As the warm weather arrives so does the thought of yummy, icy cool treats! But who wants to consume all the artificial colors and flavors found in many of the popular brands of popsicles? Not to mention the high sugar content of most popsicles. There is a great alternative that offers the same cooling satisfaction, without all the junk, plus some added vitamins and nutrients…making your own!!

It’s soooo easy to do! Basically pick a fruit or combination of fruits and a liquid such as water, almond milk, coconut milk, cow’s milk, soy milk, or fruit juice (even breastmilk would work). Just throw it all in a blender and then pour the mixture into popsicles molds. Toss the molds into the freezer and a few hours later you have delicious homemade popsicles! So simple and so good. Plus they are tons cheaper than the “organic all fruit” popsicles sold at the store…and no packaging to dispose of! Additionally if your child has any allergies or food sensitivities you can make popsicles specific to their dietary needs.

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Here are a few of our favorite combinations:

• Strawberries, bananas, and coconut milk
• Mango, pineapple, and coconut milk
• Banana, cacao powder, honey, and almond milk

Want to kick things up a notch and boost the nutritional content of your popsicles? Add some raw greens such as spinach, romaine, or kale into your mixture just like you would when making a green smoothie. Most fruit blends taste just fine with a handful of greens added to it. I know I was skeptical about adding greens to my smoothies but the sweetness of the fruit truly masks the flavor of the greens. Just be sure to blend it long enough to “liquify” the greens. Spirulina powder would be another fun add-in that would also turn the popsicle into a beautiful emerald green color. You might also consider adding in hemp seeds or flax seeds for some added protein and omega 3. Coconut oil, avocado, or nut butters could be blended in for some added fat and nutritionally-dense calories.

Most of the time the fruit is sweet enough all in its own and no added sweetener is needed. However if you are making “fudgsicles” with cacao powder, you’ll probably want a bit of sweetener to off-set the bitterness. Healthy options for sweeteners (besides fruit) include honey, maple syrup, stevia, or soaked/stoned dates.

The possibilities are endless which makes creating your own favorite concoctions a fun experiment! Involve your kids in the process and let them choose what fruits they want to combine together. Often when kids are involved in the food prep process it provides them with a sense of ownership and pride. They are more likely to enjoy the finished product when they are a part of the process. So if your blender has been sitting in a cupboard collecting dust, pull it out, dust if off, and start blending…so many fun, healthy foods can be made with this simple kitchen tool. Enjoy!! 🙂

What’s your favorite homemade popsicle recipe? Would love to hear from you!

-Sarah