Pixy Stix facts for kids
Pixy Stix are a sweet and tangy powdered candy. They usually come in a wrapper that looks a lot like a drinking straw. You pour the yummy powder right into your mouth from the wrapper, which can be made of plastic or paper. Pixy Stix are made with ingredients like dextrose (a type of sugar), citric acid (which makes them sour), and different natural and artificial flavors.
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The Sweet Story of Pixy Stix
How Pixy Stix Began
Pixy Stix were first created by a company called Sunline Inc. in St. Louis, Missouri. The idea for this powdered candy actually started way back in 1942. It came from a cheap drink mix called Fruzola Jr., which was sold by the Fruzola Company in Salt Lake City, Utah. A person named J. Fish Smith noticed that kids were eating the sweet and sour powder directly from the package instead of mixing it with water! So, he changed the recipe a bit and named the new candy Lik-M-Aid.
From Lik-M-Aid to Pixy Stix
An associated company, Fruzola Company of St. Louis (which later became Sunline, Inc.), was started in 1952 by Menlo F. Smith. His goal was to make and sell Lik-M-Aid all across the country. Then, in 1959, the candy was put into colorful, striped straw-like packages and introduced as Pixy Stix! A few years later, Lik-M-Aid was changed again. It was put into a package with different sections for two flavors, and it came with a candy stick for dipping. This new candy was called Fun Dip. Today, Pixy Stix are made by the Ferrero Candy Company, which is part of Ferrero SpA.
A Candy Controversy?
In 2011, Pixy Stix were actually banned from a middle school in Grand Rapids, Michigan. This happened because there was a concern that inhaling the powdery candy could increase the risk of infections in the nose and upper breathing system. It's always important to enjoy candy safely!
Awesome Pixy Stix Flavors
Pixy Stix come in many exciting flavors, including:
- Grape Escape
- Maui Slap/Punch (Blue Raspberry)
- Orange
- Cherry
- Strawberry
- Cucumber Watermelon
- Mango Lime
- Pineapple Monkey
- Tangerine Twist
More Sweet Treats
- Sherbet – a fizzy powder that's similar to what you find in Pixy Stix
- Apollo (candy) – a similar candy from South Korea
