EDUCATION
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Essential Takeaways
Gift ideas for foodie friends, wellness lovers, skincare addicts, and even pet owners. Save on waste and gift nature’s superpowers with manuka honey.
Stuck for meaningful gift ideas for your friends and family?
Millions of dollars are wasted every year¹ on unwanted gifts.
So why not opt for something a little bit different, and really quite special? Something they can use, that will nourish them from the inside out.
Honey has been a champion for health and wellness for centuries.
One of the most versatile natural remedies out there, it is used in food, for skincare, in medicine, and even for pets.
So no matter who your manuka honey gift might be for, we know they’ll love it.
In this guide to manuka honey gift ideas:
- Why give manuka honey as a gift?
- Manuka honey gift ideas for foodies
- Manuka honey gift ideas for wellness fans
- Manuka honey gift ideas for skincare lovers
- Manuka honey gift ideas for pet owners
- Create your own manuka honey gift pack
- Give the gift of health and wellness with manuka honey
Why give manuka honey as a gift?
The reputation of honey as a natural remedy is thousands of years old².
Only in the last few decades have we been able to study its chemical composition and back up the folklore with science.
And boy, did we find some exciting stuff under the jar lid.
Manuka honey in particular, has come out on top for its unique health and wellness properties.
And the best news?
Its versatility.
Manuka honey can be eaten off the spoon, cooked or baked, made into skincare, used to heal wounds, and so much more.
So why not opt for a more sustainable gift and buy manuka honey for your friends and family.
NB: Using anything for medical purposes should always be checked by a medical professional first. This includes natural remedies like manuka honey.
Manuka honey gift ideas for foodies
Give the gift of vitality to your foodie friends!
If you have friends and family members that love to cook, manuka honey is a fantastic gift for them. It’s versatile, delicious, and packed full of goodness.
5 reasons foodies will love manuka honey
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It’s a versatile ingredient
Manuka honey can be used to make dressings, marinades, sauces, puddings, smoothies, breads, soups, cakes, and so much more.
Your foodie friends will love getting creative with their manuka honey.
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It’s a sweetener with an extra health kick
Do you know someone that loves adding sugar to their drinks?
Why not get them a delicious substitute that offers more than just a sweet kick.
Sugar has no substantial nutritional value³. Manuka honey, on the other hand, is packed full of vitamins and minerals.
It’s the best of both worlds.
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It can be eaten alone for a dose of wellness
Manuka honey has been shown to improve oral⁴ and digestive health, ease allergy symptoms, and even help during pregnancy and recovery.
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It doesn’t go bad
Made primarily of sugars, honey doesn’t go bad.
It may crystallize over time, which is a natural process that pure, raw honey goes through. You can soften the honey again easily.
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It’s easy to store
Let your recipient know that their honey can be stored in any cupboard or pantry. It should be in an airtight container (like ours), and kept out of direct sunlight or the fridge.
Other than that, they have a long-lasting, all-natural ingredient!
How our customers use manuka honey in food
Here are some ideas from verified New Zealand Honey Co. customers.
“I added this honey to my homemade fire cider and elderberry syrup. Taste was better and the results were quicker!”
- Anonymous buyer, UMF™24+
“UMF™15+ tastes incredible, mixes in easily with my almond or cashew milk yoghurt and adds just the right amount of sweetness.”
- Taylor R., UMF™15+
“In coffee, oatmeal, on nut butter toast, you can’t go wrong.”
- Lori C., UMF™20+
“It tastes great mixed in cottage cheese for a healthy desert, it’s a must try.”
- Anonymous buyer, UMF™15+
Which manuka honey to gift your foodie friends
As you can see from our customer reviews, there is no one best UMF™ grade for using in food.
The higher the UMF™ grade, the more potent the antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties in the honey.
So if you just want to gift your friends and family a natural sweetener they can use everyday or occasionally in foods, UMF™ 5+ and UMF™ 10+ are great.
But if you think they could use higher levels of the good stuff, opt for UMF™ 15+ and above.
Read more: How much UMF™ is enough?
Shop manuka honey.
Manuka honey gift ideas for wellness fans
Help your wellness-obsessed friends and family boost their immunity naturally with manuka honey!
3 reasons that manuka honey is a great wellness gift
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It’s known worldwide for its unique properties
Manuka honey has been a staple of the wellness community for years.
In fact, honey has been used for wellness and cosmetic purposes as far back as Ancient Egypt⁵.
Impress your friends with a gift that speaks their language.
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Its great for your insides…
Manuka honey has been shown to ease allergy symptoms, protect oral health, improve digestion and stomach problems, and even support pregnancy.
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… And its great for your outsides too!
Manuka honey can also be used in skincare and even in topical medical applications.
Its effectiveness in healing wounds, burns, and scars is well documented. And it has become a great natural alternative in the fight against antibiotic-resistant bacteria⁶.
Your wellness-loving friends will be excited to add manuka honey to their medicine cabinet.
Customer reviews of manuka honey for health and wellness
“It has healed my sore throat, soothed bites on my skin, moisturized my itchy scalp, and healed my skin after laser hair removal. I can’t rave about it enough.”
- Anonymous buyer, UMF™24+
“After only a few days of taking one spoon of manuka daily I feel much more energized, don’t have headaches, don’t need to take a nap after work, overall I feel much better.”
- Anonymous buyer, UMF™20+
“I’ve been taking now for 40 days and already have relief from pain in my joints and my skin appears softer.”
- Anonymous buyer, UMF™24+
“This stuff is powerful. I’ve been struggling with some post COVID issues and this stuff is now part of my healing process.”
- Steven D., UMF™26+
Which manuka honey to gift for wellness
If you’re buying manuka honey for health and wellness, it’s best to opt for the higher UMF™ grades (think UMF™15+ and higher).
