Product Round-Up

Is anyone else as ready for warmer weather as we are? We love everything that comes with the summer season, especially yummy frozen treats! Today we’re bringing you a list of some of our favorite ice creams, popsicles, and other frozen snacks, along with some recipes that you and your little chefs can make at home! This list is definitely not just for kids – these sweet treats will satisfy anyone’s craving for something frozen and sweet on a hot day!

Ice Cream

I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream! Here’s some of our favorite brands.

1. Tea-rrific Chamomile Ice Cream: Is your family adventurous when it comes to trying new foods and flavors? Check out this brand that makes tea-flavored ice cream! Their premium ice cream is made with fresh hormone-free cream, cage-free eggs, and organic cane sugar.
2. Jeni’s Ice Cream: Their wide variety of fun, yummy flavors is just half of why we love Jeni’s! They don’t use any artificial ingredients, flavorings, or dyes.
3. NadaMoo Ice Cream: Whether you’re on a dairy-free diet or just enjoy the taste, NadaMoo is the choice for you! Their creamy, coconut milk ice cream is organic, sustainable, and DELISH!

Popsicles

There’s nothing like a cold popsicle on a hot day. Check out the list below for some of our favorites!

1. Chloe’s popsicles: These fruit pops are made with just three ingredients! Yep, that’s right, THREE! And they come in a bunch of different, yummy flavors, so everyone in the family can find a favorite!
2. GoodPop popsicles: Another brand that uses real, organic, and whole ingredients to bring you a frozen treat that won’t have you raising an eyebrow at the ingredient list. They’ve got a bunch of fun flavors as well, some dairy-based, and others that aren’t!
3. DeeBee’s Organics SuperFruit Freezies: These organic freezer pops will make you forget all about those other sugary frozen popsicles with hidden artificial ingredients.
4. So Delicious Coconut Milk Organic Fudge Bars: Got chocolate on your mind? This one’s for you! The rich flavor and hint of creamy coconut will get your taste buds jumping for joy!
5. Yasso Frozen Greek Yogurt Bars: Their delicious creamy texture and taste will have you thinking this is ice cream you’re eating! Well, it’s not – it’s Greek yogurt! They’re got 5 grams of protein and made without any artificial sweeteners.

Other Frozen Treats

Here are some other frozen treats that we just had to include!

1. Pitaya Plus Frozen Dragon Fruit Cubes: Looking for some variety for your family’s smoothies? We love dragon fruit for this reason! PLUS, it’s rich in magnesium and antioxidants, high in fiber, and a good source of iron.
2. Chobani Champions (they’ve since been re-branded to Chobani Gimmies!): These fun yogurt tubes are perfect for little chefs’ hands! They’re chock-full of protein, Vitamin D, and calcium, and the ingredient list is short – which we love! And lastly, they’re great when frozen in the freezer overnight – it’s like a frozen ice cream tube!

Recipes

Looking for some new pasta recipes to add some variety to your family’s meals? These are some of our favorites!

1. Chef Cricket’s recipe for Coco-Mango Frozen Ice Pops will have you and your family thinking you’re on a tropical vacation! There’s only FOUR ingredients, and it’s as easy as 1, 2, 3 to make this treat that’s perfect for summer.
2. Check out this blog post with a bunch of yummy popsicle recipes you can easily make at home with your kids. They only require a couple ingredients!
3. Cooking Light also has some easy popsicle recipes with some interesting flavors! Even one for mom and dad with champagne!

Ice Cream-Related Tips & Tricks

Click below for suggestions on our favorite ice cream scoop, fun ice cream-inspired baking kits, and tips for throwing your own ice cream social!

1. Midnight Scoop: Say hello to effortless ice cream scooping! Unlike other ice cream scoops, the Midnight Scoop has a curved handle, which is where all the magic happens. This allows you to keep your wrist straight and avoid straining it while trying to dig into your favorite flavor!
2. Handstand Kitchen Ice Cream Parlor Baking Collection: Take a look at Handstand Kitchen’s fun ice cream-shaped cookie cutters and molds!
3. Throw the Perfect Ice Cream Social: Check out this blog post for Chef Cricket’s tips to make your next ice cream party one for the books!

