Popsicle molds have made my life so much easier as a mom. My son loves fruits in general, but there are certain types of fruits and vegetables that he refuses to try. So instead of forcing him to eat all the right foods, I make them into pretty looking popsicles and it ends up being a good day for the both of us.
Many kids will go for one to two days in a row refusing to eat any vegetables or fruits. In a comprehensive survey called the Feeding Infants and Toddlers Study, they found that about 25% of infants and toddlers older than nine months old did not eat a single serving of fruits or vegetables in a day. In children above two years of age, about 40% of their daily calories comes from solid fats and added sugars – in other words, empty calories.
So making your kids fruit and vegetable popsicles is a fun and easy way to ensure that your child has healthy snack options that include fruits and vegetables. You can hide all kinds of fruits and vegetables in a popsicle, disguising vegetable flavors with sweet fruits. And any smoothie recipe you make will do. Here are some super foods to keep in mind for your next batch of popsicles:
- Fresh fruits
- Avocado
- Nuts
- Raw spinach
- Wheat germ
- Coconut oil
- Dates (as a sweetener instead of sugar)
- Coconut milk
- Almond milk
- Ripe bananas (as a sweetener instead of sugar)
- Plain yogurt
Besides your ingredients, all you need is a popsicle mold (which you can find at any kitchen store). You can always use plastic cups and popsicle/craft sticks as a DIY alternative. And know that the recipes you create, so long as you use all-natural and fresh ingredients, are packed with antioxidants, monounsaturated fats (healthy fats that your kids need), calcium, iron, magnesium, vitamin C, vitamin B-6 and fiber. That’s a pretty sweet way to treat your child to a snack.
