Orange creamsicle or minty watermelon? Homemade popsicles are healthier than those in the freezer aisle

One sweltering summer in Southern California, Jessica Gavin was looking for a healthy, cooling treat for her then 2-year-old son.

Gavin, a food science expert who wrote "Easy Culinary Science for Better Cooking," knew that even brands of healthy-looking popsicles often come filled with artificial colors and flavors, stabilizers and preservatives.

So she made her own. Seven years and one daughter later, it's become a family tradition.

"It's fun because you can make it with your kids," said Gavin. "It's something that you could kind of just throw together and enjoy within a few hours."

Her popsicle flavors sound as if they could have come out of a gourmet grocery store: minty watermelon, peach-strawberry yogurt, blackberry lemon and orange-mango coconut. The difference is that each has five or fewer ingredients - and no high-fructose corn syrup.

Most of her recipes mix pureed fruit with either Greek yogurt or coconut milk, plus a little honey depending on the sweetness of the fruit. Gavin suggested tasting the mixture for sweetness before adding honey.

For her homemade popsicles, Kacie Barnes, a dietitian nutritionist in Dallas, rarely adds sweetener. That's in part because most fruit is already sweet, but also because kids rarely eat only one, she said.

Her simplest pops combine 100% juice with a little unflavored collagen protein powder for a nutritional boost. Some juice blends that include vegetables - look at the label to make sure there is no added sugar - also help expose kids to flavors they might not eat otherwise, she said.

"It's a great way to add another ingredient that they might not be eating a ton of," said Barnes, whose website is Mama Knows Nutrition. "You can usually find something with carrot or beet mixed in."

Several types of popsicle molds are available online, but Barnes and Gavin both said you can get away without buying anything. Small paper cups or even ice cube trays work, and instead of traditional sticks, you could use small spoons.

Gavin cautioned not to expect the exact texture and flavor of supermarket pops. Homemade ones tend to be icier because they freeze more slowly than in industrial flash freezers and lack ingredients that make the texture smoother.

But she said your kids won't care.

"I love that I can make something my family can enjoy that is healthy, and they wouldn't even know it," she said.

Jessica Gavin's Minty Watermelon Popsicles

Ingredients

3 cups watermelon slices, divided

1 tablespoon fresh mint leaves

1 1/2 cups coconut water

2 tablespoons lime juice

1 tablespoon honey

Directions

In a blender, puree 2 1/2 cups diced watermelon pieces, mint leaves, coconut water, lime juice and honey. Cut the remaining 1/2 cup watermelon slices into ¼-inch cubes.

Evenly divide the diced watermelon into the molds, tapping them down to the bottom.

Stir the popsicle mixture, then evenly divide it among the molds. Insert the popsicle sticks. If they do not stay in place, use a piece of tape to hold them upright.

Freeze for at least six hours.

Kacie Barnes' Orange Creamsicles

Ingredients

1 banana

1 cup plain whole milk Greek yogurt or full-fat coconut milk

1/2 cup orange juice

1 tsp orange zest

1 Tbsp maple syrup

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Directions

Combine all ingredients in a blender. Divide into popsicle molds and insert sticks. Freeze for at least six hours.

For something a little different than fruit popsicles, why not try chocolate ones? These fudgesicles from The Kitchn aren't as healthy as the fruit popsicles, but they don't contain the preservatives you might find in store-bought fudgesicles.

EASY HOMEMADE FUDGESICLES

Ingredients

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (natural or Dutch-processed)

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1/4 teaspoon

kosher salt

2 cups dairy or non-dairy milk

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

Combine the dry ingredients. Place 1/2 cup cocoa powder, 1/2 cup granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon cornstarch, and 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt in a medium saucepan and whisk to combine, breaking up any clumps.

Whisk in the milk. Slowly whisk in 1/2 cup of the milk or non-dairy milk and whisk until smooth. Whisk in the remaining 1 1/2 cups milk until smooth.

Simmer the mixture until thickened. Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat, stirring constantly with a rubber spatula to prevent the milk from burning. Simmer until the mixture thickens and coats the back of the spatula (it should be the consistency of chocolate sauce), about 1 minute. Remove from the heat and stir in 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract. Let cool, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. The mixture will continue to thicken as it cools to become the consistency of warm pudding.

Divide between popsicle molds and freeze. Divide the mixture between 8 (2 to 2.25-ounce) popsicle molds. Insert a popsicle stick in each mold and freeze until completely solid, at least 6 hours.

Unmold and serve. Run cool water over the molds to unmold and serve.