A simple homemade cold and flu remedy of Honey Lemon & Ginger infused together in a jar.
What ingredients are best for making the Cold & Flu Remedy?
If you can, use raw local honey. The honey you buy from the supermarket is usually pasteurised and this process can cause the honey to lose many of its fantastic health benefits, most notably its antibacterial, antiviral and antifungal properties. Local honey also contains pollen from your area and consuming a little every day in the run up to summer is said to help people who suffer badly with hayfever.
Here’s to a whole week bug-free in our house!
If you liked my Natural Cold & Flu Remedy recipe please do leave me a comment and a star rating below. You can also share your pictures with me on Instagram. I always love to see your creations!
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Honey Lemon Ginger Jar – Natural Cold & Flu Remedy
Prep Time: 5 mins- Cook Time: 12 hours
- Total Time: 12 hours 5 minutes
Category: Drinks
Cuisine: European
Print Recipe
Pin RecipeDescription
A simple homemade cold and flu remedy of Honey Lemon & Jar infused together in a jar
Ingredients
- 400g / 1 cup honey
- 2 lemons, sliced
- 1 inch fresh ginger, sliced
- 1 x 500ml / 16oz jar with lid
Instructions
- Add the lemon, ginger and honey to the jar in layers. I placed 2-3 slices of lemon in the jar, added a couple of pieces of ginger and then a few spoonfuls of honey. Repeat until you have used all the produce and the jar is full.
- Screw the lid on tightly and put in the fridge for at least 12 hours before using to allow all the ingredients to combine and the flavours to infuse. When ready, add one or two teaspoons to a mug of warm water and drink immediately.
- It is normal for the lemon juice and the honey to separate in the jar. The honey will settle at the bottom and you will get a delicious lemon and ginger juice towards the top. Rather than continuously mixing them back together I simply take a spoon of the juice and a spoon of the honey from the jar each time I use it.
- The mixture will keep in a sealed jar in the fridge for up to 2 months.
Jazmine Patterson says
Should I leave the lemon slices and ginger in the syrup or should they be removed after a few day?
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Sandra says
This has been a life saver for me, have felt rough for days, summed up just enough energy to make this and its been absolutely brilliant. Thank you.
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Vicky says
Happy to hear this, hope you get better very soon.
S says
I purchased lemons at the grocery store not realizing they needed to be unwaxed. Can I still use the lemon for this recipe?
Vicki says
Wash them warm soapy water to remove wax. Rinse well.
Anna says
Hi, I made this as I have the most awful cold and cough that I can’t shift. The honey has disappeared quite quickly and I only made it 4 days ago. Is it ok just to keep topping up the mixture in the fridge, with fresh honey or do I need to make a new batch? Thanks
Vicky says
Hi Anna, It is normal for the lemon juice and the honey to separate in the jar. The honey will settle at the bottom and you will get a delicious lemon and ginger juice towards the top. Rather than continuously mixing them back together I simply take a spoon of the juice and a spoon of the honey from the jar each time I use it.
The mixture will keep in a sealed jar in the fridge for up to 2 months. Hope this helps and you feel better soon.
Anna says
Thanks so much for your reply. My 8 year old daughter absolutely loved it. Unfortunately there isn’t much honey left now so this is why I wondered whether I could just top up the honey? Thanks
Vicky says
Hi Anna, yes just top up the honey. Glad its working for you. Enjoy!
Debbie says
Love this recipe! Does this need to be refrigerated ??
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Vicky says
Hi Debbie, yes the mixture will keep in a sealed jar in the fridge for up to 2 months.
Anonymous says
I made this but it is all liquid no jelly. I sliced lemon and ginger, covered with honey put in refrigerator for 3 days still liquid. It has now been 2 weeks and still liquid. Did I miss something
Marlena says
It should be liquid not jelly so you didn’t miss anything!
Joli says
Add crushed and chopped garlic for the addition antibiotic for colds and flu.
Tammy says
Is it possible to water bath this for longer storage?
Rick says
Loved this recipe and helped me so much and as an added benefit also noticed it appeared to have a positive effect on my blood pressure in that it went down to a safer level although still on meds but in conjunction still enjoyed the positive effect!! One question though is it possible to substitute ground Ginger instead of the root?? Not so easy to find here sometimes!!! If so how much would you recommend!!
Kim says
If you have a hard time finding fresh ginger, buy extra when you can find it, and store in a ziplock bag in the freezer, You can then chop off chunks as you need some, peel it and chop it however the recipe calls for. I’ve been doing this for years and it works great.
vicki says
or peel the ginger then freeze it. (the peel is lovely to add into a chicken stock)
I’ve got to get some local honey then I’m going to make this!
