This summer my parents gifted me popsicle molds for my birthday, so my mission is to try many many popsicle/ice pop recipes.

I figured I would share my adventures and talk about how these summery treats can be another way to get some good nutrition!

First edition – these raspberry swirl chia pudding pops from Happy Kids Kitchen!

These are made with fresh or frozen raspberries, coconut milk, and chia seeds (and sweetener; I used maple syrup). You can visit Happy Kids Kitchen for the recipe.

These interesting-looking popsicles have a combination of creamy, mild sweetness from the coconut milk, bright tart-sweetness from the raspberry, and an different but not unpleasant texture from the chia seeds.

Nutrition qualities:

• Some fruit towards your recommended 5-9 fruit and veggie servings/day (raspberries) that provides a decent amount of vitamin C
• Fiber from: raspberries, chia seeds, and even a little from the coconut milk
• ALA (the plant form of omega-3 fatty acids) from the chia seeds
• A little bit of protein from the chia seeds
• Because it’s homemade, you control how much added sugar (and the type) you would like to add
• Creamy without dairy, in case you’re lactose or dairy intolerant
• also gluten free and vegan if that’s your jam (haha jam)

My personal rating:

3.5/5

Packed with nutrients, pretty tasty, easy to make, would probably make them a little sweeter next time, raspberries and chia can get expensive so probably wouldn’t make them often.

(Also if you are looking for ways to get kids – even little kids – excited about cooking and food, spend some more time on Happy Kids Kitchen. Heather knows what she is talking about and has so many great ideas and tasty recipes! I will be probably trying several of her popsicle recipes which she has collected here)

Take care and happy eating!