Tag Archives: summer

Homemade Pudding Pops – Day 7 of 30 Days of Healthy Homemade Summer Treats

30 Days of Healthy Homemade Summer Treats

I loved pudding pops as a kids. Chocolate, of course. While these are probably the least healthy suggestion I’ll give during this entire 30 days, they’re also a lot of fun and you can make them healthier with some additions.

Ingredients

1 3.9 oz (small) package pudding mix
2 cups milk
1/2 cup frozen whipped topping

Make pudding according to package directions. Allow mix to cool if using a cooked pudding. Mix in whipped topping. Pour into popsicle molds.

You can add fresh fruit to make this healthier. Real whipped cream rather than whipped topping is another option. You can also be more ambitious than I am and make your own pudding. This will let you have more control over all of the ingredients. There’s a good recipe at Rodale for chocolate pudding. I haven’t tried it, but I imagine you could use avocado chocolate mousse rather than chocolate pudding to make these healthier.

You can also have fun and use more than one flavor of pudding. There are some really fun ideas at Our Best Bites.

Homemade Pudding Pops - Day 7 of 30 Days of Healthy Homemade Summer Treats

Green Smoothies Day 6 of 30 Days of Healthy Homemade Summer Treats

30 Days of Healthy Homemade Summer Treats

Most of my smoothies are at least a little green. Spinach is so easy to add, and doesn’t change the flavor all that much. Kale works well too.

But if you want something that will definitely work as a green smoothie, with a nice green shade, there are some things you should do. Skip the berries, for example. I love berries in my smoothies, but you’ll get a more muddy color if you mix the red of the berries with the green of the spinach. It’s not that appealing to kids, while green can be a fun color. Don’t add chocolate or cacao nibs either, as once again, it will have more of a brown color. Stick with ingredients that will allow the green to show. Now if your kids don’t mind a brownish tint, go for the berries and/or chocolate. We’re going for delicious, after all, along with healthy.

Ingredients

1-2 handfuls spinach
1-4 celery sticks
1 banana, peeled
1 apple, sliced
1/3 cup plain Greek yogurt
1 tbsp chia seeds
1 cup ice

Place all ingredients in blender. Puree until smooth. Add milk, juice or water if smoothie is too thick. Serve.

Green Smoothie - Day 6 of 30 Days of Healthy Homemade Summer Treats

Watermelon Popsicles – Day 2 of 30 Days of Healthy Homemade Summer Treats

30 Days of Healthy Homemade Summer Treats

I discovered watermelon popsicles one year when I realized we had cut way, way too much watermelon for my daughter’s birthday party. There was simply no way we were going to eat all of the remaining slices before they went bad. So I cut off the rind, tossed them in the blender, then poured the liquid into popsicle molds. It’s really that easy, no other ingredients, and the kids love them.

For those who want a more official looking recipe, here you go:

Ingredient

Watermelon slices, rind removed

Instructions

Chop watermelon into pieces that fit into your blender. Turn it on and blend until the pieces are broken up. Do not overblend – it’s okay if it’s not totally smooth.

Pour into popsicle molds and freeze until solid.

Watermelon Popsicles - 30 Days of Healthy Homemade Summer Treats

Banana Pops – Day 1 of 30 Days of Healthy Homemade Summer Treats

30 Days of Healthy Homemade Summer Treats

Bananas taste great frozen. Coat them in chocolate, and they’re even better! This recipe isn’t precise, because it depends on how many banana popsicles you want to make.

Ingredients

Bananas, sliced in half crosswise
Chocolate chips
Nuts or sprinkles (optional)
Popsicle sticks

Melt chocolate chips in a bowl in the microwave or over double boiler. If melting in the microwave, stir every 30 seconds and do not overheat. They will stir up to a smooth consistency when they look mostly melted.

Push a popsicle stick into the end of each banana. Dip each banana into the chocolate, then roll in sprinkles or nuts if desired. Place on wax paper. Place in freezer until the chocolate hardens.

A yogurt dip works as well. Just dip the bananas in yogurt and freeze.

Frozen Bananas - 30 Days of Healthy Homemade Summer Treats

30 Days of Healthy Homemade Summer Treats Starts Tomorrow

30 Days of Healthy Homemade Summer Treats

Summer is just about here. The kids will be home more, and that means they’ll want more snacks. To make this easier, I will be sharing healthy, homemade snack ideas throughout the month of June.

Some treats will of course be healthier than others, but that’s part of the fun. Make them with the right ingredients, and even the less healthy ones can be better for your kids than similar, store bought treats. Look at the sweeteners used, for example, in juices you use for popsicles.