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Hannelore Hanna says
I love it and it helped me a lot with the cold
Best to drink it a night at bedtime. Thank you so much.
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Adekanmbi Oluwafemi says
Helpful
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Charlene says
Great Recipe!
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Carol richards says
It works
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Lesbify says
Fluconazole By Mail
Cass says
I made 4 jars this morning to share around the family… looking forward to getting stuck in and over these colds we are all battling. instead of using Lemon, honey and ginger, I used lemon and orange slices with honey and ginger to mix it up a bit…
Jas says
My favourite home remedy too
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Maisy says
Have started having this every morning and it’s so good just to have it in the fridge on hand as I always struggle for time in the mornings! Clever!
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Brenda says
Could you make this with Meyer Lemons?
Keshav Goyal says
Hey. Can I not refrigerate this? How long this will be good if it stays outside? Because I’m worried about the ginger and lemon as they will start rotten?
Keshav Goyal says
Hey. Can I not refrigerate this? How long this will be good if it stays outside? Because I’m worried about the ginger and lemon as they will start rotten?
Anonymous says
Ginger skin must be removed for better health becoz ginger skin gives digestion issues
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Jorge says
I was wondering. When I run out, can I add water or lemon juice to make the batch last longer?
Terri says
Love this. Made a jar for myself and for a sister-in-law who isn’t feeling well. Looks like health in a jar. So yummy. Love honey, love lemons and was shy with my ginger portion. Next time I will put in more. Thank you for sharing.
Ciara Attwell says
The ginger is the best bit! So glad you liked it Terri!
Biljana says
Hi Ciara, can I just eat this with a spoon if i dice all the ingredients together instead of putting it in a drink? Thanks
Ciara Attwell says
Yes you can do that too!
Robin says
Hi there, I’m not able to get fresh ginger where I live. Would it be ok to use powdered ginger
Ciara Attwell says
Yes, it won’t be as effective as fresh ginger but it will still taste good!
DIANE says
I saw this recipe shared on social media and tried it. I’m already on my second jar. I use it daily in warm water, but also use it when i drink my herbal tea at night. Thanks so much for this and for the elderberry syrup recipe that i am also using!
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Ciara Attwell says
So glad you like it Diane!
peg says
wow, heard alot of positive things about your recipe, thanks
Julia says
I always made it fresh, but you’re right, so much easier if you have it in the fridge. Especially as I tend to run out of lemons and then get a cold…
I even made my own cough syrup out of thyme, lemon and honey. Would be great for kids too.
Anna says
Made this last night. My 3 year old son and I had some this morning and we both loved it. Thank you! Now I saw you mentioned drinking this in the morning but is that it? Just 1x a day or can we drink this several times a day?
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Ciara Attwell says
Hi Anna, you can drink it as much as you like but because it is quite sweet I would be wary of giving it to young children too much, only because they might get used to just drinking that and not plain water!
Raj says
How long can we keep the jar in fridge
Raj says
Also can lime be substituted ?
Ciara Attwell says
Perhaps but I’ve never tried it.
Ciara Attwell says
Mine lasts several weeks in the fridge but check on it regularly to make sure it hasn’t gone off.
Laura W. says
Hi, my only suggestion to get the maximum benefit from raw honey is to just use WARM or cool, not hot water. Hot water partially kills the beneficial properties in the raw honey, the same as pasturized honey from the store. As a beekeeper who produces raw honey, I’d hate for you not to get all its amazing benefits!! Have a cup of hot lemon water if you want something hot, then follow it up with a warm drink of this. (or visa versa haha) It sound amazing and I will be making some!
Ciara Attwell says
Thanks for the tips Laura!
Al says
Yep…just keep the mixture below 140°F to keep the beneficial properties of the honey.
Katie says
This is just what I need! Does the jar need to be sterilized and sealed as done when canning, or can I simply screw a lid on? Does that make sense?
Ciara Attwell says
It’s up to you. I don’t sterilize that jar as I keep it in the fridge and tend to use it up pretty quickly but its up to you!
Tonya says
The recipe is very delish i caught a cold sunday after church so so i figured why not try it i will let u know how it works out thank u
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Margaret says
No ginger to be found in my village I have ground or stem can I use either as substitute?
Ciara Attwell says
No it has to be fresh ginger to really get the benefits but you can leave it out.
Margaret says
Thank you, I managed to buy some fresh ginger this morning, my jar is in the fridge ready for xmas morning ????
Ciara Attwell says
Perfect!!
Doris dean says
Do I peel the ginger first????
Ciara Attwell says
No I don’t bother but you can if you want!
