Making your own freezer pops for your children at home is a game changer. Not only is it a super easy, fun summer activity for you and your little one, but it’s also a great way to introduce new fruits as a tasty and healthy mid-day treat.
Here, we’ll be sharing some of our favorite ice pop recipes for you to try. And we guarantee your kids will love them!
Is it Okay to Give Toddlers Freezer Pops?
Once your child can self-feed and has developed the motor skills needed to hold things, there’s no reason why your baby or toddler can’t enjoy a cold, refreshing popsicle. There are even plenty of benefits of giving your toddler a homemade freezer pop, including:
- Hydration - if your child struggles to drink enough water, homemade freezer pops can be packed with plenty of water-based ingredients to keep them hydrated on warmer days.
- Less sugar - making your own freezer pops rather than buying them means you’re in control of what ingredients to use. You can still make sweet and flavorful freezer pops without adding sugar or less nutritious ingredients.
- Quick and easy - freezer pops take almost no effort to make, and the combinations are endless. You can freeze almost any fruit, veggie, smoothie, juice, or yogurt into the ice pop tray.
1. Strawberry Cheesecake
For a delicious strawberry cheesecake treat, you only need two ingredients: fresh or frozen strawberries and vanilla Greek yogurt. Simply add the ingredients to a baby food blender, depending on how many freezer pops you plan on making, and blend until smooth. Then, pour the mixture evenly into the ice pop trays and pop them in the freezer overnight.
2. Tropical Fruit
If your child is a fan of strong, tropical flavors, then they’ll love a tropical fruit popsicle. And it may even make you feel like you’re on a sunny beach vacation. Blend together some fresh orange juice, mango, and pineapple before freezing for an ultra-tasty treat. You can even sneak in some chopped carrots if you want to get more vegetables in their diet. We promise they won’t taste them, and it’ll make the ice pop a brighter color.
3. Watermelon Strawberry
Nothing says summer quite like watermelon. And as one of the most hydrating foods you can eat, with 92% water content, it’s perfect for very active little ones. Blend up some cubed watermelon and add some strawberries and lime zest for extra flavor before freezing the freezer pops overnight and enjoying them the next day.
4. Frozen Banana
Try a frozen banana on a stick for a classic summer treat that’s a little different than a freezer pop, but still just as healthy and delicious. Quick and easy to make, simply cut a banana in half and slide a wooden ice pop stick through the middle. Your kids can then decorate as they please, from chopped nuts, freeze-dried fruit, melted chocolate, or peanut butter. Place them on a lined baking tray and pop the tray in the freezer to freeze overnight. Your children will be very excited to try this tasty treat the next day.
5. Blackberry Lemon
For children who love sour flavors, making a blackberry lemon freezer pop will surely thrill them. This recipe requires a little bit more work, but the result will be worth it. Stir together the zest and juice of two lemons with 2 cups of vanilla Greek yogurt and set aside. Then, blend some fresh or frozen blackberries and mixed berry Greek yogurt and set this aside too. Layer the ice pop trays with alternating spoonfuls of the lemon mixture and the blackberry mixture for a fun swirl of colors and flavor before placing them in the freezer overnight.
6. Strawberry Cherry Beet
A strawberry cherry beet treat offers bold colors and flavors for your child to enjoy and ensures they get extra fruit and veggies in their diet. Combine 3 cups of fresh or frozen strawberries, 1 cup of pitted cherries, 1/4 cup of cooked beets, 2 tablespoons of honey, and 1 cup of vanilla Greek yogurt in a blender and blend until smooth. Then spread the mixture evenly in the popsicle tray and freeze overnight.
If you’re planning on creating this recipe for a child under one-year-old, we recommend removing the honey.
It’s also important to remember that some of the ingredients in these freezer pop recipes can stain your child’s clothes. So, be prepared and make sure they wear a baby bib for a clean snack time!
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