock. Lesson or learning curve I call it. Now I just make a quart or two and store it in these airtight glass jars, it works great. It’s awesome to learn new tips on softening brown sugar. Love it, Linda

      Reply

  6. Linda:

    Thanks so much for this information. I never thought I could stock up on Sugar. You need it for so many things.

    Reply

    1. Hi Jackie, I agree. I had heard there might be a sugar shortage so I purchased 140 pounds and the 5-gallon buckets to store it. I love to bake and cook. Oh, I love sweets, I wish I didn’t but I love sweets.

      Reply

  7. I just put a couple of marshmallows in the canister I’m storing either Dk Brown or Lt Brown sugar in and it never gets hardened. Takes the marshmallows about 2 years before they (only) become hardened…and then I replace them.

    Reply

  8. Linda,
    Thanks for the reminder. While we try to minimize our sugar intake, we do need more stored and will take care of that now that you have reminded me.

    Reply

    1. Hi Harry, I think having sugar stocked, you can make things to barter if things get bad as well. I have a sweet tooth and of course I love to bake so sugar is well stocked at my house! LOL! You soon realize even in a parking lot when there is a rumor of sugar shortages when flatbeds are loaded with something. Water was before the port strike ended and then sugar, a lot of sugarcane is grown in Florida and Louisiana. Storms can wipe out a farmers crop. Linda

      Reply

  9. Still relevant as it almost hit a shortage during the port strike and may still in January when they do it again

    Reply

  11. I’m glad you posted this! I make homemade jams/jellies and it takes a lot of sugar. I need to stock up a little extra! The hard part for me is I’m short on storage space for a lot of things, especially since I have also been dehydrating more produce this year. But, even if you think you have too much of something, it’s good for bartering!

    Reply

    1. Hi Carol, oh, I can almost smell the jams/jellies from here! I love hearing you made some! Yummy! It is hard to find space for more, but somehow it always works out! It would be great for bartering! Linda

      Reply

  12. Linda,

    My white granulated, sugar and powdered sugar are stored in mylar bags inside airtight plastic bucket with gamma lids, but Jane store brown sugar in a crisper drawer in our fridge and in our freezer.

    Reply

    1. Hi Ray, it’s a great feeling knowing you have white granulated sugar and powdered sugar in mylar bags inside airtight containers with Gamma Lids. I have never heard of putting brown sugar in the refrigerator or freezer, great tip. Thank you, Linda

      Reply

    1. Hi Diane, yes, it may attract ants, so you would need to vacuum up the sugar in the carpet and rinse your windows really good. It’s just an option, if you have nothing else to use. Linda

      Reply

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