The mercury is slated to hit 95 degrees this week in Atlanta. Even though summer doesn’t officially start until the 21st, it certainly feels like it is in full swing. Which is why todays recommendation is particularly pertinent.
Is there anything better on a hot day than a popsicle? Okay… maybe a margarita… but for all age groups, is there anything better on a hot day than a popsicle? And although I am a big fan of the traditional rocket/bomb pop, let’s face it, there is no “blue raspberry” flavor found in nature. And, unless you are making your own pops (which we all probably should be) you are hard pressed to find a popsicle that doesn’t contain massive amounts of processed ingredients/corn syrup. Which is why I wanted to pass along to you guys a recent grocery find that has changed my popsicle game.
To my chagrin, I am a big fan of a little something something sweet after dinner. When grocery shopping, often Josh and I find ourselves in the “frozen treats” department. Several months ago, in an effort to not eat ALL THE ICE CREAM (especially in warmer months), I found myself reaching for a box of Outshine Fruit Bars. As I am the ultimate sucker (mmm, suckers…) for product placement/packaging/impulse buys, my hopes are very rarely high for such purchases. The premise sounded great– actual fruit juice, actual fruit pieces, no corn syrup, and only 60 calories– what was there to lose?! To my absolute amazement, these popsicles were amazing. Even Josh loved them… which (again) says much about how great this product is. The bars are delish, super-huge, and full of actual fruit– a win/win in my book. When I shared them with my Georgia family, they quickly also became converts.
In doing a little research into the Outshine brand, I noticed that ownership of the company varied from year to year. In some of my online picture searches, Outshine was owned by Edy’s, in others it was owned by Dryers; both of which are now owned by Nestle. Although there is some controversy behind some of Nestles business practices, the Outshine division seems to be on the up and up; catering to the real-food/ingredient movement. Go figure. Peep the variety of flavors: creamy coconut, grape, lemon, lime, mango, pineapple, peach, pomegranate, raspberry, strawberry, black cherry, blood orange, coconut water with pineapple, and tangerine. If 60 calories is too much of a dessert for you, then they even come in a scaled-down 45-calorie version in lime, raspberry, and strawberry.
Additionally, they have a varietal that includes vegetable juice in the pops, but they are not to MY liking. Though, if you’ve tried them and you dig them, let me know! As much as I would love to get a serving of veggies in through popsicle form, they didn’t float my boat. Additionally, they have a line of yogurt bars that look promising, but as I am not the biggest yogurt fan, I have yet to give it a whirl. My personal favorites in the fruit bar line are the lime, grape, and strawberry. The lime flavor tastes like the best frozen margarita (minus the tequila) you’ve ever had. And there are HUGE chunks of strawberry in the strawberry variety. Gone are the days of choosing popsicles by color instead of flavor. And as much as I have a soft spot in my heart for the bygone days of Otter Pops, since when are colors (purple/red/blue) flavors*?!
So, this summer, cool down with one of my new favorite products. I guarantee you’ll love them!
What do you think? Have you tried these yet? Are you a popsicle fan? Was the blue Otter Pop your public pool jam back in the day? As always, let us know in the comments!
*Yes, I know. Orange is a color AND a flavor.