Even for the most persnickety of kids these Green Ice Pops are a super-sweet, bright green treat!
A complaint I frequently hear from moms is that they can’t get their kids to eat their greens — especially leafy greens. I totally get it. I’ve got one kid who will happily eat steamed beet greens or sautéed spinach and another one who has recently begun saying “BLECH!” right to my face when I offer it to her (I wonder who that little three year-old could be?!). And while Chloe can occasionally act persnickety about certain foods, I’ve discovered ways to encourage her to eat her greens without resorting to trickery.
Cooked greens can be a challenging sell, but maybe it’s a texture thing — not a color thing — because I have surprisingly found raw to be much less of an issue with both of my kids. Whether tossed in a kale salad, blended into a green smoothie, green juice or frozen in these green ice pops, my kids love raw greens. And I let Kenya and Chloe make these pops with me so they know exactly what’s going in them. I want them to know that green food can be scrumptious and getting them involved in the preparation is one of the best ways to do that.
On warm summer afternoons when my kids need a pick me up, these ice pops are the way to go. Made with coconut water which has dehydration-fighting electrolytes, pineapple with all it’s digestive enzymes, and of course tons of nutrient-rich kale, you know your little whippersnapper is going to get their greens and then some. There’s no better way to “lick” a greens aversion than through these pops!
Green Ice Pops, Yes Green
Ingredients
- 1 cup packed kale leaves
- 1 1/2 cups chopped pineapple
- 1 small banana
- 1 cup coconut water
Instructions
- Combine all the ingredients in a blender or food processor and puree. The kale will remain in tiny pieces -- that is okay.
- Pour the mixture into ice pop molds and freeze for at least 6 hours and up to 4 months.
- Unmold and serve.
- Note: This also makes a great smoothie if you have any puree leftover. Just pour in a glass and drink up!
- * Collard green, spinach or other leafy greens work as well
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These are GREAT! I used a rainbow chard, tropical flavored coconut water and added in probiotic powder. So now my son gets a super healthy ice pop and I don’t feel like it’s junk! But, he’ll think it’s ‘dessert’. Thanks!!!
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My son is 12 months old and has ice pops. Haven’t tried this specific one yet but I did peas, pineapple and banana. At first he was like what is going on??!! but after a bit of coaxing he ate the whole thing!
Hi! I have twin 11 month olds. Just trying to get ideas for snacks and meals for the “in between” stage. They are not into being fed at this point, but not able to get much into their mouths on their own. Would these popsicles be appropriate for this age? How would you recommend giving them?
Thanks!!
Hi, Melly. One cup = 250 ml.
Hello, My name is Melly mother of 4, from Indonesia.. I really like to try ALL of your recipes, especially the green ice, but im not sure with the measurement. Just how much is a cup? Most of your recipes use “cup” to measure.. Im more familiar with the metric scale..
I ‘just’ happend to come across your sight looking through allyou’, happy I did, you have some great info. I love your ideas, Koodos! From Stephy Mother of 5 in Meriden CT. THANKS ( sick of the same ole’ useless info. we all know! You are the real deal and We look forward to your future thoughts & ideas.
You could use regular water, or a sugar-free/natural juice!
I’m also interested in replacing the coconut water, but only because I intensely dislike the taste of coconut. Any recommendations?
For teething pain, Chamomile tea is wonderful, especially when frozen into popsicle form. The cold soothes the gums as the chamomile calms the child.
I have also soaked a clean cloth in chamomile tea and then frozen the cloth for my kids to chew on when they are having teething trouble.
For best results, make the chamomile tea pretty strong. Boil the water and pour it over the chamomile. Use one half an ounce of herb to a quart of water and let it steep for half and hour to an hour. Add sugar to taste, freeze.
Hi Catherine,
Can you recommend a puree teething pop recipe for my son? How young can I introduce these types of pops? My son is now 11 months and has horrible teething pain.
You could use anything that is juicy! Oranges, kiwis, apples (you might need to blend them longer to get them smooth), strawberries, mango…!
My son can’t eat Pineapple. What other fruit would you recommend using?