Do you have any favorite ice cream or popsicle brands, or any yummy recipes that you love? Let us know over on Instagram!

The Creative Kitchen™, LLC, teaches children about food and how to cook in a fun, safe, and educational manner. Targeting families with children ages two to teen, the company focuses on teaching, writing creative content and curriculum, special events, recipe development, spokesperson work, webisode production and consulting to present educational and entertaining content through food-related activities. The founder, Cricket Azima, is an expert in cooking for and with children. She inspires kids to express themselves creatively through food and cooking, while complementing lessons with traditional educational material such as social studies, math, arts, science, and more. Visit www.thecreativekitchen.com for more information.

Here at The Creative Kitchen, we love finding unique products and snacks, especially ones with a twist on a classic treat. That’s why we were thrilled to discover Tea-rrific Ice Cream’s Chamomile ice cream! Its delicious and delicately sweet flavor and top-notch ingredients are truly remarkable. Tea-rrific uses only fresh, hormone-free cream and cage-free eggs for a top-notch ice cream experience. With notes of apple and honey from Egyptian chamomile flowers, this caffeine-free herbal tea, known for its soothing effects, mixes perfectly with the luscious sweet cream base for a unique flavor! Kids and parents alike will love this smooth ice cream!

From the Mouth of a Kid:

Wow! I love this yummy ice cream, it’s so sweet!

From the Eyes of a Parent:

There are so many reasons to love Tea-rrific Chamomile Ice Cream! For starters, it’s made from high-quality ingredients such as fresh, hormone-free cream from local New England farms, cage-free eggs, and organic cane sugar. There’s no artificial colors or preservatives, corn syrup, or gums either! I love that there are no artificial ingredients hiding in this. The Chamomile tea flavor is light and delicious; my kids love the sweetness and I love the hint of floral notes. This uniquely flavored dessert is one of our family’s favorites!

Flavorful Features:

Tea-rrific has other delicious flavors to choose from:

• Chunky London Mist
• Ginger Matcha
• Lavender’s Blueberry
• London Mist
• Masala Chai
• Matcha Green Tea

The Icing on the Cake:

There are many benefits of Tea-rrific Ice Cream that make it the best choice of ice cream for you and your kids:

• All-natural ingredients
• Hormone-free cream
• Made with cage-free eggs
• No corn syrup
• No gums or preservatives
• Gluten Free

Time to Eat?!

Enjoy Tea-rrific’s Chamomile Ice Cream as a light, sweet dessert after dinner!

Good to Go?

Tea-rrific Ice Cream comes in pint-sized containers, which makes it easy to keep multiple flavors in your freezer at once!

Mix it Up!

Want to up the level of deliciousness even more? Like the tea, this chamomile ice cream pairs great with lemon, so whip out your favorite lemon cookie or cracker and indulge away!

www.tearrificicecream.com

www.facebook.com/Tearrificicecream

The Creative Kitchen™, LLC, teaches children about food and how to cook in a fun, safe, and educational manner. Targeting families with children ages two to teen, the company focuses on teaching, writing creative content and curriculum, special events, recipe development, spokesperson work, webisode production and consulting to present educational and entertaining content through food-related activities. The founder, Cricket Azima, is an expert in cooking for and with children. She inspires kids to express themselves creatively through food and cooking, while complementing lessons with traditional educational material such as social studies, math, arts, science, and more. Visit www.thecreativekitchen.com for more information.

Both adults and kids a like can marvel at the perfectly delightful textures and flavors of So Delicious’ wide array of creamers, yogurts, milks, ice cream novelties. And to think that So Delicious products are dairy, nut, soy, and gluten free! We thank So Delicious for sponsoring the Kid’s Food Festival goody bags and providing this delicious milk!

From the Mouth of a Kid:

Mmm I love the chocolate milk!

From the Eyes of a Parent:

With a wide array of soy, coconut, and almond milk products I can introduce my children to healthy alternatives to dairy. I especially like how the Chocolate Single Serve Coconut Milk is shelf stable, to be stocked in a pantry or packed in a lunch box. Having this sweet treat, makes me the hero of the cafeteria.

