These strawberry popsicles are packed with blueberries, kale, yellow squash and nutritious almond milk! Enjoy these fruit and veggie ice pops as a smoothie or turned into popsicles!
We just cannot help ourselves eating ice pops like strawberry popsicles, basil lemon popsicles, or these strawberry cheesecake popsicles every day pretty much any time of the year! These strawberry popsicles are really just a fruit smoothie blended with vegetables and almond milk for a fully balanced snack or dessert treat poured and frozen in a popsicle mold.
Quick Look
- 🕒 Prep Time: 369 minutes on the card, which folds in the layer-setting time
- 🌡️ Cook Time: No cooking, just blending and freezing
- ⏳ Total Time: 729 minutes on the card; the final freeze alone is 4 to 6 hours until hard
- 🍽️ Serving: 6 popsicles
- ⚡ Calories: 59kcal per popsicle
- 🥣 Ingredients: 9 (strawberries, yellow squash, banana, almond milk, blueberries, kale, lemon, maple syrup, vanilla)
- 🌶️ Flavor Profile: Sweet strawberry banana layers around a rich purple blueberry kale band, with the squash hidden completely
- ✋ Difficulty: Blend, pour in thirds, short sets between layers, then the long freeze
Quick Answer
Blend 2 cups frozen strawberries, 1 cup chopped yellow squash, 1 banana, 1 cup vanilla almond milk, 1 teaspoon lemon juice, 1 tablespoon maple syrup and ¼ teaspoon vanilla until super smooth. Fill popsicle molds ⅓ full and freeze 10-15 minutes to set. Split the remaining mixture into two cups, blend one cup with ¼ cup kale and ½ cup frozen blueberries for the purple layer, pour it in for the next third, and set 10 minutes in the fridge. Add the final pink layer, insert the sticks, and freeze 4-6 hours until hard. Makes 6 popsicles at 59 calories each, and the squash flavor hides completely behind the strawberries.
Jump to:
- Quick Look
- Quick Answer
- Why These Popsicles Work
- Why You'll Love These Popsicles
- Key Ingredients
- The Nutrition Hiding Inside
- How to Make Layered Strawberry Popsicles
- Expert Tips
- Smoothie Pops Any Time of Year
- Strawberry Popsicles FAQs
- More Popsicle Recipes
- Strawberry Popsicles Packed With Squash and Kale Vegetables
Really because I love making a healthy "smoothie" pop that is packed with fruits, veggies, and ingredients that I know my kids love and are getting tons of nutrients from.
My 3 year old (holy moly he is 3 already!) asks for popsicles almost daily. Occasionally I will grab an all-fruit store bought version if I have neglected to plan ahead and accelerate the process of making homemade popsicles. But I much prefer being able to add fresh vegetables and fruits to ensure we are consuming extra daily nutrition. So forget the traditional store bought popsicles and make them at home! For more snacks the kids ask for daily, see my gluten-free dairy-free snacks for kids.
Why These Popsicles Work
Click to see why they work
- Yellow squash hides in plain sight. Yellow squash is one of those beneficial vegetables (along with zucchini) that can be pureed into smoothies and baked goods because their flavor is subtle.
- Squash keeps the pink pretty. I prefer yellow squash with strawberries because it keeps the smoothie base beautiful in a natural light pink color.
- Short sets make clean layers. Each layer gets 10-15 minutes to set before the next pours in, which is what keeps the pink and purple bands separate.
- The purple layer is a second blend. A reserved cup of the pink base goes back into the blender with kale and frozen blueberries for the rich purple middle.
- Sticks go in at the last layer, when the first two bands are set enough to hold them straight.
- It is a smoothie either way. Any remaining smoothie we drink as a snack while we wait for the popsicles to freeze.
Why You'll Love These Popsicles
- Vegetables the kids never taste. A fruit smoothie blended with vegetables and almond milk, poured and frozen in a popsicle mold.
- Serious nutrition per pop. Squash is packed with vitamin B-6, magnesium, vitamin A, fiber and protein. Strawberries and blueberries are wonderful antioxidants full of vitamin C. Bananas pack on the potassium and kale boosts magnesium, vitamin C, A and B-6!
- 59 calories each, sweetened with 1 tablespoon of maple syrup across all six.
- Doubles as a smoothie, like my strawberry banana smoothie.
- Part of the popsicle family with my basil lemon popsicles and cheesecake popsicles.
Key Ingredients
- 2 cups frozen strawberries - the sweet pink base.
- 1 cup yellow squash, chopped - the hidden vegetable; its subtle flavor disappears behind the berries.
- 1 banana - body, creaminess and potassium.
- 1 cup vanilla almond milk - the nutritious blending liquid.
- ½ cup blueberries and ¼ cup kale - blended into the reserved base for the rich purple layer.
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice, 1 tablespoon maple syrup and ¼ teaspoon vanilla - brightness and just enough sweetness.
See recipe card for quantities.
