The heat has been intense in Manhattan, but I hate to keep the kids inside during summer, especially since they live in an apartment and activity is more limited, particularly during the winter months. Often, I will take them to a shady park in the late afternoon when they wake up from their nap. I usually bring a small snack and let them pick out a few toys to carry over. Lately, I have been indulging with them on ice cream when the heat is just too unbearable. However, after eating his own ice cream and half of Bryce’s yesterday, Brody had absolutely no room for dinner – not even a bite. While I am not intensely strict about sweets, I like to save them for after dinner and not before for this reason. I needed another refreshing snack idea that was a bit lighter (and perhaps healthier) than what was becoming a daily gelato fix.
The best part about dropping my kids off at camp each morning is not that I get three hours to myself, which is quite wonderful, actually, but it is that I get to sit down and actually talk to other mom friends without a child hanging from each leg. We actually drink an entire cup of coffee and bond over nap-time woes, and other toddler antics. And, we also share ideas like this one that I recently heard.
These are popsicle molds that look like lollipops, which is an immediate draw for my kids. I filled them with a mix of frozen organic pineapple, mango and spinach, which I brought to a boil, and than froze. While it is a bit of a putrid green color, my kids did not seem to mind, and I felt good about the extra calcium and iron boost from the spinach. I also made one with a mix of vanilla yogurt, cheerios and honey that was a bit more visually attractive. They loved picking out the cereal pieces as the Popsicle melted in their mouths. An activity and a meal in one is a huge win.
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