Keep Your Child Hydrated & Comfortable During A Fever With Herbal Smoothie Freezer Pops

Heather Dessinger

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When kids get stomach bugs, preventing dehydration is top priority. Registered nurse and herbalist Meagan Visser shares how to make hydrating, immune supporting popsicles for fevers.

Note from Heather: Respected pediatricians agree that fevers are usually beneficial, but do you have a plan for if /when a fever goes beyond what you’re comfortable with?

The book featured in today’s post – Treating Fevers Naturally – was written by Meagan Visser, a registered nurse and herbalist whose insights have helped many mamas stay calm while discussing care with their pediatrician. Thanks for sharing with us, Meagan!

Priority #1: Keep Your Child Hydrated During A Fever

How would you like to learn a fun, easy way to keep your child hydrated and happier when they have a fever?

As mom, you know what it’s like when your child is hot with a fever. They don’t feel good, and they definitely don’t want anything to eat or drink. Sometimes their body hurts, and sometimes they just want to lay around and sleep.

Thankfully fevers don’t have to be a scary ordeal. You just have to keep an eye on your child and remember to keep them from getting dehydrated.

Now, keeping an eye on your child can be the easy part. When they’re sick, it’s the keeping them from getting dehydrated part that can be tough.

Today I’m going to show you an easy way you can not only keep your child hydrated when they have a fever, but how it can boost their spirit and support their immune system at the same time.

How To Make Herbal Smoothie Freezer Pops For Fevers

These herbal freezer pops are made using a combination of an herbal infusion and smoothie mix, and they’re perfect for that second stage of fevers when your kid is feeling really hot, they’re perspiring and losing fluids, and you want to help them be as comfortable as possible.

Now although all of the above sounds like great benefits, the best thing about them is that they taste really good and your kids won’t be likely to turn them down. So now, let’s walk through the steps of making them together, shall we?

Step 1: Make an Herbal Infusion

There are a lot of different herbs and herb combinations that you can use in this recipe, but today I’m gonna give you a combination of herbs that is great for viruses and children love it because it tastes good.

Herbal Hydration Popsicles For Fevers

Here’s what you’ll need:

How To Make Herbal Hydration Popsicles For Fevers

To make an herbal infusion, combine equal amounts of dried herbs in a quart jar. You can weigh your herbs using a kitchen scale to get the exact amount you need or you can eyeball it if you don’t care to be exact. Just remember… the rosehips are going to weigh more than the elder flower or the peppermint because they’re hard. All that matters is that you have around 1 ounce of dried herbs by weight in the end. Your jar should look like it’s about 1/3 to 1/2 full of your herbs.

How To Make Infused Popsicles For Fevers

Put your herbs in a glass quart jar and pour boiled water over them, filling it to the bottom ring of the jar.

Herbal Infusion Popsicles For Fevers

Cover, and let your herbs sit for as little as 30 minutes or as long as four hours. This makes a very strong tea and really gets the properties out of the herb and into your water. The longer you can let it sit, the better.

Time Saving Tip – Four hours is the standard time for making an herbal infusion, but when your little one is sick and they need something to keep them hydrated and cool, 30 minutes will definitely do. Just look at the above photo. It’s only been sitting for 5 minutes and you can already see the water darkening as it penetrates the herbs and pulls the properties out of them!

Straining Herbs For Hydration Popsicles

Strain the herbs from the water using a cheesecloth, old t-shirt, or fine stainless steel mesh sieve. Squeeze all the liquid from your herbs to get all the good juices out, and then you can compost your herbs as they can’t be reused.

Your infusion should smell strongly of peppermint! Now you’re ready to sweeten it.

Honey Sweetened Hydration Popsicles For Fevers

To sweeten your herbal infusion, use a small amount of natural sweetener such as honey or maple syrup. I’m talking about 1 TBSP of one of these to your whole infusion. Another option you have is to add a touch of whole leaf stevia to your herb mix during the infusion process. Only a small amount though… stevia leaf is very strong.

Choose whatever sweetener you feel is best and give it a taste to see if you think it tastes right. At this point it should taste like sweet peppermint tea… only really strong peppermint tea! Don’t worry if it’s not perfect… the best part is below!

Step 2: Make Your Smoothie Mix

The next step is to take your herbal infusion and combine it with a smoothie mix to make it taste great so your kids will eat them.

