Kitchen Skills: DIY Popsicles

Kitchen Skills is The Garden’s ongoing series that help parents and kids collaborate on making meals and treats for the whole family. It’s important we teach our kids how to feed themselves and others so they don’t have to live exclusively on ramen when they eventually leave home!

It’s summer, and it’s hot out. I don’t think we need any more justification to have some frozen treats stashed in the freezer. Do you? In fact, we can make them ourselves!

Shopping list

• Supplies
  • One or more plastic or silicone popsicle moulds (you can use small juice cups if you want)
  • Popsicle sticks (if your mould doesn’t come with reusable ones)
• For the popsicles
  • Ingredients vary

There are probably hundreds of awesome DIY popsicle recipes out there already. So instead of making up my own likely inferior recipe and just sharing that with you, I’m going to point you to a few of my favourites.

Making popsicles

The method for making tasty, tasty ice-pops at home is similar from recipe to recipe. You either blend all your ingredients together, or in separate stages, if your popsicle is a layered one.

Once your ingredients are prepped and mixed, just put them in the moulds and pop them in the freezer. You’ll usually need to let them freeze solid overnight—but if you do them first thing in the morning, they’ll be ready by the afternoon.

Kids can help: Your kids can help with every step in most of the recipes out there. Depending on their ages, of course. Kids can select fruit, measure yogurt or milk, even hit the button on the blender or food processer. Why not try helping your kids make the first recipe, and then just supervising a second one?

Try these delicious recipes

Lime Creamsicles

Have you ever had key lime pie? It’s one of the most amazing things humans have ever invented. Now it comes in popsicle form. These pops are easy as…well, pie, so they’re a good one to get your kids helping with.

Root Beer Float Popsicles

Root beer floats were a favourite dessert of mine growing up. Thinking about them brings up memories of burgers on the boardwalk and staying up past bedtime because it was nice out.

Blueberry Breakfast Parfait Pops

Wait. What? Popsicles for breakfast?? Yep. I often eat oatmeal, yogurt, and blueberries for breakfast. Why not as a frozen treat? These popsicles are a wonderful, more complete, alternative to cereal.

Creamy Nutella Popsicles

There might be something wrong with you if you don’t love Nutella. But I’m not here to judge. These creamy treats aren’t going to win any health food awards, but they’re really easy, and would make a wonderful dessert after a summer BBQ.

Baby Food Popsicles

Toddlers and teethers will love these frozen treats. With ingredients like bananas and avocados, they’re perfect for your littlest ones and packed with nutrition. Be prepared to clean up a bit of a mess!

Peaches and Cream Pops

It’s a classic flavour combo—mild and sweet. Peaches are coming into season soon, so have this recipe handy. Delicious and fun to look at, too.