With summer starting to wind down, I thought I’d share one last refreshing and delicious treat the whole family can enjoy for this week’s Monday Meal–Peppery Peach Purée Pops! Something I love to do with leftover purées is make popsicles. Popsicles are a perfect warm weather treat because they simultaneously satisfy your sweet tooth and cool you down. Plus, your whole family from 6 months old and up can enjoy them!
Most brands of popsicles you can buy in the store have a ton of added sugar. Don’t be fooled by labels that boast “all-natural” and “made with real fruit” because those facts don’t necessarily mean that the popsicle in question isn’t loaded with ingredients that are not good for you. In fact, many of the popsicles that are all-natural and made with real fruit have a ton of sugar, too. Up to 32 grams, which translates to about 8 teaspoons. If you remember from my previous post, the recommended daily amount of sugar per day for a toddler is just 4 teaspoons.
One great thing about fruit is that it is naturally sweet, so it really doesn’t need sugar. When you combine the sugar in a store- or truck-bought popsicle with the sugar in the rest of your toddler’s food across the day, you can easily blow through the recommended daily intake of sugar. Sugar is sneaky. It hides in places we’d never expect to look for it. Was there added sugar in that juice or sports drink? The cereal? The flavored yogurt or milk? The peanut butter, jelly, crackers or bread? It quickly adds up. A sugar-loaded day every so often isn’t terrible in isolation, but when it becomes the day-to-day norm, it can lead to serious health problems down the road such as diabetes or heart disease.
Making fruit popsicles at home is one way to control your sugar intake, so you don’t have to go out and buy popsicles that may or may not be loaded with sugar and preservatives and other random ingredients. Popsicles are simple to make and can last for up to 6 months in your freezer. You can make a delicious fruit purée for your little foodie aged 6-12 months and turn the leftovers into a sweet treat for everyone else in the family to enjoy! As an added bonus, this healthy and delicious frozen treat can provide relief for the sore gums of teething babies. This recipe for Peppery Peach Purée Pops was a big hit with Eliana, along with her best buddy and the grown-ups that take care of them. Peaches aren’t your thing? Try this Strawberry Mojito Pop as an alternative.
- Peppery Peach Purée Pops
- Yields 6 1-ounce popsicles
Ingredients:
- -2 peaches
- -1 small pinch black pepper
Supplies:
Preparation:
Make the purée:
Wash, dry and roughly chop the peaches.
Purée in a food mill or in a mini food processor and transfer to a bowl.
Mix in the black pepper and transfer to measuring cup.
Prepare the popsicles:
Pour the purée into the popsicle molds, filling until just less than full.
Freeze for at least 2 hours and enjoy!
Happy Cooking!
Tags: 6-9 months, 9-12 months, baby and family, no added sugar, peaches, popsicles, purée, Purees For Two, smart about sugar
2 Responses to Peppery Peach Purée Pops: {Meatless} Monday Meal
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These look great, I’m sad seeing all of these end of the summer treats! I’m going to savor them up!
I know! There’s so much yummy seasonal produce left to eat! 🙂