Below you’ll find two different smoothie mix recipes that your kids are sure to love! If I’m making a small amount of smoothie, I’ll use a Magic Bullet to blend mine up, but if I wanna make a large batch, I’ll use my Vita-Mix.

Blueberry Smoothie: (pictured at top of post)

Strawberry Banana Smoothie:

  • 1/2 cup of homemade yogurt (preferably from a raw milk source)
  • 1/4 cup of herbal fever infusion
  • 2 bananas to taste
  • 3-4 large organic strawberries to taste

Once your smoothie mixes are made up and your herbal fever infusion has been added, give them a quick sip to make sure they taste like something you kid can’t turn down. Remember the main goal is to make this taste good so they’ll eat it and get the benefit of the herbs at the same time!

Step 3: Pour Into Popsicle Molds & Freeze

Once your mix tastes great, you’re ready to make your freezer pops! Pour your mix into your choice of popsicle molds and freeze them. I’m using these BPA-free silicone molds and love them!

Store your extra mix in a glass jar in the refrigerator so you can make more freezer pops later.

Time Saver Tip – If you’re strapped for time and you don’t feel like waiting several hours for your pops to freeze, you can let your kiddo drink it like a smoothie now and freeze some for later… either way is fine.

Step 4: Keep ‘Em Comin’!

Once your fever pops are frozen, you can let your child eat as many as they want. All of the herbs used are safe and non-toxic even in large doses.

So there you have it. Herbal Smoothie Freezer Pops that will not only help to keep your kids hydrated and slowly lower their fever, but they will keep them happy at the same time!

So what do you think? If you found this post helpful, be sure to share it on Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter!

Want to to learn more about helping your child naturally during a fever?

Treating Fevers Naturally - GrowingUpHerbal.com

Check out my new digital guide – Treating Fevers Naturally: A Parent’s Guide To Keeping Their Cool While Managing Fevers In Children.

In this 76 page guide you learn exactly what a fever is and how it works to help your child’s body, what the different “degrees” of fever are and what they mean for your child, what the scary and not-so-scary symptoms of fevers are as well as how to avoid them, when you should be concerned by your child’s fever and seek help, as well as how to help them safely through a fever using natural methods, and much more!

CLICK HERE to learn more about the guide and to preview the first chapter!

About Meagan

Meagan Visser is a Registered Nurse turned home-schooling, SAHM to 3 small boys. She’s currently a family herbalist that is passionate about using herbs for health and healing. She teaches parents how to take charge of their children’s health naturally on her blog GrowingUpHerbal.com and in her Letters To Natural Mamas emails.

Want more research-backed natural remedies?

No problem, I’ve created a free ebook for you – Kitchen Apothecary: 25+ Natural Remedies Using Ingredients From Your Pantry – as a gift for signing up for my newsletter. You’ll also get updates when I post about safe essential oils for pregnant/breastfeeding mamas, exclusive gifts and coupons (I was able to give away a jar of free coconut oil to anyone who wanted it recently!), plus other goodies.

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About HEATHER

Heather is a holistic health educator, herbalist, DIYer, Lyme and mold warrior. Since founding Mommypotamus.com in 2009, Heather has been taking complicated health research and making it easy to understand. She shares tested natural recipes and herbal remedies with millions of naturally minded mamas around the world. 

Leave a Comment

43 thoughts on “Keep Your Child Hydrated & Comfortable During A Fever With Herbal Smoothie Freezer Pops”

  1. Good information. Thanks. I use coconut water in all my frozen pops and lots of smoothies. Instant refreshing and quick pick up also especially in place of Gatorade or other sports drinks? Can it be used in place of regular water without compromising the effectiveness of the herbs?

    Reply
    • Some herbalists do cold infusions, so if you wanted to use coconut milk, you could just pour coconut water over the herbs. It would probably have to sit for 4-6 hours though, and it would be best to leave it in the fridge while it is seeping. Or you could just add it to the smoothie mix. Coconut water is a good choice for fevers because it is biochemically similar to IV fluid.

