20 Ways to Use Honey: One Pantry Staple, So Many Uses

If there is one ingredient I always like to have stocked in my pantry, it’s honey.

I buy about 12 pounds of honey a year, and buying it in bulk is one of the ways I save money on groceries. Instead of buying small containers over and over again, I can purchase a larger quantity and have it on hand whenever I need it.

I also like using honey as a more natural sweetener in many of the recipes I make. But honey isn't just for adding sweetness to your morning tea or drizzling over toast!

It can be used in dressings, sauces, baked goods, homemade pantry staples, and even some of my favorite fall and winter recipes. I have all of the recipes linked below and if that’s what you’re looking for, scroll to the bottom of this blog to find them.

If you're trying to save money on groceries, I always recommend looking at the ingredients you use regularly and finding ways to buy them in larger quantities when the price per ounce makes sense.

Why Honey Became a Pantry Staple

We have a variety of food allergies in our home and one of them is raw sugarcane. In order to avoid that, we moved more towards honey and maple syrup as sweeteners. I buy single ingredients for my pantry so that I always have them on hand for recipes.

When I was buying the smaller bottles, it was easy to run out and I needed to make a quick trip to the grocery store. We all know that you can easily go in for one item and come out spending $50 and throwing off your grocery budget. This is why I shop once a month and track all of my spending. Using my Grocery Planner I could see how much money we were using so that I could buy it in bulk. Avoiding those costly extra tips to the grocery store is key to staying on budget!

All three The Cross Legacy Grocery Guide and Meal Planners laid out on a wooden cutting board.

Buying Bulk Honey

When you're trying to save money on groceries, I think it's easy to focus only on finding the cheapest price. I also want to look at how many different ways I can use an ingredient.

If I buy a large container of something and only use it once, that isn't necessarily a good deal. Honey essentially never expires, so you can keep it in your long term food storage. Even if crystallization happens, it is natural and does not mean it has spoiled. If you gently warm the container in warm water, it will make it pourable again.

If you're looking to purchase honey in bulk, here are two places you can check:

🍯 Amazon Bulk Honey

🍯 Azure Standard Honey

Just remember to compare the price per pound or price per ounce when you're shopping. A bigger container isn't automatically a better deal, so I always look at the unit price before purchasing.

The goal isn't simply to buy more food. The goal is to buy ingredients you will actually use, buy them at a good price, and find as many ways as possible to use them. I also have a blog 12 Ways to Use Greek Yogurt for more ideas for versatile pantry ingredients.