When it comes to wanting something sweet in your preparedness pantry there are not many foods that can beat honey. Whether you store it to bake bread, sweeten your tea, drizzle on oatmeal, or even put on a burn, honey should be a part of your emergency preparedness food storage.

According to most preparedness calculations, it is recommended that 60 pounds total of sugars/sweeteners be stored per year, per adult. Of that, 3 pounds of honey per person is suggested. However, many people prefer honey to granulated sugar. Yes, honey has more calories, but it also has more vitamins. Most cooks also find that they use less honey when cooking and baking from scratch, than they would granulate sugar.

Types of Honey

Raw: This is unheated honey that has been removed from the comb. It may contain bits of wax, insect parts and other small detritus.

Filtered: This is raw honey that has been warmed slightly to make it easier to filter out small particles and impurities. Other than being somewhat cleaner than raw honey it is essentially the same. Most of the trace amounts of nutrients remain intact.

Liquid: This is honey that has been heated to higher temperatures to allow for easier filtering and to kill any microorganisms. Usually lighter in color, this form is milder in flavor, resists crystallization and generally clearer. It stores the best of the various forms of honey. Much of the trace amounts of vitamins, however, are lost.

Crystallized or Spun: This honey has had some of its moisture content removed to make a creamy, spread. It is the most processed form of honey

Buying Honey

Much of the honey sold in supermarkets has been blended from a variety of different honeys and some may have even had other sweeteners added as well. When making this purchase, here are some things to consider:

•  Purchase honey from local bee keepers. If you don't know who they are, get on the internet. You'd be surprised how many hives are bustling around your neighborhood!

•  If you purchase from a retail store, make sure that the honey is labeled US GRADE A or US FANCY.

•  Only honey labeled "pure" is pure honey without other sweeteners blended into it.

•  According to Survival-center.com, honey grading is a matter of voluntary compliance which means some producers may be lax and sloppy about it. This can be a real nuisance when producers use words like "organic", "raw", "uncooked" and "unfiltered" on their labels, possibly to mislead. Fortunately, most honey producers are quite honest in their product labeling so if you're not certain of whom to deal with, it is worthwhile to ask around to find out who produces a good product.

Storing Honey

According to the University of Illinois Extension Service, honey needs to be stored in an appropriate way in order to maintain its quality.

•  Always store honey in a closed container, in a dry location, at room temperature - about 70-75 degrees.

•  Honey tends to absorb moisture, which can lower its quality. The higher the temperature at which honey is stored, the more likely it is to be damaged.

•  During storage, honey gradually becomes a darker color and changes flavor and composition. Differences can be seen in less than one year.

•  For longer-term storage, freeze honey in the freezer. Freezing stops such changes almost completely and preserves all the natural goodness of the honey.

•  Do not store honey in the refrigerator. Refrigerator temperatures cause honey to crystallize very quickly. If the honey crystallizes, remove the lid and place the jar in warm water until the crystals dissolve. You can also dissolve the crystals by heating the honey in the microwave. Be careful not to burn or scorch the honey.

Cooking With Honey

Honey cooking tips

To bake with Honey
Use Cox's pure raw honey for up to half of the sugar in the recipe
For each cup of honey used: reduce the liquid by 1/2 cup
Add 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
Reduce oven temperature by 25 degrees

To cook with honey

For sauces, marinades, and salad dressings substitute pure honey for up to half the sugar in the recipe.
1 cup of sugar = 1/3 to 1/2 cup honey. (If it is a stronger honey you would use 1/3 cup. If it is milder use 1/2 cup)