Flavorful Features:

So Delicious has several fantastic product lines:

• Dairy Free creamers
• Cultured Coconut milk/yogurt
• Dairy Free Beverages
• Dairy Free Desserts

The Icing on the Cake:

So Delicious is certifiably Gluten Free, Kosher, and offer sensible low calorie, portion controlled products.

Time to Eat?!

Use So Delicious dairy alternatives throughout the day. From a morning bowl of cereal, to a cup of cultured coconut milk for lunch, and an indulgent tasting frozen dessert at the end of the day—the uses are endless!

Good to Go?

So Delicious’ line of Chocolate Single Serve Coconut Milk comes in individual portions—perfect adult and kid snacks!

Mix it Up!

Make a creamy curry with So Delicious’ line of cooking milks!

The Creative Kitchen™, LLC, teaches children about food and how to cook in a fun, safe, and educational manner. Targeting families with children ages two to teen, the company focuses on teaching, writing creative content and curriculum, special events, recipe development, spokesperson work, webisode production and consulting to present educational and entertaining content through food-related activities. The founder, Cricket Azima, is an expert in cooking for and with children. She inspires kids to express themselves creatively through food and cooking, while complementing lessons with traditional educational material such as social studies, math, arts, science, and more. Visit www.thecreativekitchen.com for more information.

Is it back-to-school time already? Not so fast! Grab your friends and celebrate the final days of summer with some ice cream! Whether you’re 5 or 50 years old, chances are you love ice cream, so invite everyone over to cool off from the summer heat while enjoying some delicious treats! With these tips from Cricket Azima and The Creative Kitchen, featured on iVillage, and extra tricks, you’ll be able to pull off the best party on the block while keeping your cool.

Make a Shopping List

Once you have a good grasp of how many mouths you’ll be feeding, make a list of exactly how much ice cream (or ice cream ingredients), toppings, bowls, and spoons you will need. This will cut down on trips to the grocery store and save lots of time.

If making your own ice cream isn’t in the cards, serve store-bought versions and save prep time. If you want that homemade taste without all the work, buy local. Find a specialty shop in your area that makes its own ice cream and purchase their handcrafted product. Or purchase grocery-store brands that are tried-and-true such as Häagen-Dazs, Ben & Jerry’s, Breyer’s or Edy’s.

Include Non-Dairy Options

Even though this party is about creamy treats, be sure to include non-dairy options so riends with food allergies and dietary restrictions can join in on the fun. Sorbets and popsicles are widely available in supermarkets and are super fun and easy to make on your own! See The Creative Kitchen’s Fruit Popsicle Recipe.

You can also make some delicious, healthy, non-dairy ice cream using only one ingredient: bananas! Simply take a ripe bunch of bananas, peel, chop into slices, and freeze overnight. Then, place the frozen banana slices in a food processor and process until smooth. Voila! Sweet, creamy banana ice cream! You can also add ingredients such as nut butter or chocolate chips for added flavor and fun.

The Scoop on Ice Cream Makers

Making homemade ice cream might sound complicated, but you’ll be surprised at just how simple the process is. All you need is a handful of basic ingredients, any extra flavorings you desire, and an ice cream maker. Or, if you don’t have the time or budget for a new kitchen gadget, see the next section on how you can make ice cream using unconventional methods!

1. Kids of all ages will have a ball with Industrial Revolution’s Play & Freeze Ice Cream Maker! There’s no electricity needed, simply add ingredients to one end of the ball and ice and rock salt to the other. Delicious ice cream is made as you toss, shake, and roll the ball around. (Available at select retail stores or at Amazon, $25.00)
2. Cuisinart’s Automatic Frozen Yogurt-Ice Cream & Sorbet Maker is a serious machine that’s worth every penny and minute of time invested. Note – this machine is not for the spontaneous ice cream maker, or impatient ice cream eater, as the bowl must be frozen in advance and multiple steps are required throughout the process. But once made, the ice cream’s quality is spectacular. (Available from a number of retailers $69.95)
3. Sassafras’ inexpensive, battery-operated ice cream maker is super-simple to use. Just add ingredients, push a button and place it in the freezer. The best part? You can make two different flavors at once. Extra bonus: this ice cream maker can be purchased within a complete kids’ party kit. (Available at Amazon, $11.00)
4. Cuisipro’s Donvier Ice Cream Maker is a manual ice cream maker, which can help control the ice cream-making process and thus the final product. Use the hand-held crank to churn; more cranking means a creamier ice cream. Bonus: exercise for your arms! (Available online at Amazon, $60.00)

No Ice Cream Maker? No Problem!

