Dana Sue Hinkle's Top 6 Frozen Summer Treats

This post was written by Creative QT Co-owner & Co-founder Dana Sue Hinkle. Learn more about the Hinkle family and the heart behind Creative QT here.

 

 

So, I should pre-face this post by saying that we live in a 100-year-old farmhouse with no air conditioning in the Midwest where the heat index last weekend was 113 degrees! And if that doesn't get you, then the humidity here certainly will! So we do anything in our house to keep COOL. That's why I've put together my Top 6 Frozen Treats to help keep my family cool this summer.

 

1. Frozen Go-gurts

 

 

Super simple but super yummy. Take Go-gurts (the yogurt that comes in a tube), and throw them in the freezer. It's kinda like a healthier version of a popsicle!

 

2. Smoothies

 

 

What do we make our smoothies with? Pretty much anything I find in my freezer! Seriously, there is no wrong way to make a smoothie. You need something liquid; I usually do a juice, but you can add water if needed. We often throw in yogurt to make a creamier version. And I always throw in kale or spinach to "hide" some green in it - the kids don't even taste it!

 

The smoothie you can see in the photo included:

(Add ice if the majority of your ingredients are not frozen).

 

Smoothies are where my Mercy-girl shines. She LOVES making smoothies and here is her favorite recipe:

 

3. Homemade Popsicles

 

 

We either freeze the leftover smoothies, or I throw some juice in with some chopped up fruit into a popsicle mold. Voila! As you can see, these are popular with all the kids.

 

 

I love that the kids can make these pretty much independently too.

 

 

4. Frozen Chocolate Covered Bananas

Cut the bananas in half and put a popsicle stick in each banana half.

 

 

Dip them in melted chocolate (and roll in crushed nuts if you like), and lay them flat on wax paper.

 

 

Freeze until the chocolate is set- and of course enjoy!!

 

 

5. Frozen Grapes

 

 

Probably our kids' favorite! Wash grapes. Freeze. Simple as that! Be careful with the little ones though as grapes, and especially frozen grapes, can be a choking hazard.

 

 

6. Frozen Banana Sundaes

 

I couldn't write about frozen summer treats and not include a sundae! Just slice up a banana, lay out the slices on a cookie tray or wax paper, and freeze them.

 

 

Once the banana slices are frozen, set up a little sundae station with all your kids' favorite toppings. Here's ours:

 

 

Decorate your sundae and then dig in!

 

 

I'd love to hear what YOUR favorite summertime treats are. We are always looking out for new ideas to beat the heat!

 

 

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Creative QT designs quality + innovative toys that declutter homes and inspire creative play. Founded by parents of five, Adam and Dana Sue Hinkle, Creative QT’s vision is to empower parents and encourage a culture of families that Make Time Together. All products are designed to enrich families’ lives through active, creative play and play based learning. Creative QT products are laboratory tested for compliance with CPSC requirements and are free of lead, cadmium and phthalates so you can play with confidence. So, go ahead … today is the day: be your kid’s hero.

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