Frosty summer treats for kids that are healthy

Most ice pops and frozen treats contain high fructose corn syrup, artificial flavourings, food colouring, and tons of added sugars. Most of them don’t even have any real fruit in them yet they still boast a high price tag! Don’t sweat, mamma bear! You can be proud of what you offer your children with these two easy-to-make – and gentle on-the-pocket – nutritious frozen delights. These ice superstars are made with REAL fruits. They’re even better than store-bought frozen treats. Best of all, they taste delicious!

Frozen blueberry & vanilla yoghurt lollies

Give your kids the berry best with this frozen blueberry and vanilla yoghurt delight! This healthy dessert works really well with blueberries and is best eaten as soon as it’s made. If you don’t have an ice-cream machine, freeze the frozen yoghurt in a plastic container; remove from the freezer after about an hour and a half, and whiz in a food processor until smooth. Remove and repeat one more time, then freeze until completely frozen. Remove from the fridge and allow to soften a little before serving.

*Prep time: 20 minutes plus freezing time *Makes four portions

Ingredients

• 500g ripe fresh sweet blueberries (you can also opt to use cherries or strawberries)
• 75g castor sugar
• 100ml double cream
• 200ml vanilla flavour full-cream yoghurt

Method

1. Place the blueberries in a blender and whiz until smooth.
2. Over a large bowl, push the purée through a sieve using the underside of a ladle or wooden spoon. Mix the sugar, yoghurt, and double cream into the blueberry juice.
3. You can add a few whole blueberries into the mix if you would like.
4. Pour the mixture into an ice-cream-making machine and churn until frozen and thick.

Iced banana and pear lollies

Your kids will go bananas over this yummy treat! It’s easy to make your own baby food desserts from fresh fruit, and sucking on lollies will help soothe sore gums when your baby is teething. This baby food dessert tastes delicious – almost like creamy ice cream. This also makes a delicious dessert served in a bowl unfrozen.

• Suitable from 11 months
• Suitable for freezing
• Makes four ice lollies

Ingredients

• 120ml custard
• 2 bananas
• 2 tbsp pear concentrate
• 1 tbsp icing sugar

Method

• Either use ready-made custard or make up custard using half a tablespoon of custard powder, half a tablespoon castor sugar, and 150ml milk.
• Peel and mash the bananas and liquidise with the custard. Stir in the pear concentrate and icing sugar.
• Add to the moulds and set in the freezer.

Top tip: Use ripe bananas for the best flavour. Ripe bananas will have some brown spots on the skin.