Ice cream can also be made in a food processor or blender! Simply make your ice cream base according to the recipe, let the mixture cool, and freeze in a plastic bag for at least 5 hours. Once the concoction is frozen, remove from the bag and break it into chunks, then put them into a food processor or blender with some milk and cream. You may need to slowly add more liquid to help the machine do its thing. In a few minutes, you’ll have delicious, homemade ice cream!

Ice Cream Hacks

If you’re anticipating having your hands full at this party, save yourself some time and pre-scoop your ice cream into cupcake wrappers and freeze! You can do this days in advance and leave the little scoops in the freezer, then bring them out when your guests arrive.

Sick of ice cream dripping from the bottom of the cone? Stop this from happening by placing three mini marshmallows at the bottom of the cone before adding the ice cream! It will clog up the cone and provide an extra treat when your ice cream is all gone. This tip is especially great if you’re scooping cones for kids – just an easy way to prevent more messiness.

Prevent your ice cream from getting too hard in the freezer by putting the tub into a freezer bag first. This will keep the ice cream at a constant temperature and also prevent freezer burn.

The Creative Kitchen™, LLC, teaches children about food and how to cook in a fun, safe, and educational manner. Targeting families with children ages two to teen, the company focuses on teaching, writing creative content and curriculum, special events, recipe development, spokesperson work, webisode production and consulting to present educational and entertaining content through food-related activities. The founder, Cricket Azima, is an expert in cooking for and with children. She inspires kids to express themselves creatively through food and cooking, while complementing lessons with traditional educational material such as social studies, math, arts, science, and more. Visit www.thecreativekitchen.com for more information.

When Gabriel Wolff was seventeen years old, he was diagnosed with celiac disease and dairy intolerance. Not willing to give up ice cream, he set off to discover the perfect substitute. When he could not find one, he developed one. It took five years of care and research for him to create Wink Frozen Desserts. Wink Frozen Desserts was specifically created for those like Wolff who cannot enjoy ice cream because of dietary restrictions. Wolff’s ice cream is free of fat, sugar, gluten, soy, nuts, diary, and eggs, and is only 100 calories a pint (that’s 25 calories per serving!). Now, the delicious flavor and joy that comes from eating ice cream can be shared with everyone in your family!

From the Mouth of a Kid:

It’s my favorite dessert! I wish I could have it all day long!

From the Eyes of a Parent:

There are so many advantages to Wink Frozen Desserts. It is allergen-free, so even though my child has allergies, he can still have a tasty treat with the rest of the family. It’s also great for the rest of my family because we can still enjoy the same taste and creaminess that comes from dairy based ice cream without the calories or artificial flavors.

Flavorful Features

Ice cream flavors include:

• Cake Batter
• Cinnamon Bun
• Cocoa-Dough
• Iced Latte

The Icing on the Cake:

Wink Frozen Desserts are vegan, fat-free, gluten-free, soy-free, nut-free, diary-free, and egg-free. They contain no sugar and are sweetened with all-natural, zero-calorie sweeteners, such as stevia and monk fruit extract.

Mix It Up!

Place a scoop into a blender with your favorite smoothie ingredients for an extra special chilly treat!

www.facebook.com/winkfrozendesserts

The Creative Kitchen™, LLC, teaches children about food and how to cook in a fun, safe, and educational manner.  Targeting families with children ages two to teen, the company focuses on teaching, writing creative content and curriculum, special events, recipe development, spokesperson work, webisode production and consulting to present educational and entertaining content through food-related activities. The founder, Cricket Azima, is an expert in cooking for and with children.  She inspires kids to express themselves creatively through food and cooking, while complementing lessons with traditional educational material such as social studies, math, arts, science, and more. Visit www.thecreativekitchen.com for more information.

Frozen Kefir is the ideal beat-the-heat treat for those hot and sunny summer days! Creamier than frozen yogurt, lighter than ice cream and packed with probiotics Frozen Kefir comes in several tasty flavors that leave bellies feeling great. Lifeway Frozen Kefir has 10 live and active cultures, is all natural, no trans fat AND is filled with calcium and protein!

