I hope you’ve all been enjoying the summer and soaking up all the sun! One thing we’ve definitely been enjoying this summer is making our own freezer friendly toddler snacks. When the temperatures start climbing, there’s nothing better than opening the freezer and having something cold, refreshing, and ready to go.
Over the last couple of summers, I’ve started making homemade popsicles for my four-year-old, and honestly, I wish I’d started sooner. They’re incredibly easy to make, they save us a little money, and I know exactly what’s going into them. Plus, they’re perfect after daycare, after a trip to the splash pad, or simply after an afternoon spent playing outside.
Why We Started Making Homemade Popsicles
rocket popsicles
Like many parents, I noticed how quickly store-bought popsicles disappear. While they’re convenient, they can also become expensive over the summer months, especially if you’re buying a box every week.
Making our own has been a fun alternative. We mainly use natural ingredients that we already have in the fridge, which means less waste and fewer trips to the grocery store. Best of all, they’re always ready whenever my daughter asks for a cold snack.
What You’ll Need
banana yogurt popsicle
The best part is that you don’t need a complicated recipe.
Here’s what we usually keep on hand:
- Plain natural yogurt
- Homemade strawberry jam
- Natural watermelon juice
- Natural orange juice
- Popsicle moulds
- Popsicle sticks (if your moulds don’t include them)
For our yogurt popsicles, I simply mix plain natural yogurt with a spoonful or two of homemade strawberry jam until it’s well combined. Then I pour the mixture into the moulds and freeze.
For fruit popsicles, it’s even easier. I simply pour natural watermelon juice or orange juice into the moulds and let the freezer do the rest.
There’s no right or wrong way to make them. If you already have yogurt or juice at home, you’re halfway there.
Our Favourite Flavours
popsicle in yogurt cup
We’ve experimented with quite a few combinations, and thankfully we haven’t had any failures yet!
Some of our favourites include:
- Strawberry yogurt with homemade jam
- Vanilla yogurt
- Blueberry yogurt
- Peach yogurt
- Banana yogurt
- Raspberry yogurt
- Watermelon juice popsicles
- Orange juice popsicles
If I had to pick our biggest favourites, I’d say strawberry yogurt and watermelon are definitely at the top of the list.
Don’t Be Afraid to Buy Extra Moulds
homemade popsicles
We started with one popsicle mould, but quickly realized it wasn’t enough.
Since then, we’ve picked up a few extra moulds from the dollar store, and they’ve been well worth it. We usually make a small batch at a time, and having multiple moulds means there’s almost always another batch freezing.
Our homemade popsicles easily last a month or two in the freezer, although they rarely stick around that long!
Other Freezer Friendly Toddler Snacks
frozen fruit
Popsicles aren’t the only thing we keep stocked in our freezer.
Some other freezer friendly toddler snacks we regularly have on hand include:
- Yogurt tubes
- Homemade pancakes
- Waffles
If you’re looking for more ideas, you could also try:
- Frozen banana slices
- Homemade yogurt bark
- Mini muffins
- Smoothie cubes
- Frozen berries mixed into yogurt
Having a few different options makes snack time much easier, especially during busy weekdays.
Why I Love Having Snacks Ready
chocolate yogurt popsicles
One of the biggest benefits is convenience.
There are plenty of afternoons when we come home after playing outside, visiting the splash pad, or running errands, and neither of us feels like preparing a snack. Opening the freezer and grabbing something homemade takes less than a minute.
I also like knowing they’re made with ingredients I chose myself. They’re simple, refreshing, and a little more natural than many store-bought frozen treats.
A Quick Safety Reminder
melted popsicles
Whenever your toddler is enjoying frozen snacks, always supervise them while they’re eating. Make sure snacks are appropriate for their age and cut larger frozen foods into safe, bite-sized pieces when necessary.
Final Thoughts
purple popsicles
Making freezer friendly toddler snacks has become one of our favourite summer routines. They’re simple to prepare, easy on the budget, and a great way to cool down after spending time outside.
If you’ve been thinking about making homemade popsicles, I’d definitely encourage you to give them a try. You don’t need fancy ingredients or complicated recipes—just use what you already have in your fridge.
Sometimes the simplest ideas become the ones your little one asks for all summer long.
If you enjoyed reading this blog post as much as I enjoyed writing it, you may enjoy reading one of these other blog posts:
Easy Summer Meals I Make When It’s Too Hot to Cook
My Starbucks Obsession: Crafting Happiness One Cup at a Time
Quick & Easy Spring Drinks for Moms
I share more real-life moments from single motherhood, Ontario adventures, everyday style, food finds, and behind-the-scenes blogging over on Instagram.
Come say hello: @lifeofgem28
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