Beat the Heat with Popsicles!

We are in the middle of a heat wave! It hasn’t been below 90 degrees in several days and is going to stay above 90 degrees for another week! Add the humidity in and it feels like it’s over 100 degrees. That’s hot! Summer is here and it definitely feels like it. To beat the heat, what is better than popsicles?

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As a kid, I loved having popsicles during the summer. It was a nice treat on these hot days. As a parent, I wonder what is actually in all those popsicles I used to eat. That’s why I love to make my own. Homemade popsicles taste good, are easy to make, and are much healthier for you. You can make them in several different ways with tons of different ingredients. There are also tons of molds to have fun with.

Rocket Popsicle Molds

Robot Popsicle Molds

Umbrella Popsicle Molds

Bunny Popsicle Molds

Dinosaur Popsicle Molds

Or you could always use a regular popsicle mold as well. They even have them with easy grip handles for babies!

Here are some of my favorite ways to make homemade popsicles.

Juice

A really simple popsicle is to just take your favorite juice and freeze it in popsicle molds. It’ll taste the same as drinking the juice, but as a popsicle, it feels more like a treat and helps you to beat that summer heat.

Try these juices:
Apple Juice
Strawberry Lemonade (or other types of lemonade)
Mango Juice
Pomegranate Juice
My favorite smoothie has the following ingredients:
Frozen Peaches
Frozen Mango
Frozen Strawberries
Spinach
Vanilla Greek Yogurt
Milk

Smoothies

I make a lot of smoothies. Often, I make too much to drink at once. So instead of wasting all that extra smoothie, it’s perfect for some popsicles! Simply pour the extra smoothie into popsicle molds and freeze. Easy! Now, whenever you want, you have frozen smoothie popsicles to enjoy on a hot summer day.

My favorite smoothie has the following ingredients:
Frozen Peaches
Frozen Mango
Frozen Strawberries
Spinach
Vanilla Greek Yogurt
Milk

I drink this smoothie almost daily and it makes for a really good popsicle as well. Personally, I add a decent amount of spinach so it turns out green. If you add less it won’t come out so green. I love the hidden nutrition that comes from the spinach (you don’t even taste this) and the protein boost from the Greek yogurt. It’s been a great energy boost for me during my pregnancy so I can last from lunch to dinner without hitting the snacks too hard. As a popsicle, I can easily grab it to cool down on hot days when I don’t have time to make a full smoothie. My son even likes them!

Here is another smoothie popsicle recipe from Cakes to Kale. This strawberry banana smoothie popsicle is bound to be a hit. It also features hidden veggies. There are also great tips on how to make popsicles if you don’t have popsicle molds!

Puree Popsicles

If you, like me, made all your kid’s baby foods then you are a pro at making purees! Once kids stop eating purees, you can still use all those fruit recipes by making popsicles. Puree fruits on their own or mixed together, pour into your popsicle molds and freeze. These are great for both the littles and you. A popsicle that is truly real fruit. If you want, add a little spinach for a nutrition boost! Hiding veggies in popsicles is a total win-win!

Tip: make your puree on the thin side by adding extra water. This makes for a better popsicle.

If you didn’t make your own purees and don’t want to start just for popsicles, you can also use premade fruit baby foods and thin out with some water. Those are great for your little one, although I’ve never tried it myself so I’m not sure how tasty it would be for mom and dad.

Tip: taste your puree before you freeze. If it isn’t sweet enough for you (which will depend on what fruits you use) you can add a small amount of honey, sugar, or other sweeteners before freezing.

Donna Nicole who runs the Facebook group Easy Recipes for Busy Families has three great combinations you can make using 3 large red delicious apples, 2 packs of blueberries, and 1 large pack of strawberries. First, steam and puree them all. Then make any of these combinations.
Combo 1- apples, blueberries, and strawberries: equal parts of each.
Combo 2- apples and blueberries 2:1 ratio
Combo 3- apples and strawberries equal parts of each

Fruits to puree:
Strawberry
Peach
Blueberries
Cherries
Apple (steam first, then puree)
Strawberry Kiwi
Strawberry Banana
Raspberries

Simple Cut Fruit

The easiest popsicle to make is one that is simply cut up fruit and water. This is great for teething babies when they don’t want to eat anything as well. You can cut up any fruit(s): strawberries, blueberries, peaches, banana, etc. Place the fruit in your popsicle mold, fill with water, and freeze! That’s super easy and makes for a great frozen treat. This is another idea I got from Donna Nicole and her Facebook group Easy Recipes for Busy Families!

Infant Popsicles

For really young infants that haven’t been started on solids yet, they don’t have to miss out on the popsicle fun! Simply use the baby popsicle molds and fill with either breastmilk or formula and freeze. Now baby can beat the heat as well!

You can see how there are so many different ways to make popsicles so have fun and find what you like best! Tell me your favorite popsicle recipe in the comments below!

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