As a busy parent, there is always a lot to do, and not a lot of time to do it. So when it comes to making healthy snacks at home, they need to be quick and easy to make it on regular rotation!

But it does not have to have to be complicated or time-consuming! Making healthy nutritious popsicles at home is fun, simple, and the kids can be involved. DIY popsicles, icy pops, or icy poles are a staple in our house, and for a good reason. They are a fantastic way to pack the nutrition into a refreshing, tasty snack. And not just fruit, we get veggies in there too!

When my son was born, I had read an article that stated you should never ‘hide’ fruit and vegetables in food, that it was important they always knew what they were eating to promote lifelong healthy eating habits.

So I set this standard for myself. And for my son. And you know what? Sometimes it worked, sometimes it didn’t. But what it did do was set an impossibly high standard for both of us. It created stress around eating that did not need to be there.

Well, now that my son is 3 and we have a second child, I have changed my focus. I have decided to ditch perfection and leave that for others. Now, my attention is on ensuring my children get the optimal amount of nutritious food into their bodies every single day. Sometimes they know they are consuming it, and sometimes it’s just a delicious smoothie, popsicle, pizza sauce, muffin, or cake.

Since making this change, my 3-year-old had been eating a greater variety of veggies. And my 10-month-old - well this is all we have ever done with her, and she smashes food, all food.

FREE eBook Healthy Homemade Popsicles: 4 Recipes to Beat the Summer Heat

 

Healthy Hacks: 9 Secrets to Delicious Healthy Popsicles

Finding your mould.

The first step to making easy popsicles from home is a reusable mould. The one pictured in this post is from Ikea. This style is my preference, as they are individual and removed from the freezer one at a time.  The ones that are one piece are easier to keep track of the parts but more challenging to use.

Pack it full of veggies!

Include lots of green vegetables that don’t carry a lot of flavours when mixed with stronger tasting fruit. Such as spinach, kale, zucchini, cucumber, and peas. Wholefood vegetable powder is also an excellent way to get a lot of variety into the pops.

Frozen vegetables too!

An excellent and easy way to green up a popsicle is with frozen peas! They keep well in the freezer and go well with frozen berries.  When blended with berries or strong tasting fruit, the peas have not taste at all.

When to use a sweetener.

When using berries or other fruit with stronger flavours, use a small amount of a natural sweetener - this is a tip from Jamie Oliver!  Maple syrup, honey (age of child depending, refer to the standards you follow), dates. I use coconut cream, and I find that is usually sweet enough. When berries and some fruits are frozen, it can impact the flavour making them tart.  The sweetness helps preserve the naturally delicious flavour.

Make them pretty!

And an awesome way to increase the visual appeal and make them more fun is to cut up some pieces of fruit into chunks like sliced banana, or pop in whole smaller berries like blueberries. Now they look a bit more exciting, and the contrasting colours appeal to kids.

 

 

 

It’s all about consistency.

More water creates a more ice like popsicle, and less dense. Useful if you would like them to be more of a refreshing snack that won’t impact the next meal. Also useful if you want to add fruit chunks for an appealing visual presentation!

When to be thick.

Using a thicker base makes both more nutritionally dense, and softer. Easy veggies for younger children! If your base is something like coconut cream or yogurt, it will be softer than a water-based popsicle. It will also melt into a cream, not water. Another way to make sure your popsicle is a bit softer and less ice like is to add a tablespoon of coconut oil into the mix. Soaked chia seeds are also a great way to thicken up the popsicle and add a nutritional boost of Omega 3!

Up the nutritional content.

On hot days that are also really busy,  I include a vegan protein powder or whole food powder. I know my kids can struggle to eat well on a sweltering day and this is a great solution. Remembering that the most important thing is that they are getting the nutrition they need every single day. If on a hot busy day that nutrition comes from a popsicle, well done on getting it in them!

Need some inspiration?

Check out your favourite smoothie recipe, or that Pinterest board you have been making for summer smoothies.  Most smoothies can become delicious popsicles. I love making a smoothie for myself and putting the rest into the popsicle mould for the kids. Win-win!
Popsicles, icy poles, or icy pops make a fun, delicious, and nutritious summer snack. They don’t have to be a complicated process; they can be an afterthought to your morning smoothie.

What is your favourite summer popsicle recipe?

If you would like to try a few of ours, click HERE to access the free eBook Healthy Homemade Poplcles: 4 Recipes to Beat the Summer Heat