Pixy Stix facts for kids
Pixy Stix are a fun, sweet, and sour powdered candy. They usually come in a colorful wrapper that looks like a drinking straw. You pour the candy 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.
Contents
The 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 came about in 1942. It was inspired by a drink mix called Fruzola Jr. that was sold in Salt Lake City, Utah.
A person named J. Fish Smith noticed that kids were eating the sweet and sour powder directly from the Fruzola Jr. package. So, he changed the recipe a bit and named the new candy Lik-M-Aid.
From Lik-M-Aid to Pixy Stix
In 1952, Menlo F. Smith started a company called Fruzola Company of St. Louis, which later became Sunline, Inc. This company was created to make and sell Lik-M-Aid all over 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 became a candy with two different flavors in one package, along with a candy stick for dipping. This new version was called Fun Dip. Today, Pixy Stix are made by the Ferrara Candy Company, which is part of Ferrero SpA.
Important Safety Information
In 2011, a middle school in Grand Rapids, Michigan, had concerns about Pixy Stix. They worried that the candy's powdery form could lead to unhealthy habits. Also, breathing in any powdery candy can increase the risk of getting infections in your nose and throat. It's always important to enjoy candy safely and as intended.
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 is similar to what you find in Pixy Stix.
- Apollo (candy) – a similar candy from South Korea.
- Double Dip – a candy from the UK that is like Fun Dip, but it has three powder sections instead of two.
