Honey is known as a “forever food.” It can be stored indefinitely so its sweetness and health benefits can be used many years down the road. If you’re looking for tips for how to best store honey so it remains fresh, here’s what you need to do — tips directly from an experienced beekeeper.
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In this article
- Honey, The Forever Food
- The Science Behind Honey Storage
- Choosing the Right Container
- Considerations for Different Types of Honey
- Optimal Storage Conditions
- How Do You Store Honey Long-Term?
- 3 Ways to De-Crystalize Honey
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Related Honey Content
- Get your FREE guide to creating a balanced pantry!
- Final Thoughts
Ahh, honey. Sweet, sweet honey. It is such a versatile food staple to have on hand. Not only is it a sweetener, but it’s also great for medicinal purposes; such as calming a sore throat or as a cough suppressant. It’s a natural energy booster and wonderful for the skin, too.
Note: Never give honey to a child 12 months old or younger because of the risk of infant botulism.
Honey, The Forever Food
Honey can be stored indefinitely, and I can prove it! In 1922, archaeologists discovered pots of honey in King Tutankhamun’s tomb that were over 3,000 years old. It was still perfectly edible! And in 2003, the world’s oldest honey was found during construction of an oil pipeline near Tbilisi, Georgia. Estimated to be over 5,500 years old, it had been stored in ceramic vessels that were part of a burial site.
That’s pretty incredible, but what is it about honey that makes it so special when it comes to being a forever food?
The Science Behind Honey Storage
Honey is composed almost entirely of sugars — mostly fructose and glucose. This makes honey hygroscopic, which means that it can absorb moisture from the air. The honey you purchase will have a moisture content of 17-18%. If it contains more, it’s likely to ferment if left on the shelf long enough.
When we harvest our honey, we use a honey refractometer to make sure it isn’t too moist for bottling. Some years, the honey has a higher moisture content, and in those cases, we store it near a dehumidifier for a few days until the moisture level is 18% or lower. This ensures it stays fresh, doesn’t ferment, and doesn’t become a breeding ground for bacteria and other microorganisms.
Along with the proper moisture level, honey is slightly acidic with a pH level of around 3.9. This is another characteristic of helps prevent the growth of bacteria. Even better, natural honey contains enzymes and various antimicrobial compounds such as hydrogen peroxide that contribute to its indefinite shelf life.
All this together guarantees that honey will last just about forever.
Choosing the Right Container
As beekeepers and sellers of raw honey, we’ve noticed that more and more of our customers are requesting glass containers. When you read news reports of microplastics being discovered in just about every part of the human body, choosing to limit that exposure makes sense.
So, we now use only glass containers. It’s non-reactive, which means it won’t react with honey in any way. It’s also easy to clean and it’s dishwasher safe. And, as a seller of honey, I like being able to see the different colors of our honey and the amount of any crystallization.
On the downside, glass is going to be heavier, and it’s breakable, but overall, it’s my number one choice and recommendation.
If your honey is stored in plastic containers, if you’ll be using it up in a short amount of time, no worries. Plastic is lightweight, and food-safe plastics are probably not going to affect the flavor of your honey. But if you’re planning to store the honey long-term, I recommend pouring in large glass jars and then keep them tightly capped.
Whatever container you use, keep in mind that it needs to have a tightly fitting cap. Remember that honey is hygroscopic and will begin absorbing moisture in the air, and that’s not a good thing.
Considerations for Different Types of Honey
Raw honey is what we harvest direct from the hive. In this image, you can see one of our frames loaded with honey ready for harvesting.
Raw
Raw honey is a little more sensitive to moisture and temperature, which makes sense. It’s at this point the honey is in its most natural state with the highest levels of enzymes, minerals, vitamins, amino acids, and dozens of other components. If you’re lucky enough to get raw honey, store it in glass jars and keep them tightly capped.
Pasteurized
Pasteurized honey is a little different. This honey has been heated to a high temperature to kill off any possible, unwanted bacteria, yeast, or other microorganisms. It has also been filtered, removing pollen and other natural components. This honey is a lot less likely to crystallize, which is one of the hallmarks of raw honey. Glass containers for storage are my recommendation for the reasons mentioned above, but for short-term storage and use, plastic is fine.
Finally, if you have raw honey, over time it will crystallize.
No worries because this is just an indicator that your honey is, indeed, raw and unfiltered. However, keep it stored at room temperature instead of in the fridge. Cold temperatures will only speed up the crystallization making it a little less convenient to use.
Optimal Storage Conditions
I like to think of honey as an almost living substance. It’s a complex, miraculous creation that is not only benefits our taste buds but has amazing medicinal qualities as well. For these reasons, it should be stored at room temperature (cooler is better), kept away from heat sources like furnace vents.
You want those active enzymes and minerals, and heat can and will destroy them.
As much as you and I love honey, pests like ants, racoons, and bees (yes, bees!) love it, too! Make sure your honey containers are wiped clean of any drips, they’re stored in a location safe from insects and rodents, and then, again are in tightly capped containers.
How Do You Store Honey Long-Term?
