The Easy Trick For Preventing A Sticky Mess With Your Honey

Most of us who claim to keep a well-stocked kitchen probably have a container or two of honey safely stored on a pantry shelf amongst an ample assortment of teas or dry goods. Even if you are indeed a fan of this sweet, golden-hued liquid, you may not know that, according to The Honey Association, historical evidence suggests honey bees have been around for over one million years, with the first instance of beekeeping noted in Spain nearly 9,000 years ago.

Honey has a rich historical past. Beyond its many uses for religious and medicinal purposes, this ancient healer has also become a sweetener of choice for many around the world. Bee Culture claims the hardworking bee colonies of America produced over 120 million pounds of honey in 2021. Whether you've grown accustomed to a tablespoon in your oatmeal, or prefer baking with honey, using one of Earth's natural sweeteners has many health benefits.

Healthline outlines how honey not only contains plant-rich polyphenols but also contains several antioxidants. Regular consumption can even benefit your heart and stabilize your blood sugar. While there are many positives when incorporating honey into your routine diet, there may be one petty drawback to using this wonder liquid. Honey's thick and sticky makeup makes it quite difficult to clean when streaked on pantry shelves and kitchen counters. Luckily, there is one easy way to prevent future spills.

Now that you've found some ways to replace sugar with raw honey, we need to streamline the best way to store your new sweetener so you're not left with a goopy mess every time you squeeze from that small bear-shaped bottle. First off, you may be wondering why honey is so sticky in the first place. ABC Science purports that sugar and water molecules react to one another by slowing down and speeding up depending on which direction they're flowing. This results in a slow-moving liquid that streams delicately off any spoon or honey dipper.

Although honey's consistency may be appreciated when drizzled across your morning yogurt bowl, it has the opposite effect when stuck on pantry shelves. The Kitchn claims the only item you truly need to prevent honey spills is a trusty cupcake liner. After taking that first squeeze of your new honey bottle, simply store your container of honey atop one of these convenient paper cups. If you have foil liners, opt for those instead since they tend to last longer. The best part about this fail-safe method lies in the easy cleanup. Once those liners catch enough spills, simply replace them with clean ones. If you're out of cupcake liners, Kitchn also recommends using small bowls or plates for any residual drips. Apart from cupcake liners, there are other unique mess-free ways to store your beloved container of honey.

After you discover the real reason honey never goes bad, you might assume you can store honey any which way and you'll still be able to enjoy a spoonful from that same container five years later. However, Southern Living claims even though honey may not expire, this natural sweetener can degrade or spoil if contaminated or stored improperly. Sioux Honey advises keeping honey stored in a cool dry place in a sealed container away from any direct sunlight. While you can store honey in a colder environment, the low temperature will crystalize your beloved sweetener. However, there is one unique honey dispenser that might help you solve that problem. 

Bear Hug Honey recommends a container that not only releases honey from the bottom of the dispenser but sits in a handy glass dish when not in use. The company claims that this product reduces the amount of wasted honey and has the ability to bring crystalized honey to room temperature if you add hot water to the base dish. If you'd rather have a dispenser that also works for other sauces and condiments, Texas Homesteader suggests a standard maple syrup dispenser, like one you'd find at a diner. 

Whether you want to transfer your precious honey to one of many fancy dispensers or use a cupcake liner, if you do run into a spill or two in the future, Maid Sailors guarantees hot water will solve any pesky honey quandaries.