Summertime and popsicles go together like kids and sticky. I’m what people call a crunchy parent, but even I cave when it comes to popsicles, because hey — it’s a part of growing up, right?

 

But when you’re the parent of tiny humans, you do what you can in a day to survive without metaphorically shooting yourself in the foot.

 

Red dye and corn syrup is a surefire way to torpedo my four-year-old’s behavior on any given day of the week. When I’m stretched too thin to make popsicles, I buy the natural fruit juice ones from the store.

 

But when I’m REALLY on top of my game, I make my own with these awesome popsicle molds. Here are some fantastic dye and corn syrup-free popsicles you can make for your babies and big kids this summer.

 

Strawberry Frozen Fruit Bars

 

 

Strawberries are in season right now, so swing into the farmer’s market this weekend and grab a flat for this recipe. Though it calls for frozen strawberry puree, you can skip the store-bought kind and just add extra strawberries to your blender.

Peaches and Cream Popsicles

 

 

 

These things look SO yummy. Always remember that babies younger than 12 months old shouldn’t have honey. If you’re feeding these to a little one, omit the granola, and sub in agave or omit the honey altogether.

 

Sugar-Free Fudgesicles

 

 

At the end of the day, I’m not really a fan of even natural zero-calorie sugar substitutes (because natural might be a bit of a stretch when it comes to Stevia). BUT, this recipe beats the pants off the amount of added sugar in a store-bought Fudgesicle. This recipe is dairy-free too, so it’s great for littles with dairy sensitivities.

 

Electrolyte Popsicles

 

I’m not really a fan of most electrolyte drinks sold in stores because of all of the added artificial ingredients. That said, these electrolyte popsicles are a great way to thoroughly hydrate your littles and give them the sickness-fighting boost of electrolytes.

 

Tracey uses silicone popsicle tube molds with built-in caps — you can find them here.

 

Rainbow Fruit Popsicles

 

 

Okay, so full disclosure — you may not have time to make a seven-color popsicle. And that’s okay.

 

But they’re colorful, they’re so cute, and these homemade rainbow popsicles are made with fruit and yogurt — that’s it. Realistically, you can blend each layer, dump it into your molds, give your blender a quick rinse, and move on to the next one. With a little systematization, this popsicle recipe is a breeze to make, and one of the healthiest popsicle recipes on our list.

 

Green Machine Popsicles

 

 

If your preschooler is anything like mine, he quite deliberately doesn’t eat vegetables. This recipe is a bold one, but the addition of super-sweet tropical fruit makes the spinach layer in these green popsicles much less noticeable than you’d think.

 

Do yourself a favor — pitch them to the kids as green popsicles, NOT veggie popsicles.

 

Peanut Butter Banana Yogurt Popsicles

 

 

The chocolate chips in this peanut butter banana popsicle recipe are definitely optional, but a welcome treat for bigger kids who can process the sugar with a trip to the park.

 

Natural peanut butters may not be ideal for this recipe because of the oil separation and gritty texture. Opt for smooth peanut butter that you don’t have to stir.

 

3-Ingredient Yogurt Popsicles

 

 

This super simple recipe is delicious and healthy and can be adapted for babies by leaving out the honey altogether. If you’re making these popsicles for a baby, it might be ideal to blend the ingredients to avoid the hard frozen chunks becoming choking hazards.

Dairy-Free Fruit Popsicles

 

 

It’s super common these days for kids and babies to have dairy sensitivities. These dairy-free fruit popsicle recipes are super simple, super sweet, and free from dairy and added sugar.

 

Homemade Fruit and Veggie Popsicles

 

 

For teething babies and hot summer days, I LOVE this lineup of fruit and veggie popsicles for babies! It’s a great list made by a nutritionist, and they’re so healthy they definitely don’t fit the mold for desserts.

 

Do you cave when your kid hears the ice cream truck? Tell us in the comments below whether you’re a DIY’er or a popsicle buyer!