Homemade Popsicles {with an extra healthy boost}

We love popsicles at our house year round and when summer rolls around they tend to be an everyday treat.

In an attempt to provide a more nutritious alternative I decided to replace the store-bought Popsicle with homemade this year. I have tried a plastic mold in the past and had trouble with them lasting. I also have been trying to replace plastic cookware with glass or stainless.

So, I was really excited when I found these Stainless Steel Popsicle Molds!

I have had them a month or so and love them! They are super easy to use and clean. They come with reusable bamboo sticks and they have a drip protector which helps with mess control.

The price is a little high, but since stainless lasts a long time I figure it is a long-term investment. And at the rate we are using them – well worth the cost!

The best thing about making your own popsicles is that you can use any recipe you love and create a yummy treat.

I’m all about simplicity, so I have been throwing everything into the NutriBullet, blending for a minute and pouring them into the molds. (Any blender or juicer will do the trick!)

The preparation, blending and clean up only takes 5-10 minutes. Although the freezing takes a few hours – a true lesson in patience for the kids! We have different recipes on constant rotation.

A few of our favorites –

Fruit, Spinach & Chia
Spinach
Banana
Strawberry
Chia Seeds (ground)
Water

It’s actually really sweet and you can’t taste the added chia. Do you know the benefits of chia seeds? They are an unprocessed, whole-grain food containing healthy omega-3 fatty acids, carbohydrates, protein, fiber, antioxidants, and calcium. They are a perfect addition to homemade popsicles, smoothies, cereal, oatmeal, pancakes, etc!

Strawberry Banana Yogurt
Strawberries
Banana
Vanilla Greek Yogurt

Berry, Yogurt & Flax
Blueberries, Raspberries, Strawberries (from a frozen mixed berry bag)
Banana
Greek Yogurt or Yogurt from our local organic dairy farm
Flax seeds (ground)

Flax seeds have many of the same benefits as chia – high in fiber and omega-3 fatty acids, as well as phytochemicals called lignans. One tablespoon of ground flax seed contains 2 grams of polyunsaturated fatty acids (includes the omega 3s) and 2 grams of dietary fiber and 37 calories.

And my little sweet tooth’s favorite is Dark Chocolate Almond Milk. It’s a great alternative for a chocolate treat and it can’t get any easier than pouring almond milk straight from the carton!

The best part about these homemade popsicles is that my kids think they are getting a treat, when in fact it’s packed with lot of nutrients (well most of them, at least!!)

I have been thinking about trying a red, white and blue version for the 4th of July this week. I found a great list of 10 different popsicle ideas for the fourth from B. Lovely Events.