How to Buy Honey

There are over 300 unique blends of honey in the United States. The flavor and color of honey is based on the nectar source used by the honey bees during its manufacture in the honey comb. Here are some guidelines you can use to buy honey.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

1. Choose the floral source of your honey. Honey bees collect nectar from the floral sources located around the nest. You can find a list of floral sources online at Honey Locator. Included in their top 25 most popular floral sources are alfalfa, clover, sunflowers and mixed flowers. Mixed flower honey and wildflower honey are made from multiple sources and offer a blended flavor.
2. Pick what type of honey form you want to buy. Most honey sold in stores is liquid honey that has been extracted from the honey comb. Comb honey and cut comb honey have the comb or pieces of the comb blended in with the liquid. You can also buy natural crystallized honey with spontaneous crystallization or whipped honey with control crystallization.
3. Try different honey products. Flavored honey has fruit, coloring or flavoring added to the liquid. You can buy honey that has been infused with spices, herbs or peels. Honey Stix are liquid honey that is packaged in a wax straw.
4. Visit Honey Locator to find distributors for the different types of honey. You can do a quick search of the top 25 floral sources or you can search by location. The advanced search option allows you to look for specific floral sources, location and types of products.
5. Buy locally. You can also find honey from local beekeepers. You need to visit local natural food stores to find out what products and types of honey they carry.