Popsicles To Go
I don't know where my fruity ideas come from, but one of my 15 Geeky Activities for the summer was to give away Popsicles at the park.Why?
Well, I knew it would make my own kids happy, and that's one goal that rarely makes it onto this Snarky Mama's List.
Bless my babies' hearts.
Plus, I thought it would give my tots (6, 4, and 2) a chance to serve our community in a way that made sense to them. Because their logic?
Sugar = Good.
Not too hard to figure kids out, is it?
Speaking of ingredients, my overactive conscience revved into gear when I picked out the Popsicles at the store. The cheapskate side of me wanted the 1000 Popsicles for a buck. However, those Popsicles are some combination of sugar, water, and 837 artificial colors and flavors. I figure--if I wouldn't serve it to my own kids, I shouldn't be serving it to others.
OH THAT BLASTED CONSCIENCE.
So I picked out the one and only brand that met my nutritional standards: Dreyer's Fruit Bars. The flavors come from the fruit itself (the thought!) and any extra coloring needed comes from vegetable juices or beets.
BE STILL, MY EVIL VEGGIE-PUSHING HEART.
("Hey, kids! Yer eatin' beets! Bu wah ha ha!")
(And y'all think I'm sugar and spice and everything nice.)
So.
Another reason I chose the kind with no artificial stuff was to care for the food-sensitive kids in the crowd. I am guessing that among the 70 or so kids, there was probably an anxious mother or two wishing she could get her eyes on the list of ingredients. I even had one group of moms say, "Wow! You chose the good kind!"
Now, I don't tell you that so you'll pat me on the back, but to show you that It Matters. Because serving others with *my* best interest in mind is really not service at all. I am still trying to learn what unselfishness, love, generosity, and thoughtfulness look like--but this time around, it meant The Good Kind Of Popsicles.
Look at me, reaching for the stars.
I had my boys hand out the treats. I'm telling you, there is nothing like giving stuff away, and better yet--watching my kids give stuff away. They were so thrilled to tell their peers that "The Popsicles! Are Free! You Don't Have To Buy Them Like You Do From The Stinking Singing Ice Cream On Wheels Mobile!"
Somehow my kids picked up that those ice cream trucks? Are the Bane Of My Existence.
So we handed out our Popsicles, and felt good about
Anyone else have a favorite all natural summertime treat? Or some story about an ice cream truck?
5 comments:
The ice cream truck in our neighborhood has actually refused to stop on our street. Have I mentioned I live in the hood? And he was so rude to a little boy who asked him to wait for his mom who had the money, that Tim and I just bought the kid a treat and gave the guy a dirty look. And our neighbor has had to literally get in his own truck and drive to catch up with the guy.
Yeah, those ice cream trucks don't exactly drive at a manageable speed. Unless you are adept at tossing money and catching a push-up.
Man, that sounds good.
I don't mind the idea if the ice cream man so much. I loved it when I was a kid and it was always a big treat. But my beef with them is that they only carry the "1000 Popsicles for a buck" brand. I have a kid that has an allergy to food coloring and chocolate. (poor kid) I have asked him to carry some if the good types of treats, but he refuses because they "don't sell". So for now the ice cream man is on my "list" and I refuse to give him business if he's only out for profit and won't give a rodent's rump about kids health. My kids and I joke and when we see him, call him the "obesity peddler" :)
Fruit bars such as these have been a staple in our freezer this summer. Our girls absolutely love them (me too).
What an inspiring idea!! I really like it!
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