Homemade Ice Pops with Oakhurst

#ad –  Disclosure: Thank you to Oakhurst for sponsoring today’s homemade ice pop post. I am an Oakhurst #SoWorthIt Brand Ambassador.  As always, all opinions are my own.  Please also note that this post contains affiliate links.  See our Disclosure policy for more information.

I’m very excited to be an Oakhurst #SoWorthItMom! Mom’s have the hardest jobs in the world and it’s not always easy. Sometimes we simply need to come together as a community to support one another.  As every mom knows, there are all kinds of moments that come with parenting – some challenging, some downright messy, and some completely magical – but they all make it so worth it.  Being an Oakhurst #SoWorthIt mom is all about celebrating those incredible #SoWorthIt parenting moments.  Please share yours with us! Simply use the hashtag #SoWorthIt and tag @OakhurstDairy on Facebook or Instagram.

I grew up in Maine drinking Oakhurst milk and I love all that they stand for.  I know that when I give my kids Oakhurst milk or juice that they’re getting wholesome quality products – they were the first to say NO to Artificial Growth Hormone in their milk. Plus, they support and give back to their local community in many ways. They have everything from regular to flavored milks, creams, and a variety of juices – even iced tea.

Oakhurst asked me what makes being a mom #SoWorthIt to me, and this is what I said:

On the “good days,” being a mom is easy.  It’s all fun and smiles and hugs and happiness, right?  Spending quality time with my family is my favorite thing to do, but we all know not every day is perfect.  We get but a handful of those.  It’s the challenging days that put it all into perspective for me.  The days when no one wants to listen, the days with tears or yelling, or the days when you just want to go back to bed and start over. Being a mom is the hardest job I have ever had – and the most rewarding one, too.  There is no substitute for an unprompted hug or impromptu “I love you” from your child, and that’s what makes it all worth it to me. Every day I remind myself that my children will only be this exact age today; tomorrow they will be a day older – and that much closer to being ‘all grown up.’  Today with my children is a precious gift.  There are magical ‘perfect’ moments in every day, and finding them is part of the joy of being a mother.

You can read more about Oakhurst and #SoWorthIt here.

Now besides my kiddos, my favorite thing to do is talk about food.  I am unapologetically in love with food! I love developing new recipes, and I had a great time experimenting with a couple of Oakhurst products to make homemade ice pops for my kids. Summer is the perfect time to send the kids to play and not worry about getting dirty – that’s the fun of summer!  Muddy feet, sticky fingers and messy faces are all signs of a good day, in my opinion, and nothing that a quick bath won’t fix up.

For my daughter Olivia, 4, I wanted to make a strawberry pop using Oakhurst’s Lemonade.  It’s got a great taste that’s not too sweet or too tart.  You can make these pops with no added sugar for a healthy alternative to the store-bought sugar-laden types.  My family, even Mr. Juggling Act, loved how these turned out!

While Olivia loves every fruit she’s ever tried, and even likes to suck on lemon slices, Ethan is all about the chocolate.  For him, I made some delicious Hazelnut Chocolate Milk Pops.  These homemade ice pops are super easy, too.  I added a but of hazelnut spread for a really delicious flavor that was a huge hit. Oakhurst makes two kinds of chocolate milk – lowfat 1% and super premium.  For this recipe, I used the lowfat milk, but for an extra special treat, use the super premium – it’s super chocolatey!

Because these were a bit of an indulgence, I made smaller pops.  They melted fast and the kids were so messy – and so happy – afterward.  Ethan asked if I could please make these ‘every day.’  I’ll take that as his seal of approval!