So in 2016, we used a grand total of 126 pounds of sugar for coffee, tea, baking, canning and so forth..
My records show that approx. 76 pounds went into canning or curing items. Now it gets really trick at that point, because the sugar used in the cures is not eaten but it is needed for safety, the sugar in juice or fruit again does not need to be consumed in order to have the canning, same with pickles or anything else in a sweet brine, the sugar is there but its not drank..
However jams, jellies or syrups the sugars used in them are consumed, and I use canned fruit and jam and such in many of baking recipes, I add fat, a jar of the fruit, jam or jelly for the flavour and the sugar content in it then add the eggs and continue making the recipe, the fruit keeps it moist and the sugar is cut from the standard recipe but its also accounted for in the baking in that way.
So as I am truly unsure how to figure out the sugar from the canning because we will be eating that over the next two or more years coming, that said, we eat a percent of the sugar used in 2014 and 2015 in 2016..
So I am going to say that we eat a extra ten pounds of sugar per adult, and that the rest was used but not consumed in the finished products
The average Canadian consumes 88 pounds of sugar per year.. that’s split over everyone, but they had a handy chart that shows what the average is for 30 to 50 adults, males are said to consume 94 pounds of sugar and females are 74 pounds of sugar. hmm
So we used 50 pounds of sugar plus I am going to add in the extra ten pounds, for a total of 70 pounds, which means between us that 35 pounds of sugar per adult.
So that puts us with a reduction compared to the average of 53 pounds less of sugar..
I am happy that we are eating on average that much less sugar then the average but I still think its pretty high. Can I get that down further in 2017, I am going to try..
If you are on a homestead and you buy your sugar in bulk and or keep track of the amount used, do you have any idea how much you use per year and what it breaks down to per person in your family? Are you happy with it? Want to use less?
Just another Day on the Farm 
[J] Almost all the sugar we buy is used in making preserves. The vast majority of our preserves are for sale from our wee shop here in the walled garden (where we sell what we make or produce in the walled garden or on our croft). The preserves we use ourselves are just the same recipe, we just hold a few jars back for ourselves. We use very little sugar in other cooking, as neither of us have a ‘sweet tooth’ and because of health concerns (likewise for salt, incidentally). We can’t give you the figures easily, but I know when average kg per person consumption of sugar (for example) is given on TV or radio or whatever, we say ‘OMG, who’s eating out share of that!!!’ I think we’re at about 20% to 25% of national average. But then that’s because others drink Cola and stuff like that like we drink water or milk! But back to preserves and sugar: The EU regulations regarding ‘jam’ is that sugar content must be 65% minimum (if less then it has to be called ‘conserve’ instead): In our view this reflects circumstances from decades ago. We allow for the high natural sugar of our fruit (which you can check with a handy little device), or just add sugar to give 50% by weight, and the natural sugars will lift up the total to around 55%-60%, which is more than enough sweet for anyone. Very occasionally we’ll buy something tempting looking from the shop- perhaps because it’s reduced price, and it’ll be a treat: almost always a great disappointment due to sickening quantities of sugar or other sweeteners.
Hmmmm – now you’ve got me thinking. We use honey in our coffee. I do use a bit of sugar in the bread. If I make jam – I mix the fruit with something high pectin (apples/plums) and simply let it simmer for as long as it takes to get the consistency I want – an advantage to having a wood cookstove – just shove it to the back. Every few years I make marmalade – sugar is used in that. My husband does not have a sweet tooth – so baking around here is a rare occurrence….maybe two pies a year? One batch of cookies? I do use sugar to make icecream the odd time in the summer of it coincides with extra cows cream….but I don’t actually eat ice cream, it’s fun for the grandkids tho. If I steam juice a bunch of fruit for juice, I generally mix in a sweet fruit like strawberries and don’t bother with sugar.
Maybe five pounds a year – average. 😊
wow, go you.. that’s awesome!