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There’s just something so special about those hot summer afternoons. Breaking out the tank tops and flip flops and feeling the warmth of summer on my skin are just a few of the little things in life that take me right to my happy place. Aside from the ferocious humidity here in Alabama, the sweet summertime is something that I always look forward to. I honestly can’t think of anything I’d rather do than watch my daughter prance around the front yard, running through the sprinkler and eating a freeze pop while she’s catching a break from the summer sun, and then snacking on a fresh bowl of hand picked fruit when it’s time to come in. I mean really, y’all….does it get any better than that?! It’s a dream I’ve always wanted for my children – and watching that dream come to life this time every year makes my heart soar!
But sometimes the sweet treats we indulge in this time of year can be not-so sweet to our overall health. I’m talking about all of those sugary snacks and drinks that kids (and adults) tend to buy that can cause a major sugar crash and burn before the day is through. Since my toddler has shown very little appreciation here lately towards me watering down her juice like I’ve always done, she’s trying to show me that she wants the sweet stuff, and she wants it now! (She gets her sweet tooth from her mama, no doubt!)
So I’ve been busy rethinking how I want to give her sweets without depriving her of those fun fruity flavors. She’s always loved eating fresh berries, and just recently we went blackberry picking right down the road from our house. I decided to try my hand at making my own fruit freeze pops, but without any artificial colors and sweeteners.
Summer is really the perfect time to experiment with (and indulge in) nature’s own candy. Most fruits are at their peak season this time of year and farmers markets are overflowing with scrumptious berries to munch on. Aren’t these fresh strawberries and blueberries just gorgeous sitting in my bowl? I might have had to grab a handful or two while writing this post! 😉
I picked up a few freeze pop molds and a variety of fresh berries during a recent shopping trip. While I was picking out the fruit, I immediately started envisioning these beautiful ombré-looking freeze pops made from swirling different fruits all around. Strawberries and blueberries were a must, and I already had some fresh blackberries at home waiting on us in the fridge. Fruit itself is pretty sweet, but I knew my little one would be looking for something even sweeter since she’d gotten a little spoiled trying out ice cream during her birthday party last week. I decided adding some local honey and Greek yogurt into the mix was just the thing they’d need! 
On the hottest day of the week last week, temps here were reaching in the low 90’s. My daughter just went down for a nap, and I knew she’d want to go out to play once she woke up. I figured that was the perfect opportunity to do a test run of the fresh fruit pops, so I grabbed the blender, fruit, honey and yogurt and went to town!
I blended the strawberries into a puree first and poured it into a bowl. Next, I combined the blueberries and blackberries and pureed them. In a separate bowl, I combined the honey and Greek yogurt and set it aside. I then pulled out the freeze pop molds and began to layer the purees, starting with the yogurt. Once the molds were filled, I took a toothpick and gave each freeze pop a swirl to blend some of the fruit purees together before covering them up and letting them freeze for a few hours.
Here’s a free printable copy of my recipe if you’d like to give it a try!
All-Natural Fresh Fruit Pops
Ingredients
- 1 cup low fat Greek yogurt
- 1 1/2 Tbs fresh local honey you can add as much or as little as you'd like depending on how sweet you want it
- 1 cup fresh strawberries
- 1/2 cup blueberries
- 1/2 cup blackberries
Instructions
- In a small bowl, combine yogurt and honey
- Using a blender, puree the strawberries and pour puree into bowl
- Rinse out blender (if desired) and puree blackberries and blueberries together
- Fill freeze pop molds with yogurt and berry purees, starting with a layer of yogurt, then strawberry puree followed by the blueberry and blackberry puree
- Take a toothpick and gently swirl the contents of each mold a little to give them an ombré effect
- Cover freeze pop molds and place in freezer for a few hours until set
- Yields roughly 8 freeze pops - depending on the size of the molds used
- Enjoy!
Tried this recipe?
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Once my toddler woke up from her nap, she pretty quickly put in to go play outside, just as I anticipated she would. Her little face lit up like a light when I handed her a fresh fruit freeze pop! As she began to run around with it, it didn’t take long before it started to melt and make a total mess down her hands, arms and onto her clothing.
Dealing with tough stains on my toddler’s clothing is an every day battle I face, but I’ve found that keeping a product in my laundry room that is powerful enough to get tough stains out the first time without using all of those nasty and harsh chemicals on my daughter’s delicate clothing is the winning secret that makes me stress WAY less about her making a mess when playing outside or eating a freeze pop. Messes are memories, and I’m not letting them get in the way of our fun!
That’s why I always choose all® fresh clean ESSENTIALS® fragrance-free for all of our laundry needs – especially those tricky toddler-induced stains! During my recent shopping trip to Walmart, I made sure to make a pit-stop by the laundry care aisle to stock up on all ® sulfate free detergent for the summer. (Be sure to look for it on or near the top shelf!)
NEW sulfate free all® fresh clean ESSENTIALS® delivers a powerful clean without harshness – so it’s a perfect fit into our family’s lifestyle. I love it because the ingredients are listed directly on the back of the bottle, so there’s no guessing as to what exactly you’re using on your clothing and putting next to your family’s skin. The sulfate free formula uses only essential ingredients that are proven to be effective in lifting and deep cleaning the toughest of stains. It’s a total win/win for us! No guessing what’s in it AND no worries about getting those berry stains out. Hooray!
These fresh fruit freeze pops have been a real highlight in our summer fun so far, and the summer is really just beginning! I love how versatile this recipe can be, too. I’ve already got a few ideas lined up for some other fun fruity flavors to try next! (I’m thinking mango and pineapple would be amazing!)
Discount Alert:
Heading out to Walmart this week? Make sure you grab this awesome coupon good for $1.50 off (1) all fresh clean ESSENTIALS®! (Offer valid May 1st – July 31st or while supplies last!)
What is it that you love about summertime? Do you have a little one who loves to run around the yard with a freeze pop like mine? Do you have a recipe perfect for summer that uses all natural ingredients? Leave a comment below and share the love!
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