Summer is the season with some of the greatest food, and beautifully ripe fruits are no exception. Stick them in the freezer for a few hours or pick up a big bag from the store and you’ve got the perfect treat with the potential to cool you down on a hot summer day.
Gif courtesy of giphy.com
Move over ice cream and gelato, frozen fruit is a new, easy (healthy) summer favorite.
1. Frozen Banana “Ice Cream”
Photo by Nick Schmidt
This is probably my favorite way to enjoy frozen fruit because it’s so creamy and decadent, it’s hard to believe it’s made entirely of bananas, which also makes it a great vegan alternative.
Because bananas are naturally high in sugar, you can enjoy this recipe without any add-ins. But if you’re feeling creative, try adding a teaspoon of unsweetened cocoa powder, a handful of chocolate chips or even a spoonful of creamy peanut butter to the mix.
Duke can tell you anything you need to know about banana ice cream.
2. Frozen Grapes
Photo courtesy of veganweightwatchers.com
Here’s another one-ingredient wonder that has been a favorite of mine for years. Throw a handful (or more) of grapes in the freezer for a few hours and you’ll end up with a healthy icy treat. Princeton knows what’s up in their article about the many uses of frozen grapes.
While freezing the grapes doesn’t do much in terms of flavor, the icy texture of the grapes is the perfect way to cool down on a hot summer day. Make sure you wash before freezing.
Learn about other frozen treads you can make at home with this frozen treat guide.
3. Chloe’s Soft Serve Fruit Co.
Photo by Dannah Strauss
If you find yourself wandering around New York City on an ungodly hot day, surrounded by hordes of summer tourists clogging the streets, then this place is your safe haven. They do all the work for you.
Located right near Union Square, Chloe’s Soft Serve Fruit Co. is serving up ingenious creations of, you guessed-it, frozen fruit! Their icy creations cater to the “sweets” loving health conscious with over fifteen flavors including banana, dark chocolate, pineapple and pumpkin.
Just like the oh-so-familiar froyo, a toppings bar offers melted chocolate, marshmallows and melted peanut butter to make personal sundae creations for your soft serve fruit. Feel free to go crazy with the toppings– the healthy frozen fruit cancels that all out, right?
If you don’t have a chance to get into the city, they also have frozen fruit bars that you can find in supermarkets all over. There are so many reasons why you should be eating Chloe’s Soft Serve Fruit.
4. Fruit Cubes
Photo courtesy of vanillaextract.me
During the summer months when we spend tons more time out in the hot sun, it’s more important than ever to make sure to keep your body hydrated. You’ve probably heard of the eight glasses a day rule, and there’s definitely some truth to it.
If plain water just doesn’t do it for you, these fruit cubes will make reaching your recommended hydration levels interesting. Not only do they add some fruit flavor to your drink, but they are really adorable! And fruit isn’t the only thing you can put in your cubes.
Feeling fancy? Experiment by adding mint and basil or try these inventive juice-infused cubes.
5. Ice Pops
Photo by Rachel Labarre
Try experimenting with different combinations of your favorite fruits and fruit juices. For a clean, professional result, try investing in a set of ice pop molds. Here’s where Vanderbilt comes in. In eight easy steps, they show you the way to make bomb frozen fruit pops.
6. Smoothies
Photo by Jocelyn Hsu
While we generally tend to think of smoothies made with fresh fruit, using frozen fruit is often a quicker and more convenient way to prepare this frozen treat—and even more cost-effective.
Smoothies are the ideal way to keep you cool and fill you up this summer. In fact, you can even think of something to make with the leftover fruits in your fridge or freezer.
All in all, let this crazy article on frozen fruit treats guide you.