      Reply
  2. Yes, I’d definitely think you could replace the infusion water with coconut water Diane. The only thing I’d want you to be aware of is that typical infusions use boiled water so it’s HOT and the water will penetrate the herbs well. I’m not sure if heating coconut water would destroy some of it’s benefits. I imagine it would. You could always try heating it slightly, pouring it over your herbs, and let it sit for the max infusion time – 4 hours. Another option would be to pour your coconut water on your herbs cold, then place your jar in a pan of warm water (on your stove or you could do this in a crockpot) on top of a washcloth and let that sit on low heat for the four hours to slowly heat it. Hope that answers your question. Your main goal of course with these pops is to keep your kiddo hydrated… the secondary benefits are the herbs.

    Reply
  3. Hi, great information! I’m excited to do this even without a fever present for the anti-viral effects. I have the same silicone molds. I’ve noticed they have a strange odor when not being used. Do you have this problem too or are mine defective? I’ve tried soaking them in a vinegar water mixture but it didn’t help. Just curious if that is normal for a BPA free product or if I need to exchange them. Thanks!

    Reply
    • I have never noticed that Rachel. I keep mine in the freezer even when I’m not using them, and I wash them before making new popsicles. Now my husband would say that anything silicone stinks. He hates using my homemade toothpaste I keep in my GoTubes… he says it make the toothpaste taste and smell nasty. I really have no clue. I’ve always thought he was just being picky because I’ve never heard anyone else say they smelled, but now… I don’t know. Maybe someone else can comment??

      Reply
      • While I’ve never noticed it to impart a taste to anything I also think my silicone kitchen stuff has an awful smell for a good long while. My older, frequently used silicon spatulas no longer have that smell, but the baking cups that I’ve used only a few times still have the smell despite being several years old. My husband works with silicon for work and assures me that it’s a very inert substance so I don’t worry about it (of course there could certainly be something mixed with it that isn’t so inert but I just refuse to worry about everything).

        Reply
  4. Hi, I know this should be an obvious answer but I am drawing a blank. What can be used as base for a child with a dairy allergy and who does not like almond or coconut milk? Thank you, Sarah

    Reply
    • You could make the infusion with the water or even coconut water (if your child would drink that), and then blend it together with more fruit, skipping the yogurt and milk all together to make a fruit slushie type drink for them. I don’t think they’d taste the coconut if you chose to use coconut water thanks to the fruit and sweetener. Do you think that would work Sarah?

      Reply
  5. Maybe an obvious question but can I sub Elder berries for the flowers? It’s what I have on hand and can’t order from my regular herb company because of some gliches with their website.
    Thanks in advance!

    Reply
    • That is a great question Ramona, and yes you can sub the elder berries for elder flowers, but it’s going to give your infusion a different property. Elder berries are known to help stimulate the immune system (which is a good thing during a fever), but elder flowers are known to help lower a very high fever. So yes, you can exchange them, but first think about what you’re trying to accomplish with your herbal freezer pops. If you want them to boost the immune system, then definitely use the elder berries. Throw some echinacea root in too while your at it or even some astragalus root if you have them. If you want it to help specifically with the fever, go with the elder flower. You can find them at Mountain Rose Herbs and on Amazon and many other smaller herb businesses. You can even find them in tea bags at the health food store if you’re desperate. Hope that helps!!

      Reply
  6. Hi! I’m just wondering how long these herbs will keep. Would they work for next season if we don’t see the flu again til then?

    Reply
    • If you’re asking how long these herbs will keep in dried form, then I’d say as long as you store them in a cool place away from direct sunlight, they should last for 2+ years if not more. If you’re asking how long the infusion will last, then I’d say only 2-4 weeks refrigerated. If you’re asking how long the freezer pops will last, then I’d say they will last a long time frozen in your freezer, but they’ll probably taste so bad your kids won’t want to eat them. I’d make these pops when you need them. And… these herbs are good for flu and any other fevers. You don’t have to wait to use these for flu only. Great question… thanks for your comment.

      Reply
  7. I live in Phoenix Arizona where the summer temperature lingers around 115 degrees for about four months. Is it safe to eat these even without a fever?

    Reply
    • Sure Maria… these herbs are all safe, nutritional, and non-toxic so they can be eaten at anytime. Enjoy!

      Reply
  8. Would I be able to make the herbal infusion and then freeze it in ice cube trays to have on hand and ready to use as opposed to having the pops already made and sitting in the freezer? I’m thinking it would be fresher tasting if I were able to make the smoothies fresh but not have to wait for the infusion to be made. Because don’t fevers always seem to spike at night?! Thanks!

