Real Fruit Popsicles

The recipe for these delicious and dietitian-approved frozen treats was adapted from the blog “All Things Green” by Maria Baath.  I took her advice to make them a little sweeter than I normally might because they won’t taste quite as sweet once they are frozen. These popsicles had a beautifully ripe pineapple that barely needed any additional sweetener and an almost-ripe watermelon that needed a little more.  I blended the two fruits separately so I could layer their pretty colors in the popsicle molds but they would be delicious blended together as well.

A few tips for picking ripe fruit: Pineapple signals ripeness by its smell, so join me by being the awesome mom in the produce aisle sniffing the fruit! Watermelon should sound hollow if you knock on it and it is a good sign if your watermelon has a nice yellow spot where it has been laying on the ground.

When you make pineapple popsicles, don’t ditch the core—it is the most nutritious part and has wonderful enzymes that aid in digestion. These enzymes are so effective that they actually break down things like jello, which is why it’s a good idea to core or cook pineapple before adding it to jello. If you’re serving pineapple by the slice, cut it in triangles so there are just one or two small bites of core for those who don’t like its firmer texture.

• 2 cups Watermelon
• 2 cups Pineapple
• ¼ cup Local Raw Honey*

* Don’t give honey to children younger than one years old. It has bacteria that can cause serious health problems in very young children.

Blend watermelon with half of the total honey and pour into a spouted bowl or spouted glass measuring cup. Rinse blender, then blend pineapple with the rest of the honey. If your pineapple and watermelon are both sweet they may not need as much honey. Try a taste and adjust as needed.  Fill ¼ popsicle mold with watermelon then ¼ with pineapple, layering until full.  Swirl the popsicle stick in the full mold if you would like to mix the flavors and colors. Freeze at least four hours or overnight.  

Tovolo is my favorite brand for popsicle molds. The molds in the photo are their classic mold, and they also have great kids’ molds like Dino pops and Bug pops.