Summer Days are coming
Are you looking forward to the warm, sunny days of summer? They’re on their way! And you’re probably anticipating those fun summer times with the grandkids. They’ll want to spend a lot of time out of doors running and playing and then they’ll be ready for a treat.
It’s easy to keep store-bought frozen treats in your freezer, but why not step up the nutritional value of those summer treats with some healthy recipes?
Here are some ideas for simple, but healthy summer popsicle treats. And … they’re easy to make.
But first, be sure you have some quality popsicle molds in which to make the frozen goodies. They’re available in stores or online and are quite inexpensive. Or go the old-fashioned way and use ice cube trays, then place a popsicle stick in each cube as they freeze. Either way, you’re ready to go.
- Bananas are a perfect snack for kids, and frozen bananas are easy to make. Just cut a banana in two, insert a popsicle stick and then be creative in adding fun additions. You might dip them in melted chocolate and then roll in sprinkles or coconut. You might make a peanut butter and honey mixture, dip the banana and roll in chopped nuts.
- Greek yogurt or your favorite flavored yogurt is a wonderful base for a host of popsicle treats. Start with the yogurt and add a bit of honey or concentrated orange juice for a tasty popsicle.
- Start with yogurt and add your choice of chopped fruit such as strawberries, blueberries, or fresh peaches.
- Try this exotic blend: pureed mango and orange juice concentrate or mango/kiwi puree with orange juice concentrate.
- Freeze whole strawberries that have been dipped in melted chocolate. You can also roll these in nuts, or coconut.
- In your ice cube tray, layer yogurt, melted chocolate and then top with blended berries. Add popsicle sticks. Beautiful and yummy.
- Place sliced fruit pieces in your plastic popsicle molds and then fill with coconut water. These are pretty to look at and very tasty.
- Slide popsicle sticks into watermelon slices and freeze. Or try serving a small bowl of frozen grapes. Kids love them.
- Add peanut butter or Nutella to your yogurt. Or blend fresh fruit and freeze it as is for a tasty treat.
- Use graham cracker squares and add either whipped topping or ice cream to the middle before freezing. You can roll the sides in sprinkles, nuts or coconut to complete this appetizing treat.
- Fill ice cream cones with sliced fruit, add a few tablespoons of melted chocolate and decorate with sprinkles before freezing.
The frozen treats you buy in the store are mostly sugar and fat, not to mention artificial flavorings and preservatives. But with just a little smart shopping and some preparation time you can create truly healthy frozen treats for your grandkids and then enjoy the smiles when they gobble them up on those hot, summer days.
