Icy poles, ice pops, popsicles, ice lollies or ice creams? Whatever you call them, summer’s almost here and it is so easy to whip up your own at home.

Making your own guilt free icy poles are more nutritious and so much cheaper. $7 a box for this seasons ‘healthier’  icy poles and you only get 450ml of liquid. The best part of making your own though, is you can make them from whatever ingredients you have on hand at night when you see the weather forecast and save yourself going to the shops.

I picked up a little set of 6 moulds for $2 from Kmart. They also have the squeezy tubes which are great for messy or slow eaters. You can also use small cups and ice cube trays as moulds and clean pop sticks, cut kebab sticks or plastic teaspoons for the handles. My moulds were about 1/4 cup (62.5ml) capacity so each recipe makes enough for 6 this size.

Choose very ripe fruit (fresh, canned or frozen) and taste the mix before you pour it into the moulds. If it’s too boring as a drink it nice as an icy pole either. Add in some more soft ripe fruit or a bit of fruit juice.

These are my favourite icy pole combinations, I hope you enjoy them too.

1. Berry Delicious

This is my go to icy pole for little ones as it’s low in sugar but sweet enough thanks to the coconut water.

Ingredients:
1 cup of coconut water (if you don’t have any, try ¼ cup 100% apple juice and ¾ cup water)
½ cup of berries (or any chopped soft fruit)

Add some berries to the bottom of your moulds.
Top up with coconut water.
Carefully put moulds in the freezer for 8 hours or overnight.

If you prefer them little sweeter, blitz the coconut water with the fruit first.

24kJ each

2. Green Smoothie

The only thing more refreshing than a green smoothie on a hot day is a green icy pole!

Ingredients:
½ an apple
1 kiwi fruit
¼ of an avocado
big handful of spinach
1 tablespoon chia
¼ cup water (just enough to make your wizzer wiz)*

Add everything into your blender and blend until smooth (or add to a jug and blitz with a stick mixer).
Do a taste test to make sure there aren’t any lumps of spinach left.
Pour between 6 moulds. You could also use 100% apple or orange juice instead of water.
Carefully put moulds in the freezer for 8 hours or overnight.

100kJ each (as made with water)

3. Mango Frozen Yoghurt

This is my favourite. The texture from the yoghurt is like ice cream, but the flavour of the mango masks the tartness of the natural yoghurt.

Ingredients:
1 cup plain yoghurt
2 cups chopped mango

Blitz the yoghurt and mango together until smooth.
Pour into 6 moulds.
Give each mould a few taps to fill in any air bubbles and top them up.
Carefully put moulds in the freezer for 8 hours or overnight.

These quantities conveniently make a little more than needed for 6 1/4 cup moulds. So enjoy the leftovers as a smoothie or a soft frozen yoghurt if you used frozen mango.

235kJ each (as made with 4.5% fat natural yoghurt)

4. Choc Banana

These have a slightly more icy texture than a creamy chocolate Paddle Pop, but they’re just as sweet and satisfying. These will be a hit with older kids and teens.

Ingredients:
1 cup milk (cow, almond)
1 banana
1 tablespoon of milo

Add everything into your blender or a jug and blitz with a stick mixer.
Pour between 6 moulds.
Carefully put moulds in the freezer for 8 hours or overnight.

210kJ (as made with 1 cup light 2% cows milk)

Got any fruit that needs to be used up? Make a little space in the freezer and get some icy poles chillin’ for tomorrow! When they’re ready, run some warm water over the mould to ease the icy pole out.

Sarah Moore is a Registered Nutritionist in Perth, Western Australia. She offers group education sessions and private consults which include guided grocery shops and kitchen clear-outs. She specialises in weight loss, family nutrition and switching to a whole foods approach.