Our kids love popsicles, especially in the summertime. But store-bought popsicles are not a great option for kids. They’re loaded with sugar that suppresses the immune system and food dyes that exacerbate problems in the nervous system.

That’s why we decided to start making our own popsicles at home! We whipped up several immune-boosting recipes that our kids go bananas over. Plus, this time of year we’re traveling a whole lot more. By eating popsicles with a healthy twist, our kids not only have a tasty and satisfying treat, but they can keep their immune systems in prime shape while we’re all on the go.

Why Our Kids Love Homemade Popsicles

We involve our kids in all kinds of activities whenever we can – including making our homemade popsicles! Our kids love watching all the ingredients go into the Vitamix, then get poured into the popsicle molds. They get really excited about watching them go into the freezer too, because they know in a few short hours they’ll be devouring cool and delicious treats.

Plus, the whole process makes for a mini science experiment. Our kids get to see how foods are transformed in the blending process. When we fill the molds, we explain to them why we don’t fill them to the top: because food expands as it freezes. It makes together time that much more fun.

3 Yummy Popsicle Recipes

We’re so excited to share our favorite homemade popsicle recipes with you. All three recipes have some things in common:

• Full of superfoods
• Yummy veggies snuck in
• At least one healthy fat
• No sugar (get their sweetness from the fruit)
• No food dyes

Ready to get blending? Read on for the full scoop!

Berry Banana Yogurt Pops

What you’ll need:

1 cup strawberries
1 cup blueberries
1 banana
1/2 cup greens (spinach or kale work great)
1 cup plain Greek yogurt (use full fat for a dose of fats that kids’ brains need!)
1/2 cup water
2T honey (optional if your kids have more of a sweet tooth)

How to prepare:

Add all ingredients to high-powered blender (I love my Vitamix!) and blend until smooth. Pour contents into popsicle molds and freeze for at least 3 hours.

Yields 8 popsicles

Pro mom tip: With the yogurt base and kale mixed in, these popsicles can become quite tart. Add raw local honey to naturally sweeten them up. Not only will they be tastier, but raw local honey has allergy relief benefits. If your kids have the occasional itchy eyes and nose, locally-sourced honey can really help with that!

Featured popsicle mold: Ozera Reusable Popsicle Molds Ice Pop Molds Maker

 

Avocado-Pineapple Pops

What you’ll need:

1 cup pineapple
1 avocado, peeled and pitted
1/2 cup almond milk (or other milk of choice)
1/2 lemon, juiced
2 mint leaves

How to prepare:

Add all ingredients to high-powered blender (I love my Vitamix!) and blend until smooth. Pour contents into popsicle molds and freeze for at least 3 hours.

This is a great one to use the silicone molds with because with how wonderfully creamy the pops are, thanks to avocado, they mimic a frozen Go-Gurt consistency.

Yields 4 popsicles

Featured popsicle mold: FoodWorks Silicone Ice Pop Maker Molds/Popsicle Molds

 

Tropical Carrot Pops

What you’ll need:

1 cup coconut milk
1 cup carrot juice
1/2 cup pineapple chunks
1/2 cup orange juice (or 2 whole oranges, peeled)

How to prepare:

Add all ingredients to high-powered blender (I love my Vitamix!) and blend until smooth. Pour contents into popsicle molds and freeze for at least 3 hours.

Yields 6 popsicles

Your Turn!

We’d love for you to share your healthy and homemade popsicle recipes with us in the comments below.