To store sugar for long term, store the sugar in airtight storage containers or Mylar bags sealed with a handheld heat sealer.
You can also store the sugar long term in 5 gallon sealed plastic food grade buckets and keep them in a cool dry place away from humidity and moisture.
Storing the sugar in the Mylar bags and then placing the Mylar bags of sugar in the 5 gallon buckets is also a good way of extending the shelf life of the sugar.
When storing sugar long term, you should avoid using oxygen absorbers as the oxygen absorbers causes your sugar to clump into a single and unmanageable brick, although the sugar is still safe to use if you can grind it up or break it apart.
The biggest enemy of sugar is also moisture, so always store your sugar in a cool and dry area.
Avoid storing the sugar in the refrigerator as it introduces humidity to the sugar and can cause the granulated sugar to become hard.
You can also transfer the sugar from the paper bag the sugar comes in and store the sugar in non permeable containers like recycled PET bottles, food grade buckets lined with the Mylar bags or even glass Mason Jars.
Glass Mason Jars are great for storing sugar in when you have small amounts of sugar to store, but large amounts of sugar stored long term are best stored in 5 gallon buckets with Mylar bags and sealed lids.
If your sugar does get hard due to humidity, the sugar is still safe to consume and use.
You can restore the hardened sugar by placing a slice of bread or dampened, food safe Terracotta Sugar Saver inside the container of sugar for a day or two to soften it up.
Also sugar absorbs strong odors readily.
So keep the storage containers for your sugar away from cleaning chemicals, paints or any strongly scented pantry items.
Storing pure granulated sugar for 25 years is also entirely possible, as the sugar does not support microbial growth and has an indefinite shelf life.
The most critical rule is to never use oxygen absorbers or vacuum sealers, as removing oxygen will cause the sugar to form rock-hard clumps.
Transfer the sugar from its original permeable paper packaging into airtight, non-permeable containers like Glass Canning Jars or Food-Grade Plastic Buckets.
For buckets, upgrade to a Gamma Seal Lid to ensure a true airtight screw-top seal.
Store your containers in a cool, dry, and dark area (ideal temperatures range between 50° F and 70° F).
Avoid humid basements or garages, as sugar is hygroscopic and will absorb moisture from the air.
Keep the sugar away from chemicals and strong odors, which the sugar can readily absorb.
If your sugar does harden after years of storage, it has not gone bad—it just needs moisture returned to it.
You can easily soften hardened sugar by adding a slice of fresh bread or a dampened, food-safe terracotta Brown Sugar Saver into the container for a day or two.