Honey enzymes will slow down or become dormant in cold temperatures, but they’ll fully reactivate when the honey warms up to room temperature.
I haven’t found any advantage to storing honey in the refrigerator or freezer. Personally, I like honey at room temperature, but this falls into the category of personal choice.
Room Temperature
Storing honey at room temperature is the best way to ensure it remains in its liquid form. It’s always ready and easy to pour, measure out, and use. However, storing it in a refrigerator or freezer is also possible, although this will have a few disadvantages.
Refrigerator
In the refrigerator, crystallization can actually speed up. Honey naturally crystallizes over time because of its high sugar content. The cool temperatures in a refrigerator promote the formation of glucose crystals, causing the honey to solidify more quickly than it would at room temperature.
Freezer
The opposite can happen when honey is frozen. The low temperatures prevent the glucose molecules from forming crystals, keeping the honey in its liquid state. However, once thawed, the honey may crystallize more quickly if it was already starting to crystallize before being frozen.
3 Ways to De-Crystalize Honey
Over time, raw honey will begin forming crystals. If you wonder whether or not the honey you bought is raw and unfiltered, this is a dead giveaway! De-crystalizing honey is a simple process. You only need to be careful with the level of heat applied since you want your honey to retain all of its natural nutrients and other components.
Hot water bath method
This is the slowest method but also the one I prefer and recommend.
Fill a pot or large bowl with enough very hot water to cover most of the honey jar. If the water is at a boiling temperature, it’s too hot. You want it to be no hotter than 100° F (38° C). Let the honey sit in the hot water for 15-20 minutes or so until the crystals begin to dissolve.
If the honey is heavily crystallized, you may have to do this a second time. Stir to help the crystals dissolve.
Microwave method
If you’ve ever burned your tongue with hot syrup or honey, you know just how hot these thick, viscous liquids can get! A microwave is a lot faster than using a hot water bath, but you’ll need to be careful to not overheat the honey and not touch the honey if it gets too hot.
Take the lid off your honey container, set the microwave at medium, and microwave for ten seconds at a time. stir until it’s once again clear and free of crystals.
Oven method
The oven method is best for larger amounts of honey as you can heat up several jars at the same time.
Preheat your oven to its lowest setting, around 100°F/38°C. Remember that 104°F is the threshold when honey enzymes begin to deteriorate. If you don’t have an accurate food thermometer, this would be a good reason to buy one!
In a 9×13 pan or similar, add a half inch or so of water and then your jars of honey with lids removed. Let the honey sit in the warm oven until the crystals are dissolved. Stir and repeat the heating process if necessary.
Frequently Asked Questions
It will have a sour or fermented smell to it, and there might even be mold growing inside the jar or on the surface of the honey. If this happens, then it’s most likely caused by some sort of cross-contamination. Throw out the honey.
It can change color but not always. Naturally dark honey can become even darker over time, and when honey crystallizes, that can change its color, too. Storage conditions can also affect the color of honey, so try to always store it in a dark, dry, and cool location.
Over time, raw honey will begin forming crystals. If you wonder whether or not the honey you bought is raw and unfiltered, this is a dead giveaway!
Related Honey Content
- 24 Fascinating Honey Facts You Need to Know
- Make Pure Beeswax From Honeycomb
- Beekeeping for Beginners
- Beekeeping Realities: 14 Valid Reasons to Not Keep Bees
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Final Thoughts
Honey is a remarkable natural sweetener that can last indefinitely. By understanding the best storage practices – from temperature control to container choice – you’re not only preserving its flavor but also safeguarding its natural enzymes and antioxidants. So, whether you’re a casual honey lover or a seasoned enthusiast, implementing these tips will ensure your honey remains a delightful treat for years to come.
I’ve seen dehydrated honey for sale and wondered about it as a sweetener. Thanks for this.
I’ve stored a gallon of our local honey this way, with the added step of vacuum sealing my lids with my Food Saver adapter.
Last season, the guy we got hour honey from had an disturbing reduction in production. I also noticed a significant drop in bees because my cucumbers were barely pollinated. I hope the bees have returned this season! I’m seeing a few around my cucumbers and I’d REALLY like to stockpile another gallon of honey!
We raise an organic garden, planting food is wise but you have to remember bees are attracted to flowers to make the honey. We have to also plant numerous flowers to keep the natural full circle.
Good luck and good gardening……
Thanks for this informative article. We buy our honey at Costco or Sam’s Club, and the next time I buy honey I will immediately transfer it from the plastic bottle to glass canning jars. I like the idea of smaller jars; it’s easier to heat in the glass than the plastic bottles it comes in from these two stores.
Shouldn’t any article regarding honey contain the warning about giving honey to children under age 1? I don’t know why I noticed, I don’t have any children.
Good post.
Rudy, at preparingyourfamily.com has a post about honey storage. He pointed out something worth reading:
“You MUST buy honey that is labeled pure. You want to get filtered honey if possible over liquid honey as the process to liquefy the honey after initial filtering destroys most of the nutrients.”
