Our little ones love frozen treats in the heat of summer. Parents, we can satisfy the craving with treats both yummy and healthy. Here are some fun frozen treats to help our little ones cool down on those hot summer days.
Easiest Treat Ever
Let’s start out with the easiest of the bunch: Frozen blueberries. This is a great treat because it requires so little preparation.
All you need to do is rinse fresh blueberries and freeze them. You can do this by tossing them in a plastic or glass container that has a lid or even just a ziplock bag will do perfectly!
Keep them stashed away until the moment is right and BANG! Surprise your little one with an amazing treat that tastes like candy.
You don’t have to tell them it’s a healthy snack. Just let ‘em enjoy it and keep the simplicity and health benefits to yourself. I’m sure we all know that moment when you tell your little one how yummy and healthy a sack is for them, and all of the sudden they don’t want anything to do with it.
Flavor and Protein
Next stop on the frozen summertime treat train is frozen yogurt bark. This is a personal favorite of mine. I love a sneaky healthy snack. And this one is jam-packed with protein.
First things first, pull out the handy dandy baking sheet. Make sure you choose a baking sheet that is small enough to fit into your freezer.
Spread a thin layer of greek yogurt on your baking sheet. The flavor of yogurt is totally up to you. Lemon was a huge hit with my little guy, but there also are raspberry, strawberry, vanilla, honey … the options are almost endless.
Next, rinse your berries, then crush them. You can do this as easily as throwing your berries in a bowl and crushing them with a fork. Top your greek yogurt spread with the berries of your choice.
Place the baking sheet in the freezer and wait. Once completely frozen, break the bark up into smaller bite sized pieces. Transfer to a sealed container to keep in the freezer and access when needed.
This treat is a wonderful alternative to reaching for those ice cream sandwiches or popsicles without too much outside effort needed.
More Prep, Big Punch
Last, we have the always popular frozen fruit pops. Yes, you are correct, this option does require the most preparation. But all of these ideas also make great activities to do alongside your kiddo, specifically this one.
You will need a blender, a set of popsicle molds and popsicle sticks. If you don’t already have popsicle molds, they sometimes can be found at dollar stores, discount stores or even a grocery store.
Rinse, dry and chop the fruits of your choice. Then, throw them into the blender. From there, you will want to add liquid of some kind. This could be as easy as adding a splash of water. Or you may feel inclined to add another flavor to your popsicles. You can do this by adding some coconut water or orange juice. Whatever you or your kiddo’s heart desires.
Next, pour your fruit mixture into the molds and add the popsicle sticks. Put them in your freezer and wait. Your kiddo will be so impressed! Best popsicle they’ve ever tasted.
There you have it! Simple and sweet (and, shhh, healthy!) frozen treats for those hot summer days.
Sophie Hamel is a freelance writer and works as a crisis responder. Her son is three years old.
Luminous removes the hassle of arranging for tuition vouchers and helps make childcare affordable. Vouchers can help ease your financial stress. Learn more about qualifying for HRA and ACS vouchers at our Bronx and Brooklyn centers. Payment can also be made by SEIU/1199 Child Care, check, credit card, and through the Luminous reimbursement program. Contact Luminous Early Childhood Learning Center at [email protected] or call us at 929.228.1180.