The Nutrition Hiding Inside
Additionally these vegetable fruit strawberry popsicles have tons of nutritional vitamins and minerals in them. It is a great way to get kids to eat squash too!
- Yellow squash - packed with vitamin B-6, magnesium, vitamin A, fiber and has protein in it too.
- Strawberries and blueberries - wonderful antioxidants and full of vitamin C.
- Bananas - pack on the potassium.
- Kale - boosts consumption of magnesium and is rich in vitamin C, A and B-6.
Total winning in the nutrient department when eating these veggie packed strawberry popsicles!
How to Make Layered Strawberry Popsicles
1Blend and pour layer one. Add the strawberries, banana, squash, almond milk, lemon, maple syrup and vanilla into a blender. Puree it until it is a super smooth smoothie consistency. Add it to a popsicle mold filling it up ⅓ full then freeze for about 10-15 minutes to set.
2Reserve the rest. Split the remaining strawberry popsicles mixture into two cups. This reserves pink for another layer and sets up the darker purple fruit and veggie layer.
3Blend and pour the purple layer. Pour 1 of the reserved cups of strawberry squash smoothie back into the blender. Add ¼ cup of kale and ½ cup of frozen blueberries. Blend well then add that layer to the popsicles filling up another ⅓ of the mold. Set it in the fridge for about 10 minutes.
4Finish and freeze. Add the final layer of pink strawberry banana and add the popsicle sticks at this point. Freeze for 4-6 hours until hard and then the veggie packed strawberry popsicles are ready to enjoy!
As always, be sure to check out the full recipe details in the recipe card below.
Expert Tips
- Set each layer before the next. 10-15 minutes in the freezer for layer one, about 10 minutes in the fridge after the purple layer, so the bands stay crisp.
- Sticks go in with the last layer, once the lower bands can hold them upright.
- Drink the extra. Any remaining smoothie we drink as a snack while we wait for the popsicles to freeze.
- Squash over zucchini for color. Yellow squash keeps the base a beautiful natural light pink.
- Plan ahead. The final freeze takes 4-6 hours until hard, so these are a make-ahead treat.
Smoothie Pops Any Time of Year
Yellow squash is one of those beneficial vegetables (along with zucchini) that can be pureed into smoothies and baked goods because their flavor is subtle. I prefer yellow squash with strawberries because it keeps the smoothie base beautiful in a natural light pink color. And since we love strawberry popsicles why not add veggies into the mix?
Total sweet tooth gratification and bliss!
Strawberry Popsicles FAQs
No. Yellow squash has a subtle flavor that purees invisibly into the strawberry base, and the kale blends into the purple blueberry layer. It is a great way to get kids to eat squash.
Both blend well, but yellow squash keeps the smoothie base beautiful in a natural light pink color where zucchini would dull it.
Set each layer before pouring the next: freeze layer one 10-15 minutes, chill the purple layer about 10 minutes in the fridge, then add the final layer with the sticks and freeze 4-6 hours until hard.
The final freeze is 4-6 hours until hard, on top of the short sets between layers, so plan them as a make-ahead treat.
Squash brings vitamin B-6, magnesium, vitamin A, fiber and protein; strawberries and blueberries are antioxidants full of vitamin C; bananas pack potassium; and kale boosts magnesium plus vitamins C, A and B-6. Each popsicle is 59 calories.
Yes! These strawberry popsicles are really just a fruit smoothie blended with vegetables and almond milk. Any remaining smoothie we drink as a snack while we wait for the popsicles to freeze.
More Popsicle Recipes
Keep the freezer stocked with my classic strawberry popsicles, basil lemon popsicles, strawberry cheesecake popsicles and all my popsicle recipes. I hope these veggie packed strawberry popsicles become a daily request at your house like they are at ours! Follow along with me on Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook, YouTube and Twitter for a feature and more recipe inspiration! And don't forget to leave a comment below!
Strawberry Popsicles Packed With Squash and Kale Vegetables
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Ingredients
- 2 cups frozen strawberries
- 1 cup yellow squash chopped
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla
- 1 banana
- 1 cup vanilla almond milk
- ½ cup blueberries
- ¼ cup kale
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
Instructions
- Make layer one by adding strawberries, banana, squash, almond milk, lemon, maple syrup and vanilla into a blender. Puree it until it is a super smooth smoothie consistency. Add it to a popsicle mold filling it up ⅓ full then freeze for about 10-15 minutes to set.
- Make layer two by splitting the remaining strawberry popsicles mixture into two cups. This reserves pink for another layer and adds ingredients for the darker purple fruit and veggie layer. To make the rich purple layer pour 1 of the reserved cups of strawberry squash smoothie back into the blender. Add ¼ cup of kale and ½ cup of frozen blueberries. Blend well then add that layer to the popsicles filling up another ⅓ of the popsicle mold. Set it in the fridge for about 10 minutes then add the final layer of pink strawberry banana and add the popsicle sticks at this point. Freeze for 4-6 hours until hard and then the veggie packed strawberry popsicles are ready to enjoy!
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