Fruit Icy's (Healthy Bribery)

I'm not above bribing my kids for things.  Bribes, rewards, prizes, treats - whatever you want to call it.  Sometimes a good treat is the best way to get something done.  One of the things that drives me nuts is when it's time to go.  Time to leave the pool.  Time to leave the playground.  The splash pad.  The dirt pile.  The backyard.  You name it!  Dragging them to car is the worst.  You try reasoning with a 2 and 4 year old!

Enter bribery.

Candy? Too much sugar. Toys? Too expensive. Snacks? Doesn't always work.  The trick is finding something that they both really like.  How about Popsicles?  My kids live for popsicles in the summertime.  Of course they are a very hard item to pack.  I came up with a way to bring those tasty frozen treats with us on fun outings.  I use them as a way to haul them back to the car.  We call them "icy's" and they are perfect for shorter trips (about 2 hours is the max).  Bonus:  they are mess free!! Not to mention healthy.

On the Go Fruit Icy's

1 cup Frozen (or fresh) fruit of your choice.  I like to buy the large bag of frozen mixed fruit from Sam's club
1/4 cup water
1 tbsp simple syrup *optional*

Blend ingredients together.  Pour into a refillable pouch.  We use Squeeze em's and I really love them.  The top pops up so you can easily fill it (and clean it) and then it has a small spout at the top for the kids to suck on.  I use ours for applesauce and yogurt and now for our summertime fruit icy's.  Store in the freezer until fully frozen.

To use:  Pack them in a small lunch box and keep in your car for up to 2 hours.  They will slowly get a little mushy and make the perfect fruit icy!  They also make great lunch bag coolers.  Pack it along side the kids lunch to keep everything nice and cool and then enjoy them as dessert.

I made extra for Popsicle too to eat at home!

In addition to the park and pool, I use them when I teach Zumba sometimes - just leave them in the car and then the kids have something to look forward to after mommy gets done teaching class.  We've taken them to church to enjoy on the way home too.  They are so easy to make!  The kids enjoy it and I love that they are healthy.  I've made strawberry, pineapple, and peach flavors.  And they're not just for kids!  John and I have enjoyed them too!