Another Round Of Fun Food Facts – 8/20/25

I love the fun food facts. Some are so wacky and so weird, but true. I get a real laugh out of all these fun, weird food facts. I hope you do too. 🙂

1. Pretzels were once considered a symbol of love and often made at weddings. Pretzels, with their twisted shape, are often associated with love and good luck, stemming from historical and cultural traditions. Specifically, the pretzel’s shape has been linked to arms folded in prayer, humility, and even royal wedding ceremonies. The phrase “tying the knot” is believed to originate from the pretzel’s use in Swiss royal weddings, dating back from the 17th century. Today, pretzels, especially heart-shaped ones, are used to express love and are popular for weddings and special occasions. They can be a fun and flavorful way to share affection. Pretzels originated in monasteries, where monks created them as treats for children, using a dough shaped like arms crossed in prayer. This religious origin gave pretzels a symbolic meaning of sustenance, good fortune, and spiritual fulfillment. In Luxembourg, a sweet pretzel is traditionally offered to a loved one on the fourth Sunday of Lent. If the offer is accepted, it signifies love and is reciprocated with a chocolate Easter egg.

2. It can take over 400 licks to get to the center of a Tootsie Pop. Who remembers the old Tootsie Pop commercial with the wise owl asking how many licks to get to the center? Now we know – about 400.

3. Thousands of years ago, Chinese, Arab, and Egyptian people made the first lollipops. Evidence suggests that ancient civilizations like the Egyptians, Chinese, and Arabs enjoyed coating fruits and nuts in honey and using sticks for easier consumption. The honey acted as a preservative and the stick provided a convenient way to eat the sticky treat. In the 17th century, lollipops were made by making boiled sugar candies. These were often eaten on sticks, marking a step closer to the modern lollipop. In 1908, The Racine Confectionary Machine Company in Wisconsin introduced the first automated lollipop machine, revolutionizing production and making lollipops more widely available. In the early 1900s, George Smith, inspired by a local confection called Reynolds Taffy, began attaching sticks to hard candies. He is credited with popularizing the name “Lolly Pop” and registering the trademark in 1931, though the term itself was found in earlier dictionaries. Today, the possibilities are endless and there are so many different kinds of lollipops available. We even have a candy factory here in Denver, that still makes them by hand, the old fashioned way. It’s called Hammond’s Candies, Touring Denver – Part 1 – Hammond’s Candy Factory.

4. Some fireworks contain corn. Corn is commonly used to make dextrin, a binding compound used to help FIREWORKS burn properly. Knee-high by the Fourth of July” is an old adage used by corn farmers near and far to measure the success of their crops come Independence Day. Early firing is a nitrogen deficiency symptom in corn. Growers wishing to check the effectiveness of their nitrogen practices may perform the end-of-season cornstalk nitrate test.

5. Blueberries used to have the name “star berries” because of the star shape on one end.

6. Lemons float, limes sink. Lemons float while limes sink primarily due to differences in their density, specifically the ratio of their mass to volume. Lemons have a thicker peel with air pockets, making them less dense than water, causing them to float. Limes, with a thinner peel, are denser than water and therefore sink.

Just in case these questions ever come, now you know the answers. Have fun. 🙂 Have a great day and make everyday great. Stay cool, stay safe and stay well. ‘Til next time.