The Perfect Allergen Free Summer Treat

In a different world (one that I lived in about 2 years ago), I would have argued that ice cream was the ultimate summer treat. There’s something for everyone- chocoholics, people who don’t like chocolate (I mean… I guess those people exist?), ones with crunchy nuts, fresh summer fruit, caramel swirls. There’s the classic scoop at the small ice cream shop at the beach. There’s fancy gelato. There’s concrete and frozen custard and nobody really knows the difference but sometimes it’s fun to just get something different (even though you know it’s really the same).

Now, ice cream is way off limits. Not only does it have two of the top 9 allergens in it, those ice cream shops with scoops that are dipped in dirty water to “clean” them between customers are the perfect place to accidentally ingest all kinds of tree nuts and peanuts. Throw a waffle cone in there and suddenly you’ve got a nightmare for 5/9 allergens.

You know what doesn’t have any common food allergens and is still frozen and  delicious? Popsicles. They are way, way, way easier to make at home than ice cream (traditional or allergen free). They come in fun colors. If you stay away from creamsicles and fudgesicles, I really haven’t seen any with allergens in them. They are just water, sugar, and “fruit” (you know… fruit flavoring… or juice… and maybe even just some food coloring to give the essence of fruit).

Okay. So these have other stuff in them, too. Not really even sure what carob bean gum is. But no top niners!

Water and sugar and red dye #5 frozen? Magic. Happy summer!