Why Are Lollipop Sticks Hollow? This Is the Answer

The most iconic candy of all time has to be a good old-fashioned lollipop. It may not be the most popular candy in the grocery store checkout right now, but we’re all “suckers” for Dum Dums, Tootsie Pops and, of course, the bubble gum at the center of a Blow Pop. The lollipop is a candy classic.

If you grew up with Chupa Chups lollipops, though, there’s probably a childhood question that’s still lingering in your mind: Why are lollipop sticks hollow? The explanation surprised us.

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So…Why Are Some Lollipop Sticks Hollow?

It’s actually for a couple of reasons. The first reason has to do with how the lollipops are manufactured. Let’s take the Chupa Chups lollipops—a childhood favorite of mine—for example. When you’ve finished a lollipop, you may notice a little square hole toward the end of the stick. Candy manufacturers actually melt candy into that hole so the head of the lollipop stays attached to the stick rather than coming loose and falling off.

The second reason, which I never thought about, is actually for safety. The stick itself is hollow in order to keep excitable kids (and adults) from accidentally choking if the stick is swallowed.

More Facts You May Not Have Known

There are so many things we don’t know, but that’s the best part of life—learning something new every day. For example Pringles aren’t really potato chips. There’s a reason some Coke caps are yellow. And McDonald’s fries are different than they used to be. You’re not imagining it!