How to use the humi pocket Mini Humidor Turn any wide mouth mason jar into a DIY Food Saver!

humi pocket Mini Humidor

The humi pocket mini humidor is the alternate and space saving choice to the full size SugarBaby Saver! Both offer a touchless moisture source that is a cleaner way to store or fix brown sugar plus keep alternate items fresher longer.

The humi pocket is a food grade silicone insert that fits any wide mouth mason jar to create a DIY Saver. The humi pocket offers the same benefits as the SugarBaby Saver but it's the reusable, space saving and lower price point solution!

Benefits:

  1. Convenient -keep brown sugar fresh with little effort and starts working immediately-no soaking necessary! Choose the perfect size of wide mouth mason jar that best fits your counter space, pantry shelf or stored item. A 1.5 L | 50 oz or 1.9 L | 64 oz wide mouth mason jar will both hold a full bag of brown sugar (1 Kg | 2.2 lb).
  2. Effective -works over longer periods of time, moisten approximately 2X per year (more or less depending on the size of wide mouth mason jar used or stored product). Add a touch more water to rehydrate even the hardest brown sugar within 24-48 hours!
  3. Tidy -the humi pocket fits into the top of any wide mouth mason jar which is a cleaner and more hygienic way to create freshness. The humi pocket insert holds the food grade sponge which offers a touchless moisture source as it is always separate from the contents within the jar never touching the brown sugar or alternate item.
  4. Simple -3 Easy Steps to keep brown sugar soft, fix rock-hard brown sugar or keep alternate items fresher longer!
  5. Plastic Free -the humi pocket is made from food grade silicone which won’t fade or dry and crack over time. The humi pocket sponge is food grade and food safe.

Before First Use

  1. Wash the humi pocket insert with soap and warm water.
  2. Boil the sponge for 5-10 minutes.

*the food grade humi pocket insert is also dishwasher safe.

3 Easy Steps

1. Fill your clean and dry wide mouth mason jar with brown sugar or alternate item. Fit the humi pocket into the top of the mason jar and ensure an appropriate gap allowance exists between the humi pocket and the contents within the jar. Don’t overfill the mason jar as the humi pocket/sponge should never touch the stored contents. The air gap also allows the necessary space for humidity circulation.

2. Moisten the humi pocket sponge appropriately for stored item (see recommendations) and place it into the humi pocket insert within the mason jar.

3. Cover with metal lid and tighten ring into place. *If the ring pops upon tightening, simply remove the ring and squeeze it on both sides which helps the threads to catch properly when
re-tightening it back into place. If that doesn’t work then replace the metal ring.

  •

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  • humi pocket Moisture Recommendations

    Smaller sized wide mouth mason jars hold less food product and require less humidity, so a fully moistened sponge is not needed. Recommended water absorption amounts are:

    • 250 ml/8 oz | 500 ml/16 oz or 750 ml/25 oz require less water and humidity, moisten a half full sponge, squeezing any excess water from the sponge.
    • 1 L/32 oz or larger, moisten the sponge fully, squeezing any excess water from the sponge.
    • 1.5 L/50 oz and 1.9 L/64 oz are the largest wide mouth mason jar sizes and fit a full bag of brown sugar (1 Kg or 2.2 lb).

For use with:

  • Fresh brown sugar

    • moisten the humi pocket food grade sponge fully and squeeze any excess water so it is only damp and never overly wet or dripping.
      -moisten approximately 2X per year.

  • Rock-Hard Brown Sugar

    • moisten the humi pocket food grade sponge fully and only squeeze out some of the excess water so that the sponge feels more moist but again never so wet that it is dripping.
    • smaller sized wide-mouth mason jars will rehydrate rock-hard brown sugar quicker but allow more time for use with larger sized mason jars.  A less full jar or less hard sugar will also
      refresh quicker.

  • Other Food Products or Items

    Dried Fruit,marshmallows, candy, pet treats, coconut, baking, cigars/tobacco or any item that needs a touch of moisture to keep its freshness.

    • Always start with FRESH food products or alternate items because the humi pocket only works to keep other items fresher longer. These items cannot be rehydrated like hard brown sugar can.
    • Overall, it requires less water to keep other food products/items fresh over time. Use less water when moistening the sponge and/or allow more time between moistening; approximately every 9-10 months. The use of smaller sized wide mouth mason jars
      require less moisture or a longer length of time between moistening.

Tips

• The humidity level within the jar depends on the overall size of wide mouth mason jar being used, the amount of sugar within the jar, type of brown sugar or alternate item being stored and frequency of jar opening.
• It is best to keep the humi pocket and sponge clean. If anything comes into contact with the sponge, wash or re-boil it to disinfect. Replacement sponges are available. The humi pocket insert is dishwasher safe.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the SugarBaby Saver and humi pocket the same food saver? What makes them a better option?

No, they are two separate food savers. The SugarBaby Brown Sugar Saver is a 1.5 L | 6 cup glass jar with a special humidor lid that holds up to 1 Kg | 2.2 Lb. bag of brown sugar. The humi pocket Mini Humidor is a food grade silicone insert that fits any wide mouth mason jar to create a DIY Saver or humidor jar. Both include a food grade sponge that remains separate from the contents stored within the jar, and this offers a touchless, cleaner and more efficient way to keep brown sugar soft, is quicker at rehydrating rock-hard sugar plus allows you to store other food products (dried fruit, marshmallows, soft candy & more). Both savers are plastic free and/or reusable. The humi pocket does not fit inside the SugarBaby Saver.