From the Mouth of a Kid: 

It’s cold, creamy, and yummy and Mom says it’s good for my tummy too!

From the Eyes of a Parent: 

I can finally feel confident about giving my kids the frozen treat they beg for without all the sugar and artificial ingredients. I also love that the kids are getting probiotics in a treat they love!

Flavorful Features

Tart and Tangy Original, Tart and Tangy Mango, Tart and Tangy Pomegranate, Tart and Tangy Strawberry, Tart and Tangy Chocolate, Tart and Tangy Dulce de Leche, Tart and Tangy Pumpkin

Icing on the Cake: 

Contains only 90 calories per serving!

Time to Eat?!

A perfect light dessert for the family or a chilly treat for a hot summer day. 

Good to Go?

The single serve paper cones that squeeze are perfect for eating on the run or outside!

Mix it Up!

Squeeze kefir into bowls and top with fruit, nuts, or your favorite toppings. 

The Creative Kitchen™, LLC, teaches children about food and how to cook in a fun, safe, and educational manner.  Targeting families with children ages two to teen, the company focuses on teaching, writing creative content and curriculum, special events, recipe development, spokesperson work, webisode production and consulting to present educational and entertaining content through food-related activities. The founder, Cricket Azima, is an expert in cooking for and with children.  She inspires kids to express themselves creatively through food and cooking, while complementing lessons with traditional educational material such as social studies, math, arts, science, and more. Visit www.thecreativekitchen.com for more information.

There’s nothing like a tasty ice cream sundae on a hot summer’s day. And, now thanks to our friends at Breyers and their new line of delicious sundae toppings, we can keep the words “hot and sticky” to describe the hot summer weather, and not the ice cream toppings! Breyers new line of Easy-Peazy and Squeezy twist top sauce pouches cut out the messy sticky part of jars, AND they are high-fructose corn syrup free! In addition Breyers also has an assortment of fun sprinkles and sweet all-fruit toppings to keep the kids pouring on the fun!

From the Mouth of a Kid:

There’s so many yummy flavors I can choose from and I can pour the caramel and chocolate sauce on myself!! The strawberries are really sweet and tasty!

From the Eyes of a Parent:

Ice cream sundaes are fun treat in the summertime, but the sticky mess that usually goes along with them can be a bit nightmare. Breyers has taken the mess out of our favorite ice cream toppings. The squeezable pouches reduce the mess and also allow the kids to top their own treats. I also feel much better about feeding the kids these toppings because they are free of high-fructose corn syrup and partially hydrogenated oils. The fruit toppings taste fresh and homemade while the chocolate and caramel are creamy and so indulgent!

Flavorful Features:

Sauces: hot fudge, caramel and chocolate sauces,

Real fruit toppings: cherry, strawberry and mixed berry

Sprinkles: Chocolate and rainbow sprinkles

The Icing on the Cake:

The sauces are made without high fructose corn syrup! The fruit toppings are made without high-fructose corn syrup, artificial flavors, artificial color or preservatives, and have 10 grams of sugar or less per serving! AND the sprinkles are made without high-fructose corn syrup or partially hydrogenated vegetable oil.

Time to Eat?!

A cool after school treat, weekend dessert or a special party/birthday treat!

Good to Go?

Easily transportable to and from events thanks to the twist off tops on the caramel and chocolate sauce pouches. The fruit toppings come in jars and can also be resealed.

Mix it Up!

Add a yummy swirl to frozen or regular yogurt. Or take your ice cream sandwiches to the next level with a fruit topping, sauce, or colorful sprinkles!

The Creative Kitchen™, LLC, teaches children about food and how to cook in a fun, safe, and educational manner.  Targeting families with children ages two to teen, the company focuses on teaching, writing creative content and curriculum, special events, recipe development, spokesperson work, webisode production and consulting to present educational and entertaining content through food-related activities. The founder, Cricket Azima, is an expert in cooking for and with children.  She inspires kids to express themselves creatively through food and cooking, while complementing lessons with traditional educational material such as social studies, math, arts, science, and more. Visit www.thecreativekitchen.com for more information.