Guest Post by Nisha Riggs of Healthy Mom’s Kitchen.
Summer activities are in full swing. We are outside in some form of water – sprinklers, pools, etc. – nearly every day, attending ball games and active-playing outside together with the neighbor kids. With all this time spent outside, as a mom, I need quick, fun fuels for my kids. There is nothing worse than coming in from a long day outside and having the kids totally cranky because they’ve exhausted themselves and haven’t taken time to hydrate and eat. I have some simple recipes to make fun fuels for you to provide for your kiddos.
My kids know that anytime we eat, we’re looking for protein and fiber. One treat they all love, obviously, is Popsicles. There are two different ways we make homemade Popsicles healthy. Start with an unsweetened plain Greek yogurt base or make your own yogurt. Yogurt, particularly Greek, is high in protein and probiotics. Mix in your favorite healthy sweetener (we use a few drops of stevia) and then stir in your favorite fresh or frozen fruits. Blueberries work well and give them a fun purple color my daughter loves! We also love adding mango and strawberries.
Let your kids decide what to mix in and let them help. My kids are great helpers in the garden picking strawberries that we use in Popsicle. They’ll be more excited to take a break during playtime to give their bodies what it needs if they helped with the process.
The other way we make homemade Popsicles is to freeze any leftover green smoothies from that morning’s breakfast. Blend up your favorite fruits along with tons of spinach, Greek yogurt, and healthy sweetener and pour into your Popsicle molds. Your kids won’t mind if it’s green – call them Incredible Hulk Popsicles!
No matter what, while you’re out having fun this summer, don’t forget your kids’ nutrition and make it fun while you’re at it!
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Nisha lives in Utah with her husband and two small children. Nisha facilitates virtual weight release groups for busy moms and is passionate about moms getting back in the kitchen to provide healthy nutritious meals for the family. Her family-friendly weight loss menu plans and recipes are pleasing to the average American family who have relied a little too heavily on processed food for far too long. You can find out more about what Nisha’s cooking up at Healthy Mom’s Kitchen.
Thanks for the opportunity to guest post Bethany!
Sometimes getting popsicles out of the mold can be a little tricky. I run them under hot water and then run a knife along the sides of the mold. Works every time! If you’re shopping for popsicle molds, look for the sticks that have the little holes in them to make it easier for the popsicle to come out with the stick!
Great blog and information! I haven’t tried this in frozen pops! I just make the smoothies. This would be a great addition for my grandkids!
My kids love to pour all kinds of things into popsicle molds and freeze it but I’ve never thought of a popsicle as fule for their fun.
Great ideas Nisha.
I’ve never seen leftover green shake at our house, we would have to make an extra just for the pop.
Josh, with my little tiny ones, I’m always overestimating how much green smoothie they can drink and I don’t think any smoothie tastes very good after being thawed in the fridge. Bring on the Popsicle molds!
Great post Bethany. Very helpful. I love how you are teaching your kids the need to eat protein and fiber. This early education will create a long lasting behavior and clear the path for better help. Thanks for sharing. TW
I love the idea of freezing your green smoothie leftovers. That will work for me as well as the kids. I guess you could do the same with any lefover smoothie. Great idea!
It is always nice when you and your kids/grandkids can eat the same thing!
Nice Idea. Now I need to convince my wife to make them for me!
Wow- great idea. Pretty sneaky getting all those healthy things in and calling it a popsicle! Who can resist a popsicle? Those look yummy!
Eating is a habit that we dominate since our childhood!
Great idea!
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