I keep bees, so I have a lot of experience with honey. First of all, please buy only honey produced in the US. Honey from overseas, and especially China, may have been exposed to lots of pesticides and herbicides not allowed in the US. The honey is then “superfiltered” to remove the chemicals. At this point it may not even be true honey anymore. China also dumps honey in many other countries to be sold to the US without the “China” label that scares off wise consumers.
Honey produced in the US is blended and pastuerized by the large honey companies. The good enzymes are destroyed by this process and you also lose all of the great flavor you get from a locally produced honey. A local honey may cost more, but the floral fragrance alone is really worth it. People who buy my honey love the amber alfalfa and pale sweet clover honeys and won’t buy anything else.
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Great tip! Thanks for the info.
All honey will eventually granulate, but it does not harm the honey. Honey found in Egyptian tombs was still good after 2,000 years!
Honey does not spoil unless it has too high of a water content. If you see signs of fermentation that honey could be spoiled.
I keep honey for storage in glass canning jars because it is easier to warm the honey when it granulates. I set the honey on the back of the stove when I am baking or set it in a pan of water on the lowest possible heat. I also put the jar in a small six-pack cooler, add boiling water up the neck of the jar, and close the cooler. I use the cooler method for plastic bottles. Never put the plastic jars on the stove or in a pan on the stove as the bottle will warp. NEVER MICROWAVE HONEY AS IT WILL BOIL INSIDE THE JAR AND THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS!!
I have a small jar of honey that was purchased several years ago. It has been stored in a kitchen cabinet during this time at room temp, about 75 degrees. The jar has never been opened, but the color of the honey has darkened. My wife is afraid to use it, I think its fine. By the way, it has not formed crystals in the jar. Any thoughts.
Yes, your honey is perfectly fine. Honey is the ONE food that has NO experiation!
I also wanted to mention that honey is a natural antibiotic and is recommended for wound healing since it does not allow for bacterial growth.
Very important in case there is no medical.
I read that honey is also good for ulcers.
I love the honey bees. They are really nice fellows, I can pull weeds amongst my lavender, with the bees just buzzing all over the flower parts. They never get nasty or mean. I guess thats why I love honey so much, I have so much respect for these little guys. I did learn so much from this article and your posters, esp from Billie Helwick. Thanks for sharing.
I am a fellow bee keeper; A few comments; Honey gets darker as it ages, it does not hurt anything. Honey only ferments if there is some amount of water in it. When we process our honey we put on the ac if it rainy. In 8 years we have one jar ferment, that was a drip off and we trashed it. We put the comb in a china cap and push it through and immediately pour it off. We have honey for five years back and it is fine. Due to the use of Bayer’s Neonictinoid based pesticide use on commercial crops corn and soy ; if your bees are in 3 to 5 miles of those fields you will lose your bees. There needs to be a push to Stop these huge companies from poisoning everything around us, because if you think your going to survive any of the scenes brought up, having areas poisoned by the chemicals will make things very hard, because the environment is going to be out of balance.
I just got a 5 gallon bucket of pure honey from a friend that worked at a bakery and they used it in their bread. He had it stored in the 5 gallon bucket for about 10 plus years in a storage shed. Is this still good to use ?
I have 3 jars of honey that I have never used out of and could be 10 to 15 years old.. One has a sour taste. Could it be fermented. The other 2 jars taste fine. All have darkened and one is about 50% crystalized. Is there any use for fermented honey and is it dangerous to use. Could it be fed back to bees without endangering them. The sour tasting one came from a different apiary than the other two. I would really appreciate an answer to this question from someone . Also what would cause this honey to ferment.
I’ve heard that buying local honey can help people with pollen allergies.
Yes, 1 teaspoon of honey a day will build up immunity from pollens you are allergic to, but it must be local honey and have the pollens you live with every day.
I find it very interest that honey can be stored indefinitely. I had no idea. But why, then, does the honey that I buy in the supermarket have an expiry date? Are the jars I buy from a local market also appropriate for indefinite storage?
If you’re 100% sure of the source of the honey and that it’s not from China or has been mixed with corn syrup or other additives, then it really should last forever. Very often, those expiration dates are arbitrary. They aren’t regulated by law, other than baby formula and a handful of specific products. Buy local honey, make absolutely sure it’s local and pure, and then store it long term.
I found sues raw honey in unopened 5lb cans in a basement. It is dark, crystallized but smells and taste like honey but has a tin taste. Is this safe to eat. I have 20lbs of it and don’t want to waste it. If not safe to eat, any other uses like for a body scrub or something? Thank you…
This isn’t a comment. It’s a question. I cleaned mason jars in a dishwasher. when dry, i put honey in them and sealed them. Should I have sterilized the jars?
No, the dishwasher is fine. The water is hot enough to effectively sterilize your jars. You can also check your hot water heater’s temperature to make sure it’s set to at least 130 degrees Fahrenheit.
If you use mason jars, does the honey react with the metal lid? The honey has been spun and filtered. At this point can I just put it in clean jars?
I recommend canning jars because they have a tighter seal, which keeps out air and moisture. For long term storage, I’d use the canning jars, but if you plan on using the honey within a year or so, any jar would work.
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