Popsicles are a summer-time favorite. This sweet treat is an indulgence for kids and adults alike, even if they’re a bit unhealthy. The good news is they don’t have to be. Although store-made popsicles are loaded up with artificial flavors, sugar, corn-syrup, and dye, you can choose to include whatever ingredients you’d like in homemade popsicles. Store bought popsicles use lower-quality ingredients and cut corners to keep profit margins high. Homemade popsicles mean you can use fresher, organic, and higher quality ingredients so not only are you creating a healthier option, you’re making a better tasting one. And finally, homemade popsicles are only a fraction of the cost of regular popsicles. Homemade popsicles are a great activity to fill an afternoon and fun to enjoy after dinner. Here’s how to get started on making your own.
There’s plenty of options on amazon for what popsicle molds. My personal preference are these stainless steel ones. I like the classic shape and the durability of the product, plus the stainless steel means you can pop them in the dishwasher for easy clean up. There’s also some fruit-shaped molds in a silicon package, the silicon makes them easy to pop out and although I like the fruit, you can find the mold in all different kinds of shapes. Additionally, there’s binky-shaped molds so baby can enjoy a fun fruit snack too. Frozen pops also work well to soothe sore gums during teething. There are hundreds of molds to choose from so take your time choosing something you’ll enjoy. Also be sure to read the reviews, this is a good way to make sure your mold will be high-quality. Some molds might be nice to look at but difficult to pull a pop out of.
The best part is choosing what flavors you want. If you’re looking for multiple flavors in your popsicle, cut two small pieces of fruit and pop them in your mouth at the same time. This is a good way to test if the flavors go well together before adding them into your popsicles. Some flavors I’ve found that go together are peach and pear, strawberry and blueberry, banana and peanut butter, yogurt and raspberry, and pure watermelon juice. It’s a good idea to add a little citrus like lemon and lime to your popsicles for acidity, as the acidity removes some of the icy texture and will make them a little creamier. All you need to do is puree your fruit in a food processor or a blender. Milk and yogurt provide a good base if your mixture is a little thick. Homemade popsicles allow you to choose from a wide variety of flavors rather than the store-bought ones which have a total of maybe 10 flavors to pick from. For adults, you can make fun chai-latte pops and coffee pops for a good energy boosting snack.
You can give your popsicles some visual interest relatively easily. Kids can be fussy about switching from store-bought, so making the pops fun to look at is a good way to convince them to try it out too. Letting them design their own popsicles can be a great way to get them interested.
It’s not difficult to make fun looking pops, make one puree then set it aside as you make another. Pour in one puree and then another into the mold, this will create swirls and mix the two colors together. Additionally, you can pour in one puree and let it freeze, then pour in another. This will let you make multi-layered pops and give the flavor some dimension. It’s also a great way of replicating rocket pops, but instead of the blue-white-red you can do blueberry-pineapple/yogurt-cherry. For texture, cut up small bits of fruit or add in chia seeds. You can make popsicles that replicate a watermelon by pouring first a layer of kiwi puree up to a fifth of the mold, letting it freeze, then pouring a layer of coconut milk to a fifth, then making the rest watermelon juice. Pure banana puree can make a thick creamy popsicle, dip it in chocolate once it’s frozen to have a chocolate covered banana pop. You can really let your imagination take you away. There’s also plenty of fun ideas you can find online like these kiwi chia pops or these honey chamomile pops. Making pretty-pops is a great photo-op and can be a fun treat for guests during a back-yard party. If you’re having trouble controlling drips, poking the stick through a cupcake wrapper will catch any spills.
Making popsicles can be a great way to make delicious deserts, save money, and eat healthier at the same time, plus it’s a fun activity for kids and adults alike. Popsicles can be a great activity for the summer. Make them before kid’s outdoor playtime or your own workout, when you come back, they’ll be frozen and a good way to cool-off.
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