Raw Honey ~ Foods with No Expiration Date ~ Pantry Builder #2

"What is sweeter than honey?"

~ Judges 14:18b

Welcome to our Pantry Builder #2 post which is a part of our Proverbs 31 Preparedness Series! Raw honey is my favorite food to stock up on since it is so versatile! It is nice and sweet, medicinal, cosmetic and culinary! The only downside is that it can be expensive (beside coconut oil, it is probably the most expensive item we splurge on in our pantry). We are fortunate to have a beekeeper nearby who sells local honey to us at a very discounted price. Before that, I found a reputable bee-farmer on Ebay who reasonably sold 5-gallon buckets through the mail. It is worth it to shop around when making a large purchase such as this!

"And let them gather all the food of those good years that come..."

~ Genesis 41:35

As I mentioned in our first pantry builder post, "there are many reasons that people prepare and not all of them are doomsday scenarios. Our main reason is for "lean times". We are full-time farmers which means our income is very sporadic. In the winter, it is almost stagnant. Having a supply of food which has been gathered in the good times creates a sense of proverbial peace. Like the biblical ants who collect in the summer, so must we! Because of this, I am also going to include projects we can make and do with our pantry building supplies that can be used for everyday household use and gift giving -- it may help us to be creative in the challenging times when we are working with limited resources. Plus, by seeing how versatile these pantry items are, perhaps it will encourage you to store more abundantly when you have the opportunity. This information will also be shared in a printable for each item to include in your Proverbs 31 Preparedness binders."

RAW HONEY

When properly stored, the shelf life of raw honey is indefinite.

Storing Tips:

According to the National Honey Board, honey is best stored in a sealed container at room temperature. Cooler temperatures will hasten honey's natural crystallization process. If honey does crystallize, remove the lid and place in a jar of warm water until crystals dissolve. Honey stored at temperatures above 85°F for extended periods of time will darken in color and be subject to subtle flavor changes but will still be good. We keep our honey in basic, large containers with lids in our pantry and have never had any problems.

To prove its versatility, here are some things you can make and do with honey:

• acne, sunburn and wound healing

• allergy aid

• cold remedy

• constipation remedy

• cough syrup (made with simple pantry ingredients) 

• cook and bake healthy desserts and snacks (such as these oatmeal muffins) 

• electrolyte recipes

• face mask

• face wash (use honey in place of soap for a gentle cleanser alternative) 

• herbal honey

• herbal oxymels (see sample here) 

• indigestion soother

• make medicinal honey (aka honey based-tinctures -- see sample here) 

• preserve foods (you can can jams, marmalade and syrups with it) 

• sore throat soother

• sunburn soother

• sweeten teas and other beverages naturally 

• vitamin and mineral benefits

• wound healing

"My son, eat thou honey, because it is good;

and the honeycomb, which is sweet to thy taste..."

~ Proverbs 24:13

Do you have any more useful ideas for honey to add to this list?

You will find our printable "Proverbs 31 Preparedness" sheet for ways to use honey HERE!

For further homemaking hints and tips about honey usage, visit this post here!

Your homework for the week:

• Assess the amount of raw honey you store in your pantry. Could you add more to your food storage knowing it has no expiration date and is so versatile? 

Extra Credit:

• Print out the "Ways to Use Honey" printable and add it to your Proverbs 31 Preparedness Binder.

All the fine print. This post may be shared with some or all of the following link-ups: The Art of Home-Making Mondays, Modest Mom Monday's, Monday's Musings, Good Morning Mondays,  The Scoop, Tuesdays with a Twist, Raising Homemakers, Wise Woman Link Up, Homestead Blog Hop,  Wow Us Wednesdays,  Coffee and Conversation, Homemaking Thursdays, Home Sweet Home, Our Simple Homestead, Awesome Life Friday Link Up and Create, Bake, Grow & Gather. Thank you lovely ladies for hosting these. This post may contain affiliate links (which are merchant links that help to support this site at no additional cost to you if you purchase an item through them).