Enjoying as many grandchildren as I do is surely a blessing. But it can also be a great test, when you have to keep them well-fed and delighted. This is the reason why I was so enjoyed experience the silicone ice pop molds. In just a few hours I can prepare wholesome snack for my grand kids at home. All I have to do is get fresh fruits and mix them. Then, I just pour the fruit smoothie in the ice pop maker and wait for it to freeze. It is as practical as that!

With all the food colorings and preservatives that go into commercial ice creams and frozen treats, I do not feel at ease extending them to my grandchildren. Especially if you have kids with allergies, you know how critical it is to stick to natural ingredients. And with all the processed fast food that children consume nowadays, it only makes sense to attempt and introduce more healthy ingredients whenever we can. This is why homemade ice pops are the right treat. Even the pickiest eaters among my grandchildren will consume fruit in the form of ice pops. Sometimes I will even "hide" healthy fruits and vegetables in an ice pop, that my grand-kids would not consume otherwise. Avocados and beets, if blended with a banana, offer a very good color and tons of nutrients while the little ones cannot determine the "secret ingredient", thanks to the sweet taste of bananas. The best part is that you can allow your kids to eat as many ice pops as they want, since they are really good for them!

I have tried a couple types of ice pop makers and they all work, but my personal favorite ones are the ones that are BPA-free, because I do not like my grandchildren to come in contact with chemicals. I have found a great set that has six molds in fun colors and the kids cherish them. They are also FDA-approved, so I feel comfortable using them. I have tried the 4-pack ice pop molds before, but they just disappeared way too fast ! The ones that I have now have a lid that closes tightly, which is terrific, because we had a few disasters of spilled juice in the freezer with other freeze pop molds before. It was sticky and messy and not pretty at all! Here are my favorite Silicone Ice Pop Molds.

There are a couple of recipes that my grandchildren love and they are so easy that I let them make them on their own (with my supervision). Here are some thoughts to get you started:.

Frozen yogurt pops: Cut up fruit of your choice -we prefer strawberries and bananas- and mix them with the yogurt of your preference. It can be plain or with a fruit flavor. It can even be soy yogurt, if your kids are lactose intolerant! Now pour the yogurt in the ice pop maker and freeze.

Layered ice pops: you can use different colors of juices or even ingredients with different textures in order to make your freeze pops. Pour the first layer in the mold and freeze until it looks firm on the top. Then add the next layer and freeze again. Continue like this, so that the layers do not mix with each other. You can use whipped cream, chocolate chips, sprinkles etc to make your pops fancier!

As you can see, you can produce many assorted combinations and be sure that your kids eat healthily, while you save money. What's more to ask? Cleaning after the kids is also a snap because the ice pop molds I have can be easily scrubed with a bottle brush or in the dishwasher. I am absolutely in love with them!