Fruit popsicles are a delicious and refreshing treat not just for summer, but through fall and spring as well (perhaps winter too? I could definitely eat them year-round). They are easy to make at home with fresh fruits, juice, and popsicle molds, and can be customized with your favorite flavors and ingredients.

Here are two easy recipes to get you started:

Watermelon-Strawberry Popsicles

Ingredients

3/4 cup of sliced strawberries plus 2 cups of whole strawberries, divided

2 cups cubed seedless watermelon

I/4 cup of lime juice

2 Tablespoons light brown sugar

I/8 teaspoon salt

I. Press the sliced strawberries to the insides of six 3-ounce freezer molds

2. Combine the whole strawberries, watermelon, lime juice, brown sugar, and salt in a blender. Puree. Pour the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve set over a medium bowl, pressing on the solids to yield as much juice as possible (you can either discard or keep the solids, adding them to the mixture). Divide the mixture among the prepared molds and insert the sticks.

3. Freeze until solid, about 6 hours.

Prep Time: I5 min.

Total Time: 6 and I/4 hrs (this is including the 6 hrs. freezing time)

Equipment: Six 3-oz. freezer-pop molds

To Make ahead: Can be frozen for up to six weeks

Serves 6: I popsicle each

Fruit and Granola Popsicles

Ingredients

I and I/2 cups of plain kefir (Please Note: Kefir is a drinkable yogurt that can be digested “as is“, poured over granola or cereal, or blended into smoothies and more. There are organic, dairy-free, and other varieties)

2 Tbsp. honey

I/4 tsp. almond extract

I and I/2 cups of sliced fruit

6 Tbsp. granola

Whisk the kefir, honey, and almond extract mixture.

Divide the sliced fruit (like blueberries, strawberries, kiwi, etc.) and mixture among the six popsicle molds.

Top each mold with I Tbsp. granola and insert the popsicle sticks.

Freeze until solid.

Did You Know That…..

1. The first popsicle was invented by accident. In 1905, an 11-year-old boy named Frank Epperson left a cup of soda with a stirring stick outside overnight. The next morning, he found that the soda had frozen and he could eat it like a lollipop. He called his invention the “Epsicle“, which later became the “Popsicle“.
2. The most popular popsicle flavor in the US is cherry. According to a survey by the Popsicle brand, cherry is the favorite flavor of 33% of Americans, followed by grape (19%), orange (14%), and lime (12%).
3. The world’s largest popsicle was made in New York City in 2005. It weighed 17.6 tons and was 25 feet tall. It was made with 16,000 pounds of juice and 2,900 pounds of wooden sticks. Unfortunately, it melted faster than expected and had to be removed by a crane.
4. There is a popsicle museum in San Francisco. It is called the Museum of Ice Cream and it features a popsicle sculpture garden, a sprinkle pool, a banana split room, and a pop rock cave. You can also sample different flavors of ice cream and popsicles at the museum.
5. Popsicles can help prevent dehydration. When you are sick or have a sore throat, popsicles can soothe your pain and provide hydration. They can also help lower your body temperature and prevent heatstroke in hot weather.
6. Popsicles can be made with alcohol. If you want to make boozy popsicles, you can use wine, beer, champagne, or liquor as the base. However, you need to use less alcohol than juice or water, because alcohol has a lower freezing point and will make your popsicles softer.
7. Popsicles can be good for your teeth. Some popsicles contain xylitol, a natural sweetener that can prevent tooth decay and plaque buildup. Xylitol can also reduce the acidity in your mouth and stimulate saliva production.
8. Popsicles can be used for science experiments. You can use popsicles to demonstrate various scientific concepts, such as freezing and melting, density, color mixing, and chemical reactions. For example, you can make rainbow popsicles by layering different colors of juice, or make fizzy popsicles by adding baking soda and vinegar.
9. Popsicles can be made with unusual ingredients. You can experiment with different combinations of fruits, vegetables, herbs, spices, nuts, seeds, yogurt, milk, cream, honey, chocolate, and more. Some examples of unusual popsicle flavors are avocado lime, watermelon basil, cucumber mint, coconut curry, peanut butter banana, and lavender lemonade.
10. Popsicles can be good for your skin. Some popsicles contain antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients that can benefit your skin health. For example, berries can protect your skin from sun damage, citrus fruits can boost your collagen production, and carrots can improve your complexion.
11. The Klondike Bar (the classic square of vanilla ice cream coated with a chocolate shell) was invented in I922 by the Isaly company in Ohio. It was originally served on a stick and came in flavors like grape, maple, and cherry.
12. The Outshine Fruit Bars are made with real fruit or fruit juice and have no artificial colors or flavors. They come in several varieties, like strawberry, grape, lime mango, and pineapple (the strawberry ones are outstanding; actual fruit bits in them).

Recipe Sources: “Cooler Pops”-nosh snacks segment-EatingWell, July/august 20I8, and Good Food Fast segment-EatingWell, Sept. 2020