Sweet Celebrations: How to Celebrate World Bee Day with Honey-Inspired Dishes and Bee-Friendly Actions

World Bee Day, celebrated every year on 20th May, is more than just a date on the calendar—it’s a crucial reminder of the vital role bees play in our ecosystem. 

Bees are responsible for pollinating over 75% of the crops we eat, yet their populations are in decline due to habitat loss, pesticides, and climate change.

This World Bee Day, let’s show our appreciation with a twofold approach: cooking with nature’s golden treasure—honey—and taking simple but meaningful actions to help save our buzzing friends.

Celebrate with Honey-Inspired Dishes

Honey is a natural sweetener packed with flavour and history, with each variety reflecting the flowers visited by the bees. Here are a few delicious ways to make honey the star of your World Bee Day menu:

1. Honey-Glazed Roast Vegetables

Give your Sunday roast a floral twist. Toss carrots, parsnips, and sweet potatoes in a glaze made from local honey, olive oil, and a touch of mustard before roasting.

2. Lemon and Honey Chicken

A classic pairing—roast chicken drizzled with a lemon, garlic, and honey glaze for a sticky, tangy finish. Perfect for a light spring supper.

3. Honey and Yoghurt Panna Cotta

Swap out sugar for honey in this creamy dessert. Use wildflower honey to complement the richness of the panna cotta, and top with bee-friendly edible flowers like violets or calendula.

4. Breakfast Boost: Honey Porridge or Granola

Drizzle a spoonful of honey over warm porridge or mix it into homemade granola with oats, nuts, and dried fruit for a nourishing start to your day.

5. Baked Brie with Honey and Thyme

A crowd-pleasing appetiser: bake a wheel of Brie and top it with warm honey, fresh thyme, and chopped walnuts. Serve with crusty bread or crackers.

Top Tip: Always try to use local, raw honey. Not only does it support local beekeepers, but it’s also likely to contain beneficial enzymes and pollen.

How You Can Help Save the Bees

It doesn’t take much to make a big difference. Here are some bee-friendly actions you can start today:

Plant Bee-Friendly Flowers

Bees need nectar and pollen-rich plants to thrive. Grow varieties like lavender, foxglove, borage, and wild marjoram. Try planting a small wildflower patch or even a window box—every little helps.

Avoid Pesticides

Chemicals in pesticides and herbicides can be deadly to bees. Opt for organic gardening methods and encourage natural pest control like ladybirds and lacewings.

Create a Bee Hotel

Solitary bees like mason bees need places to nest. A bee hotel made from hollow stems or drilled wood is a great addition to any garden or balcony.

Leave Out Water

Bees need water, especially in hot weather. Place a shallow dish filled with water and pebbles for them to safely land and drink.

Support Local Beekeepers and Conservation Groups

Buy honey from local sources, support bee charities like the Bee Friendly Trust or the British Beekeepers Association, and raise awareness about bee protection on social media.

Bee the Change

World Bee Day is the perfect opportunity to blend pleasure with purpose. Whether you're baking with honey, planting wildflowers, or skipping the pesticides, every small action helps secure the future of bees—and our food system.

So grab a spoonful of honey, share a recipe, plant a flower, and help spread the buzz!