No-added-sugar fruit popsicles

Most store-bought freezer pops are sugar water with flavouring. These are made from blended whole fruit, so the sweetness comes from the fruit itself. A ripe banana does a lot of the work: it adds natural sweetness and makes the popsicles creamier and less icy. They’re a good recipe for kids to help with, since there’s no heat involved.

Steps

1. Hull the strawberries (or prep whatever fruit you’re using). If you’re using frozen fruit, let it sit for 10 minutes so it’s easier to blend.
2. Put the fruit and banana in the blender with 1/4 cup (60 ml) water or milk. Blend until completely smooth, adding a little more liquid only if the blender gets stuck. The mixture should be thick but pourable.
3. Taste it. If it’s too tart, add a few more slices of banana or a handful of very ripe mango rather than sugar.
4. For a yogurt layer (optional): stir the vanilla into the yogurt. Spoon a layer of yogurt into the bottom of each mould, then pour the fruit mixture on top. For a swirl, add both and run a skewer through once or twice.
5. Fill the moulds, leaving a little space at the top because the mixture expands as it freezes. Tap the moulds on the counter to knock out air bubbles.
6. Insert the sticks. If your mould has no stick holder, freeze for about 1 hour first, until slushy, so the sticks stand up straight.
7. Freeze for at least 6 hours, or overnight, until solid.
8. To unmould, run the outside of the mould under warm water for 10 to 20 seconds, then pull gently on the stick.

Tips

• Fruit combinations: strawberry and banana, mango and peach, or mixed berries all work. Watermelon blended alone makes a light, icy pop.
• Hide some veggies: a small handful of baby spinach disappears into a berry blend. The colour changes a little, the taste barely does.
• Use ripe fruit. The riper the fruit, the sweeter the popsicle, which is the whole point when you skip added sugar.
• Storage: once frozen, pop them out and keep them in a freezer bag so they don’t pick up freezer smells. They’re best within a few weeks.

Good to know

• Fruit has natural sugar, so these are still a treat. Blending whole fruit, rather than using juice, keeps the fibre. The American Academy of Pediatrics notes that juice offers no nutritional benefit over whole fruit, and that whole fruit also provides fibre (HealthyChildren.org).
• Allergy swaps: for a dairy-free version, blend with water and use a plant-based yogurt, checking the label for nuts if that matters in your house (some are made from cashews or almonds).
• Avoid adding honey if the popsicles might go to a baby under 1 year old.
• Smooth, blended popsicles are easier for young children than chunks of raw fruit. If you stir in pieces of fruit, keep them very small.

Want more no-bake ideas? Try our frozen yogurt bark and chocolate banana pops, or see all our make-it-at-home recipes.

Sources

• Where we stand: fruit juice, HealthyChildren.org (American Academy of Pediatrics)