These offer the greatest potency of antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties.
Manuka honey gift ideas for skincare lovers
Manuka honey is a celebrated natural beauty ingredient.
(It’s even thought that Cleopatra used honey in her skincare regime⁷).
So if you need gift ideas for skincare addicts, look no further.
5 ways that manuka honey is perfect in skincare
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Its antimicrobial properties help keep skin clean and clear
Antimicrobial properties are critical in dermatology⁸. Manuka’s active methylglyoxal (MGO) compound make it a powerful cleaning and protective agent when used on the skin.
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Its emollient and humectant properties help lock in moisture
Honey is great at forming a protective barrier, keeping moisture in and bacteria out. This makes it a fantastic natural moisturizer for skin.
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Its anti-inflammatory properties help soothe acne and rosacea
Manuka honey prevents bacteria build up on the skin⁹ which leads to acne. This, along with its pH balancing qualities¹⁰, make it effective at soothing break-outs and redness.
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It can be used on the whole body, including the scalp
Manuka honey has all the properties of a great moisturizer, without the nasties. It can be used by people with sensitive skin, and anywhere on the body - even in hair!
It can be applied straight onto the skin or used to create masks
Manuka honey can be applied straight onto the skin. Or, if your skincare-loving friends enjoy some pampering, why not suggest making their own mask with their new manuka honey?
Here are a couple of face mask recipes to get them started:
How our customers use manuka honey in skincare
“I’ve been looking for a replacement for my chemical-based face moisturizers I use for my acne, and this honey does all that and more, absolutely love it!”
- Anonymous buyer, UMF™15+
“I have tinea versicolor and psoriasis which acts up in the summer but using manuka honey has been the only thing that’s been able to completely clear it up.”
- Anonymous buyer, UMF™20+
“My hands were 90% better overnight. I’ve been battling eczema on my hands for 10 years. This has worked better to heal my hands than anything else I’ve tried.”
- Deborah H., UMF™20+
Which manuka honey to buy for skincare
If you’re gifting manuka honey for use in skincare, we’d recommend opting for a mid-range UMF™ grade or higher.
If your recipient has particular skin issues like eczema or acne, the highest grades will give them the best chance at great results.
Shop manuka honey.
Manuka honey gift ideas for pet owners
Did you know that manuka honey is used by vets too¹¹?
That’s right. Manuka honey is used as a natural treatment for cats, dogs, horses, and other animals.
If you’re wondering what to buy your cat-obsessed great aunt or your dog-owner parents, manuka honey could be the perfect solution.
3 ways that manuka honey can be used for pets
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General health and immunity
Flavinoid-rich and packed full of minerals¹², manuka honey is a great all-round wellness food.
There is currently more evidence to suggest it is safe and beneficial for dogs over cats, so your recipient should still check with their vet before giving manuka honey as a food.
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Wound management
This is where manuka honey really shines. Vets love manuka honey for wound management¹¹ and rely on it heavily in the fight against antibiotic resistance.
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Infection and inflammation management
One common inflammation that impacts dogs particularly is kennel cough. Manuka honey can be very effective for kennel cough¹³, and for easing inflammations in the skin.
Scientists have also found success using manuka honey to manage ear infections too¹⁴.
How our customers use manuka honey for their pets
“This honey has helped so much. My dog has lesions everywhere on his body that get swollen and infected and this honey, when put on him changes that. The lesions are now healing over and closing up!”
- Sarah D., UMF™24+
“Great product. Use it for my 2 German Shorthaired Pointers.”
- Jeffrey G., UMF™26+
Which manuka honey to buy as a gift for pet owners
The higher the UMF™ grade, the more potent the good stuff in the honey.
So if you’re buying for general pet health and wellness, lower grades will do a great job (think UMF™5+ and above).
But if you want a little more kick and a powerful natural remedy, opt for the higher grades (UMF™15+ and above).
Create your own manuka honey gift pack
Why not level up your present-giving skills and create a manuka honey gift box!
You could simply wrap a jar beautifully, or you could make some manuka honey gifts yourself.
Here are a few ideas:
- Manuka honey body butter
- Salted caramel bliss balls
- Kumara chocolate brownies
- Manuka honey hair mask
Alternatively, why not give them a deconstructed version of these DIY gifts?
Simply include all the ingredients needed to create the manuka honey-themed gift, and a recipe or instructions card.
In need of more inspiration?
Here are almost 200 ideas to help.
Give the gift of health and wellness with manuka honey
Give them something they won’t use once and throw away.
A health and wellness hero.
Shop New Zealand Honey Co. manuka honey here.
Unsure which grade to get? Take our quiz.
Sources referenced:
¹ How holiday gift waste impacts the environment, Discover Magazine
² Antibacterial activity of manuka honey and its components, AIMS Microbiology
³ The sweet danger of sugar, Harvard Health
⁴ Antibacterial potential of manuka honey against three oral bacteria in vitro, University of Zurich
⁵ Honey, used for centuries to heal and hydrate, New York Times
⁶ Clinical significance of manuka and medical-grade honey for antibiotic-resistant infections, MDPI
⁷ Did Cleopatra use honey on her face every day? Quora
⁸ Honey in dermatology and skincare: a review, Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology
⁹ Antibacterial activity of manuka honey and its components, AIMS Microbiology
¹⁰ Honey in dermatology and skincare: a review, Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology
¹¹ Why use manuka honey, The Veterinary Nurse
¹² Is honey good for dogs? Outward Hound
¹³ 7 tips for caring for a dog with kennel cough, Sylvan Pets
¹⁴ Efficacy of medical grade honey in the management of canine otitis externa, National Library of Medicine
Your wellness journey starts with a spoonful a day.
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