I bet you didn’t know that July 8th is National Freezer Pop Day! But feel free to celebrate frozen, fruity summer treats any day you like. And if you make them yourself, you’ll benefit in more ways than just enjoyment of their cool deliciousness.
What are freezer pops?
Freezer pops are similar to popsicles, except they are frozen in a plastic, disposable, tube-shaped wrapper. They are sold in liquid form, and then you freeze them at home. To eat, simply cut or tear off one end of the tube and squeeze the frozen pop up from the closed end. For some people, these pops are a rite of summer.
DIY freezer pops offer advantages
Whipping up your own freezer pops is so easy that little kids can help. And older children can even do it themselves. Homemade freezer pops and other homemade treats beat purchased versions in several ways, including:
- You can use up little bits of ripe fruit (or veggies) you have on hand, eliminating food waste.
- They don’t require a lot of ingredients, so are inexpensive to make.
- You can use reusable molds in a tube shape or other ice pop shapes instead of buying plastic wrappers (although you can find those online if you wish).
- You control the ingredients and can sidestep artificial colors, flavors, or sweeteners you may want to avoid.
How to make homemade freezer pops
There are many recipes online for various flavors of freezer pops. The basic formula is:
- 2 cups frozen or fresh fruit (if frozen, thaw 20-30 minutes before blending)
- ½–1 cup liquid (water, juice, lemonade, canned coconut milk, or a combo)
- 1–2 tablespoons honey or maple syrup (optional)
Then simply blend all ingredients, making a thin, smooth puree. Pour into molds and freeze until solid.
The finer points of making freezer pops
- If you are using especially ripe or sweet fruit, you can eliminate the sweetener.
- If you want freezer pops that don’t freeze rock solid, incorporate canned coconut milk or some yogurt into your mixture. The fat helps make the ice crystals a little smaller and the pop a little softer.
- Feel free to use some vegetables in your puree mixture, such as carrot or spinach.
- When creating a freezer pop flavor, it helps to think about what combinations make tasty smoothies—then use that.
- If you want a more tangy or tart freezer pop, use lemonade as part of the liquid. Or incorporate a couple tablespoons of lemon or lime juice.
Looking for more frozen treat recipe ideas?
Check out the Guiding Stars recipe collection for a variety of refreshing and delicious frozen pops, ice creams, and other summertime selections. Pina Colada Pudding Pops and Orange Smoothie (frozen in popsicle molds) are perennial favorite pop flavors. Frozen banana pops are another easy freezer pop alternative. Take banana halves, coat them with either nut butter or yogurt, then roll in nuts. (Or coconut, or sprinkles—you do you!) For something with a little veggie added, our Pineapple, Banana Smoothie (with kale) is as tasty as it is colorful. It’s perfect for making freezer pops. Use frozen or fresh pineapple (or even pineapple canned in juice). Be creative, use what you have, and you just might find that you’ve created a new taste sensation!
And don’t forget, it’s ok to keep some store-bought frozen treats on hand. Look for Guiding Stars icons on shelf tags (and while shopping online) at participating stores to quickly find nutritious options. Guiding Stars makes it easy to compare products quickly, so you can get back to the summer fun.