July 12, 2022
Healthy Homemade Popsicles Your Kid Will Love
What’s better than yummy frozen treats on a hot summer day? Ahh, now we’re craving something sweet!
After running around in the sun on a hot day, your kids (and you!) must be reaching for something extra cool and fresh. Popsicles top our list as a fruity and fun way to cool down when it’s hot out. But store-bought ice pops can contain lots of calories. They also carry added sugar and loads of other unnecessary ingredients, like artificial flavors.
Why not opt for a healthier version of this classic summer treat? Try a few homemade recipes with everyday staple ingredients. So you don’t have to go searching for something you’ll never use again.
We promise the kids will love them, too! AND you get those kiddos eating more fresh fruit, which is a definite win-win.
Not only are the natural fruit flavor combinations more refreshing, but they’re also super simple to make. You only need a handful of ingredients to make delicious popsicles.
Even better, pretty much anything can be frozen! That means you can choose fruit that’s easily accessible and local to your area, which also helps with your budget. (We’ve got your back!)
What do I need to make homemade fruit popsicles?
· Popsicle molds – There are many different styles to choose from here. But if you don’t want to purchase molds, you can also use anything you have at home already. Small paper cups, muffin tins, or any other containers work just as well. After pouring into your makeshift mold, cover with tin foil and pop the popsicle stick through the top.
· Popsicle sticks – You know these classic wooden sticks that also make good supplies for arts and crafts. (Call us sustainability pros.)
· Fresh fruit or fruit juice – No limits here – use whatever fruit you love!
· Blender – To puree all that fruity goodness.
And maybe a few good recipes to get you healthy popsicle recipes started. (Keep reading!)
How do I make a good popsicle?
There are a few ways you can make your popsicles – fruity and icy or sweet and creamy. Fruit puree mixes are a great option with lots of flavor.
Yogurt and milk make a great base for a creamy popsicle if you want a good alternative to ice cream. For a protein-packed healthier alternative, you can use Greek yogurt. And coconut water or milk make great dairy free options.
Look for fruit that is ripe, or overly ripe, because it will be juicy and at its sweetest flavor. You’ll quickly realize that pulling out these ice pop recipes is a great way to clear leftover fruit out of your fridge. For extra sweetness, add a bit of honey, agave nectar or stevia.
Blend all of your ingredients together and taste before placing into the molds. Anything you freeze will lose some of its flavor afterward, so be sure your pops come out tasting strong and sweet. Make them a touch sweeter than you’d like before freezing.
It can take about 2 to 4 hours for your pops to freeze completely, so have some fun in the sun and let them sit until you’re ready to enjoy.
And get the kids involved! They’ll love whipping up a batch of their favorite flavors and getting a little messy in the process.
Homemade Popsicle Recipes
Strawberry Mango Popsicles
Ingredients:
· 2-3 mangoes (approximately 8 ounces), peeled and cubed
· 1 pint strawberries, washed and cut in half
· Stevia to taste (about ¼ cup)
· 3 packets True Lime
· 3 tbsp water
Directions:
1. Finely dice about ½ cup of the strawberries and set aside.
2. Place the mango cubes and remaining strawberries in a blender.
3. Add stevia, True Lime packets and water.
4. Blend into a smooth puree. Stir in the reserved diced strawberries.
5. Pour the puree into popsicle molds, paper cups or ice cube trays.
6. Place the molds/cups on a tray. If you are using cups, then place popsicle sticks in them before freezing. Please tray in the freezer for at least 3 hours, or let freeze overnight.
Protein-Packed Raspberry Lemonade Popsicles
Ingredients:
· 1 container of 5.3-ounce Raspberry Muuna cottage cheese
· 1 tsp True Lemon Raspberry Lemonade drink mix
· ½ cup + 1 tbsp water
· ½ cup fresh raspberries
· 1 tsp stevia
Directions:
1. Empty cottage cheese container, True Lemon Raspberry Lemonade drink mix, and ½ cup water into a blender and blend until smooth.
2. In a bowl, mash raspberries, 1 tbsp water, and stevia with a fork until crushed and marinated together.
3. Our 1 tbsp raspberry mixture into 4-6 popsicle molds, leaving space for the cream mixture.
4. Pour blended cottage cheese mixture into molds, leaving 1 inch unfilled at the top.
5. Pour 1 tbsp raspberry mixture into the unfilled portion of each popsicle mold.
6. Add popsicle sticks and freeze for at least 2 hours.
7. Run popsicle molds under warm water for a few seconds to remove. Enjoy!
True Lemon Raspberry Popsicle Parfaits
Ingredients:
· 1 ½ cups raspberry low-fat frozen yogurt, slightly softened
· ¼ cup raspberries
· ¼ cup blueberries
· 1 cup vanilla frozen yogurt
· 3 packets True Lemon
Directions:
1. Mix the raspberry frozen yogurt, 2 True Lemon packets, blueberries and raspberries together in a glass measuring cup.
2. Divide the mixture among the popsicle molds, filling to about 2/3 full. Freeze for 20 minutes.
3. Soften the vanilla yogurt, mix in 1 packet True Lemon, and fill the remaining 1/3 of the popsicle molds with yogurt.
4. Place lids on (if they come with molds), insert popsicle stick and freeze overnight.
5. To unmold, gently squeeze the bottom and sides of the mold while pulling the stick. If necessary, run the molds under warm water for 5 seconds and remove the popsicles.
Bonus Recipe! Use fresh watermelon for an easy, no freeze watermelon popsicle.
Watermelon Wedges with Lime
Ingredients:
· ½ cup True Lime juice (made from 8 packets True Lime + ½ cup water)
· 3 tbsp honey
· Three 1-inch slices of watermelon, cut into wedges
· Popsicle sticks
Directions:
1. Whisk together the True Lime juice and honey in a bowl until the honey dissolves
2. Arrange the watermelon wedges on a large platter and pierce the end of each with a popsicle stick.
3. Drizzles slices with the true lime-honey dressing and serve immediately.
Written by
Amy Cimo is a Personal Trainer, Nutrition Coach and Wellness Enthusiast based out of Baton Rouge, Louisiana. After going through her own health journey, she found her passion in helping others find balance between nutrition, physical activity and mindset to live healthy and be truly happy. Amy attended Louisiana State University where she received a Bachelor of Arts in Mass Communication and a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration. She is a Certified Personal Trainer through the National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM).
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