Cool Lickin’s

*Photo via RawFoodCrafting.com

Popsicles are perfect for summer for a variety of reasons: they are inexpensive, cold, and the general rule is that the kids have to go outside to eat them. Only one problem, they are filled with sugar (or of fake sugar) and usually the kids want more than one.  Here are a few less sugar-filled, fun  recipes that will make you glad to give your child more than one cool pop every single day of summer!  Plus, I added some of my favorite pop molds to boot!

Ideas for Homemade Healthier Cool Lickin’s:

1. Puree  fruit and even a few veggies then add to the mold and freeze.

Try strawberries, kiwis, bananas, watermelon. Then try mixing in a secret veggie or two -like a bit of celery,  in the strawberries

or my personal favorite: cucumber in the watermelon! Your kids want 5 popsicles a day? No problem, you are now on track for the 5-a-day veggies and fruits!

2. Freeze your favorite yogurts. If you are really feeling lazy (or No Fuss and re-purposing as we like to call it!) just open the yogurt lid and stick a popsicle stick inside it and then shove it in the freezer! This will only work if your yogurt containers are wider at the top than the bottom.

3. Sugar free chocolate pudding can hide many a pureed veggie or veggie baby food! Freeze and secretly devour one yourself.

4. Grab your favorite sugar free Jello flavor and a container of vanilla yogurt. Prepare the Jello according to the fast set directions and then cool for 15 minutes. Mix in the yogurt and the pour into molds.

5. Try the classic mom-forgot-to-buy-popsicles-but-the-bananas-are-getting-ripe trick by peeling that banana, sticking a popsicle stick into the end and freezing it while lying on wax paper.

6. This is my favorite summertime treat: Buy green and red grapes. Skewer the grapes with shish kabob sticks. Have fun with the kids by adding a little learning lesson about creating patterns with the different colors (or add in another fruit for fun!). Lay on wax paper and freeze. Note: please make sure the frozen grapes and fruit are small enough not to choke on.

Here are my favorite molds:

1. Any ice cube shaped molds. I use short fat popsicle sticks for these and the serving size is perfect for a quick cool off!

2. Funky animal pops found here

3. Fun sailboats found here.

4. Super cool twisty pops! Here.

5. Star pops – but I think the look more like flowers when you make them. Found here.

6. And the ever-so-awesome ROCKETS!!!

Have fun, get creative with what you throw in the freezer and you’ll have a super cool summer!