    Reply
    • That’s a great idea Katie… you could totally make a bunch of infusion, freeze it into ice cubes, and use it in your smoothies when your kiddo had a fever. That would make it very quick!

      Reply
  9. I used this recipe for my 9 month old and just gave it to her as a smoothie with coconut oil added and pineapple (no honey) and she loves it. She hasn’t been interested in food for the past couple days so this is great to rehydrate her 🙂 thanks!!

    Reply
  10. It’s a great idea to use a herbal infusion in an ice-block… but I definitely would do a cold infusion (overnight soak) because you will destroy all the Vitamin C by heating it. (which would be a bit of a waste of a great herbal remedy 🙂

    Reply
    • That’s a great suggestion Peace, and that would work just fine. I have read about heat destroying vitamin c, but from what I found when I researched that was that the heat doesn’t actually destroy the vitamin c, it decreases it in the food/herb by drawing it out of the plant and into the water. Since most people cook their food, the vitamin c is pulled out into the water they’re cooking it in and most people don’t use that water. They pour it down the drain. That isn’t the case with herbal preparations. The water is almost always used. I even listened to a lecture from an herbalist once that said heating things with vitamin c helped it to be more bioavailable. She didn’t say where she got that info from (and since it was a lecture I didn’t see references or sources for her information), but I thought it was interesting. Anyway, I’m not saying this is 100% accurate… it’s just what I’ve found so far. If you have any info that differs, I’d love to know what it is as I’m always trying to learn more.

      Reply
  11. Silly question here Im sure. But should you give someone something cold while they have a flu. I always thought you should put warm food into throat when you have a cold.

    Reply
  12. The point with this post Mia is to get herbs into a child that will help lower their fever when it gets too high and help to keep them hydrated at the same time. Most times, fevers don’t need lowered at all, but many times when a kid has a fever or if it gets too high, they don’t feel like eating anything and can get dehydrated very easily. By giving them a yummy popsicle that not only tastes good, but has safe plant medicine in it to help lower their fever a bit so they feel better can help them (and mom) have a better outcome. As far as what foods to feed them when they are ready to eat, I would personally go with homemade bone broth that is warm as they feel like it.

    Reply
    • There is no minimum age for this recipe April. The herbs are all safe and non-toxic. The only thing that makes a difference with age is if you use honey to sweeten it, and then you wouldn’t want to use it for babies under 1 year.

      Reply
  13. I see in the comments that elder berries boost the immune system. Do the elder flowers do the same or do they just support the immune system? I have a child that has an autoimmune disorder and is currently on an immunosuppressant so I can’t give them anything that would boost the immune system since it is already in overdrive. Actually, generally speaking should someone with an autoimmune disorder use anything that boosts the immune system?Thanks!

    Reply
    • Elder flowers don’t boost the immune system like the berries do, but I did find some info that said they could have some slight immune boosting effects so I’d definitely talk to your doctor about this before trying them. And generally, if someone has an autoimmune disorder and their immune system is in overdrive you would want to avoid anything that gives it a boost since instead of helping them, it causes more trouble. Hope that helps Katie.

      Reply
      • Thanks for the quick response, Meagan! I wasn’t sure if I’d get a response since this post is *gasp* almost a year old. I appreciate your thoughtful and well researched responses to comments people post. Thanks again!

        Reply
    • You can substitute it with any stimulating herb like spearmint, ginger, cinnamon, etc. Catnip also works well with fevers, but it doesn’t taste all that great so you may need to doctor the popsicle up a bit more. Hope that helps Gina, and thanks for your comment!

      Reply
        • Although some essential oils such as lemon, orange and peppermint can be used as a replacement for flavoring extracts in some cases, they need to be properly emulsified in a fat or oil to be used safely in that way. Since this is a water-based formula a drop of peppermint oil will not properly emulsify, so I do not recommend it.

          Reply
  14. Hi. I love your blog. I was wondering if you have any suggestions on how to treat strep throat. I am all for natural remedies but I have to admit that strep scares me more than all other things because it’s bacterial and in the throat and from my understanding it doesn’t just clear up on its own like a virus per say. My toddler is extremely fussy and not eating. Any tips would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance!

    Reply