E. Smythe says
Can you use powdered ginger (from a jar) instead of fresh? I don’t want to go out tonight to source a piece of fresh ginger! Thanks!
Ciara Attwell says
Sorry but it really has to be fresh ginger to get the benefits but you can make it with just the lemon and honey.
Yvonne says
Do you think it is a good if I blend the lemon and ginger instead of slicing?
Ciara Attwell says
Hi, you could certainly try. Although it might make the drink a bit bitty, if that makes sense?!!
Yvonne says
Yes, it makes sense. Thanks
Gallager D Mark says
A simple homemade cold and flu remedy of Honey Lemon & Ginger infused together in a jar. This is such a good idea. I’m an avid fan of the lemon, ginger & honey combo but never thought to have it ready in a jar to use. Love it. I also love your amazing photos!
Ciara Attwell says
Thank you so much!
Eve says
Hi, love the video. I was wondering about a few things.
1: If I peeled the lemons instead, would the whole mixture last longer? (I would use lemon for that mint leaf, lemon and cucumber detox drink and found that the mixtures without the lemon peel on the slices lasted longer in the fridge than those with the peel. The taste was much better. I guess I just wanted to know if the same principle applies here.)
2: I have raw, unpasteurized honey and at room temp it is smooth but chunky and not transparent in color like regular honey is. I’m just trying to figure out how I would keep this mixture in liquid form if I do use the raw honey and keep it in the fridge.
Carolyn says
How much ginger do I need to slice thinly for tea??? Would you say a thumb size would be sufficient ?
Thanks so much!!!
Ciara Attwell says
It really depends how much you like. Ginger can be quite strong so I would start with just a couple of thin slices and see how it tastes!
Derek says
Hello. Do i have to first wash lemon amd ginger ?
And if i wash do i make sure its completely dry?
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Ciara Attwell says
Yes make sure its dry if you wash it.
Jennifer says
After it is infused for 12 or so hours, do I leave the lemons and ginger pieces in the jar? Am anxious to try this and I have some friends I’m going to make it for also! Thanks.
Ciara Attwell says
Yes I leave it all in the jar and in the fridge!
Michelle says
I have just made this ,the smell is lovely. I’m leaving it overnight and having it as a herbal tea in the morning.
How many servings will I get out of this or better still how many calories is in a serving.
Ciara Attwell says
Hi, I don’t know the calorie count but you will get a lot of servings from this. My jar lasts me a few weeks even using a little bit every day.
Anne says
We have been sick since Christmas so going tomorrow to make this. I have never worked with fresh ginger does it need peeled or just slice it?
Ciara Attwell says
Hi Anne, you just need to slice it, no need to peel!
Bintu @ Recipes From A Pantry says
I have this everyday as a drink but your version is much more time saving than mine.
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Ciara Attwell says
That’s why I had the idea to put it in a jar. I just don’t have the time to faff around with cutting lemons and ginger every morning!
Honest mum says
Genius idea, why have I not thought of this, love, love, love it! Thank you -bye bye bugs xx
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Ciara Attwell says
Thanks Vicki! It’s such a time saver in the morning. I love it!
Jules says
You’ve no idea how much we need this right now! #TastyTuesday
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Ciara Attwell says
I am exactly the same! Hope it helps!
Anita-Clare Field says
This is genius ! absolutely genius and I have so many Kilner Jars. I am going to make some of this once I can get my hands on some local honey. I have terrible hay fever !
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Ciara Attwell says
Thank you! I have so many kilner jars too. I am a bit of a jar hoarder!!
Kirsty Hijacked By Twins says
Mmm this sounds lovely, I love honey and lemon but hopefully I won’t be needing it x #tastytuesdays
Ciara Attwell says
It makes a great morning cleansing drink too. Not just for cold and flues!
Lauryn says
What an easy and fantastic idea! Love it! 🙂 #TastyTuesday
Ciara Attwell says
Thanks Lauryn x
Rachael A says
I swear by honey and ginger with lemon as a cold remedy and I’m pleased to see I’m not the only one! Of course I naturally think that Kent honey is by far the best!
Ciara Attwell says
Of course. Its far superior to any other honey out there!!!
Isil says
I make this and it is extremely effective. Highly recommended!
Ciara Attwell says
Glad to find another honey and lemon lover out there!
International Elf Service says
This is such a good idea. I’m an avid fan of the lemon, ginger & honey combo but never thought to have it ready in a jar to use. Love it. I also love your amazing photos!
Ciara Attwell says
Thank you so much! x
North East Family Fun says
Wow this is great – I could have done with this earlier in the week but my symptoms have cleared now. Will bookmark to use in the future though #tastytuesdays
Ciara Attwell says
Thank you. Hope you like it when you do try it