Honey sticks are straws filled with honey that can be eaten as a sweet snack or placed in drinks such as coffee or tea. The straws generally hold approximately 1 teaspoon (5 ml) of honey. There are many types of honey sticks available including a wide variety of flavors and brands of honey. Natural honey is often used when making honey sticks, and they can be purchased or made at home by an ambitious cook. They work well for travel or as a quick and energizing, sweet snack.
There are honey sticks offered in many different flavor combinations. The honey is often combined with fruit or spice flavors to provide an entirely different experience when eating the honey or using it in a beverage. Popular ingredients include blackberry, cinnamon, and clover blossom. Other varieties, such as lemon, orange, and peppermint, provide a different twist on plain honey. Some merchants offer a variety pack of honey sticks so that customers can try different flavors to find ones that they enjoy the most. In certain cases, the honey is naturally flavored by the flowers or items that bees can be found pollinating and eating themselves.
When honey sticks are made, the honey, special ingredients, or flavor essences are placed into a straw and sealed closed. Honey sticks are opened by cutting or chewing one end of the straw so that the honey can be eaten or stirred into a beverage. As a snack, honey sticks are often enjoyed by people who have a sweet tooth or athletes who need a quick burst of energy while playing sports. The sticks come in different sizes depending on the amount of honey an individual wishes to consume. They are easily packed in lunches or used for picnics, where having a jar or bottle of honey can be messy and difficult.
Honey is produced by many different manufacturers, so honey sticks can be found that use different types of honey. Organic, fresh from the comb, and small batch honey sticks are available in certain markets. The product is often found at coffee or tea shops near the cash register, as they can be a last-minute purchase for many individuals. When using the product in a hot beverage, the end can be opened, the honey squeezed in, and the straw used as a stirrer. They can also be made at home utilizing straws, a syringe, and a heat sealer to seal the ends of the straws closed.