  • SugarBaby Saver components-food grade SugarBaby sponge and silicone seal, ceramic humidor lid, metal hardware and glass jar. Available in white or black ceramic lid choice.
  • humi pocket Mini Humidor-food grade silicone insert with humi pocket food grade sponge. Available in clear & 11 bright colors.

How much moisture do I need to store fresh or soft brown sugar?

Fresh brown sugar requires only a damp sponge to keep it soft and usable. Moisten the food grade SugarBaby or humi pocket sponge and fully squeeze any excess water leaving it damp and not too wet. Pop the sponge into either the SugarBaby Saver humidor lid or directly into the humi pocket insert and remoisten as needed. 

  • The SugarBaby Brown Sugar Saver (1.5L/50 oz) full size jar)-the SugarBaby sponge requires remoistening approximately 3-4 X per year. 
  • The humi pocket Mini Humidor is even less (especially when using a smaller sized wide mouth mason jar), required remoistening approximately every 9 months.

Can I store any type of brown sugar?

Yes, any kind of brown sugar can be stored and kept fresh when using either the SugarBaby Saver or humi pocket Mini Humidor. A more moist brown sugar, for example-demerara, requires a less moist sponge and/or a longer length of time between re-moistening. Whereas a drier brown sugar, like golden or yellow, could benefit from a touch more water and less time between re-moistening.

Is the SugarBaby Saver and humi pocket only used for storing brown sugar?

Typically, you can store any item that needs a touch of moisture to stay fresh. Other food products include dried fruit, marshmallows, soft candy, coconut, pet treats, baking, cigars and more. 

Alternate food products must be stored from a fresh or soft state as they cannot be refreshed or re-hydrated in the same way that hardened brown sugar can. Alternate food items require less water and/or more time between moistening.

  • For SugarBaby Saver stored other products required moistening 2 X year!
  • For humi pocket stored other products required moistening once every 9 months!

What if my brown sugar is already rock-hard?

Break up the rock-hard brown sugar and place it into the SugarBaby Saver or for use with the humi pocket, within the wide mouth mason jar. Simply moisten, either the SugarBaby Saver or humi pocket, sponge fully so it is more moist but not overly wet or dripping. Replace the sponge to either the SugarBaby Saver humidor lid or directly into the humi pocket insert. 

  • For SugarBaby Saver-extremely rock-hard brown sugar will take between 24-48 hours to fully soften, and stirring periodically helps to speed up the process.
  • For humi pocket-the size of wide mouth mason will dictate how long rehydration takes; typically, the smaller the jar the less time it takes to refresh rock-hard brown sugar. 

My brown sugar has been left too long and is now rock-hard in my jar?

Rock-hard brown sugar is never a problem when using the SugarBaby Saver or the humi pocket Mini Humidor. Simply remove and moisten the sponge fully so it is more moist but not overly wet or dripping. Replace the sponge to the SugarBaby Saver humidor lid or directly into the humi pocket insert within your mason jar. Expect rehydration of rock-hard sugar to take anywhere from 24-48 hours to fully soften with less hard sugar refreshing quicker.

Can I rehydrate rock-hard marshmallows or candy like my brown sugar?

Unfortunately, other food products do not rehydrate like brown sugar can, but if you start with soft marshmallows, candy or another alternate food item you can keep them fresher longer!

  • For SugarBaby Saver-other food products require less water and remoistening 2X year!
  • For humi pocket-other food products require less water and remoistening will vary dependent on the size of wide mouth mason jar used. *Smaller jars require less water and/or more length of time between moistening, approximate rate of remoistening is every 9-10 months.

What happens if something has come into contact with my sponge?

We recommend washing (hot and soapy water) or re-boiling your SugarBaby Saver or humi pocket sponge. Replacement sponges are always available. To troubleshoot against this issue, do not overfill your SugarBaby or humi pocket jar as the moisture source is always meant to stay separate from your brown sugar or alternate item and keep the SugarBaby humidor lid and humi pocket insert clean.

What happens if I only moisten my SugarBaby or humi pocket sponge once?

The brown sugar will remain soft and usable for almost 6 months for the full size SugarBaby Saver jar and 9-10 months with a humi pocket (depending on size of mason jar used). Because brown sugar requires moisture to remain soft, it is a necessary task to remoisten as directed to keep your brown sugar from hardening.

If I use my brown sugar often do I need to remoisten every time I open my jar?

No, the food grade sponge will naturally dry out as the moisture imparts itself into the brown sugar keeping it soft. We do not recommend using more water than necessary and the frequency outlined for both the SugarBaby Saver and humi pocket is sufficient in keeping your brown sugar ready for use.

Is it necessary to use filtered or distilled water?

We do recommend filtered or distilled water if you live in an area where you use well water or seasonal run off affects your water system. Most times tap water is acceptable but use your discretion.

Will a humi pocket also refresh rock-hard brown sugar?

Yes, follow the same rehydration directions for hard brown sugar. The humi pocket Mini Humidor works just as effectively as the full size SugarBaby Saver but offers the choice of any size of wide mouth mason jar and a lower price point.