Let’s face it, it is summertime! This time of year, the nights are shorter and the days are hotter. So how do you cool off on a humid mid-afternoon? You could head off to the pool, or jump through a sprinkler. You could swing under a shade tree, or you could take a nap in a hammock. You could also dive in and have some yummy frozen treats to cool you from the inside out.

To make these treats a little extra yummy, these recipes are focused around healthy ingredients. By incorporating fruit and combining with other simple ingredients, these frozen treats are easy to make at home, and fun for any age to devour on a hot summer’s day!

Frozen Fruit:

Any and all fruit taste great after it has been in the freezer! With its concentrated rich and sweet juices, the fruit will freeze easily in a short time, but allow you to enjoy it for a while. The American Heart Association recommends the average person eats about 4 servings of fruit each day, so why not get the daily serving in a unique and fun way.

To give this treat an extra dose of healthy, choose organic fruit instead. Organic products are not grown using pesticides, bioengineered genes (GMOs), or petroleum-based fertilizers. According to helpguide.org, organic produce often tastes fresher, and lasts longer.

Give your frozen fruit a little extra dairy by dipping the fruit in Greek yogurt before popping them into the freezer. Place them on a paper plate for easy cleanup, and once finished store them in an air-tight container to keep them fresh to enjoy for days.

Some of the most popular frozen fruits are:

• Any member of the berry family,
• Cherries,
• Peaches,
• Grapes and
• Kiwi.

Frozen Freshly Squeezed Twist on Classic Lemonade:

When summer comes, sipping a glass of sweet ice cold lemonade is a perfect treat to quench your thirst. But with all of the additional sugar, it is not an ideal beverage to enjoy all of the time.

In this recipe, there is a twist to make this classic lemonade a little extra enjoyable. Instead of using a simple sugar sweetener typically found in lemonade, swap it with green grapes to naturally sweet the sourness of the lemons. With the sour of the lemons being contrasted with the sweetness of the grapes, this perfect combination can be enjoyed without the added guilt. Follow this simple recipe to complete this healthy frozen lemonade!

Yogurt Pops

Looking for a tasty treat, but not all of the calories? Yogurt pops are a new trend that allow kids and adults to get their fill of dairy, protein and fruit! With all of that combined, this tasty treat will have you wanting more than just one!

With some adult supervision, this recipe is simple enough for children to make. They will love to help add the ingredients, and watch while it is all blended together. Make this summer snack in the morning, so by mid-afternoon it is ready to be enjoyed.

What you need:

• 1 (6oz.) can of Frozen Orange Juice Concentrate
• 1 (6oz.) container of Greek Yogurt
• 1-2 tsp. Vanilla
• Ice Cube Tray
• Blender
• Popsicle Sticks or Tooth Picks

What do you do:

• Combine the frozen orange juice concentrate, yogurt, and vanilla into a blender.
• Mix the ingredients until well blended.
• Pour the mixture into an ice cube tray (amount should fill an entire ice cube tray).
• Place in the freezer, and check the pops until they are slightly frozen. Once they are slightly frozen, place the popsicle stick in the center of each pop, and freeze until solid.

Frozen Dark Chocolate Banana Bites

Ever have a craving for chocolate, but consider it to be a bad for your waistline? Frozen dark chocolate banana bites will fulfill that chocolate void, and will add a nutritional value that cannot be ignored.

Chocolate gets a bad name when it comes to being healthy, but it actually can be very nutritious when you choose the right kind. When consumed in moderation, dark chocolate is loaded with minerals and a strong source of antioxidants. Although any chocolate contains sugar, the darker the chocolate the less amount of sugar it has. For this recipe, look for a high percent of cocoa in the organic dark chocolate bar.

In this recipe, it calls for two organic ripe bananas. For the bananas to freeze quickly, slice them into one-fourth of an inch pieces, and place onto a piece of parchment paper. Place the parchment paper filled with the banana slices into the freezer, and wait until they are firm. Once the bananas are frozen, remove them from the freezer, and melt about three ounces of the dark chocolate. Quickly dip the frozen bananas into the dark chocolate, and place them back into the freezer for the chocolate to set. If you want to add shredded coconut before placing back in the freezer, then go for it! Once they are completely frozen, take care of that chocolate craving!

Frozen Berry Yogurt

Last but certainly not least, there is frozen yogurt. This alternative to ice cream has become very popular throughout the United States over the past decade, but there has been a debate about if this choice is really a healthier alternative.

A study done by Dr. Stephanie Walsh gave some insightful information to what choice was healthier. In the article, The Real Scoop: Ice Cream vs. Frozen Yogurt, she compared a regular dish of vanilla ice cream to a dish of frozen yogurt.These treats are both dairy based and have a very similar calorie intake. Where these two treats differ, is the fat content. Ice cream is made out of milk fat (cream) and frozen yogurt is made with cultured milk, which makes ice cream higher in fat. Although it may seem like frozen yogurt is a healthier option, it is all about portion control. With the frozen yogurt shops selling self-serving portion sizes and sundae bar toppings, the fat content can quickly add up.     

However, this frozen berry yogurt recipe is so delicious, there is no need for extra sundae toppings. This recipe focuses its ingredients around organic fruit, and other natural sugars to contradict the sourness of the yogurt. Using natural sugars reduces the need for sundae toppings, and increases the health factor. In four easy steps, this healthy frozen treat will be chosen over ice cream almost every time.

What you need:

• 500 grams of Organic Frozen Mixed Berries
• 3 tbsp of Honey or Agave Nectar
• 1 cup of Greek Plain Yogurt
• 2 tbsp of Lemon Juice
• 1 tbsp of Water

What do you do:

• Place all of the ingredients into a blender in order above.
• Blend all of the ingredients until smooth.
• Pour the blended mixture into a freezer safe container and place into the freezer.
• Let freeze for at least four hours and serve!

While the summer season is still in session, make sure you enjoy these delicious healthy frozen treats while you still can! By choosing a healthy treat, it will help cool you down without a guilty conscious. These treats are easily made at home with simple ingredients, so people of all ages can make these frozen goodies. Beat the summer’s heat while enjoying those yummy treats.

Looking for more easy summer recipes like this? Check out these mouth-watering recipes.