It was a tad slow coming but… We have officially entered summer! Check the weather map, it’s on and popping!
Temperatures are rapidly rising, last-minute vacation plans are being made, and we’re all on the hunt for the best festival gear and swimsuits we can find as we enter into the most laid-back time of the year. And when you’re sitting poolside — or just laying in the grass pretending you’re near a body of water, respect — there is no better way to chill out than with a freshly mixed drink, maybe a J, and your favorite popsicle.
What other time of year are popsicles going to be an essential part of your grocery shopping list? The time is now, and since this is a one-season-a-year type thing, you don’t want to waste your time with one of those garbage popsicles. Trust us, there are a lot of those.
Today, we’re ranking the best popsicles you can find at the grocery store right now to help ensure your freezer is only stocked up with the finest. We’re explicitly looking at popsicles, which means frozen flavored iced, not pre-packaged cones, or ice cream sandwiches. Let’s dive in!
20. Popsicle — Colors
Price: $5.99 (18 pack)
Popsicle Colors are on just about every “Best Popsicle” list on the internet, and I get it, there is a major nostalgia factor with these things. But has anyone actually tasted these recently? Because they’re garbage.
Each flavor just tastes like ice. I almost feel like the colors are there to trick you into thinking these actually have flavors. I’m pretty sure Popsicle brand just made some Kool-Aid and froze it in a mold with a popsicle stick in it.
The Bottom Line
Worst to best: Grape, Orange, Cherry, but really, don’t get these. They’re not nearly as good as you remember.
19. Fudgsicle — Fudge Pop
Price: $5.99 (18 pack)
Oh, trust me, I desperately want these to be good but they just… aren’t. A Fudge Pop should taste like, you know, fudge, and yet these just taste like watered-down ice. Yes, that’s right, watered-down ice. I know what I said!
Seriously though, where is the chocolate? I promise I’m not here to dunk on all of your favorites, I’m just trying to steer you away from the truly bad stuff, and this fits the bill.
The Bottom Line
I know, I know, you loved them but I promise you they don’t taste as good as you remember. Pour yourself a glass of chocolate milk, and then when you’re done drinking that, fill up the cup with water and freeze that. That’ll taste better than these Fudgsicles.
18. WarHeads — Extreme Sour Freezer Pops
Price: $8.00 (10 count)
I don’t know what I expected here, the idea of a sour ice pop seemed gross, but I did grow up loving WarHeads so I was intrigued. In terms of being sour, they definitely deliver, they’re not quite as sour as WarHead candy but there is a sharp tart wince-inducing quality to each of these flavors. I just can’t see anyone actually enjoying eating one — it’s more a chore than anything else.
On the bright side, all of the classic Warhead flavors are here — watermelon, blue raspberry, apple, and black cherry, I was only able to get behind the blue raspberry and black cherry, the rest of the flavors will have to live in my freezer until I have a house guest over that I feel like pulling a prank on.
The Bottom Line:
Fun to experience, but ultimately wasteful as they aren’t actually enjoyable from a pure flavor perspective.
17. The Original Bomb Pop
Price: $3.74 (12-pack)
I know it’s shocking to see the Bomb Pop ranked so low but trust me when I tell you that these aren’t nearly as good as you remember either (getting tired of that yet?). If you have the full-size single-pop version, buy that in confidence, but this 12-pack mini bar version is a far cry from the sort of Bomb Pop you’d find at a convenience store freezer or in an ice cream truck.
The flavors are massively watered down and the lime section in the middle is practically flavorless.
The Bottom Line
If you can find the large single-bar version with the sour gum on top, get that, those are still good. But if 12 Bomb Pops for $3.74 seems too good to be true, trust that intuition.
Luckily, there is an alternative coming up that will scratch that Bomb Pop itch.
16. Bolis — Freezer Pops
Price: $12.95 (32 Pack)
I love an ice pop that doesn’t pretend to be anything that it’s not. No talk of “natural” flavors here, no proclamations about calories or sugar — just 32 super frozen tooth-cracking ice pops flavored with an intense burst of cherry, lime, grape, or raspberry flavors.
I won’t pretend these are the highest quality ice pops you can find, they taste like a bunch of artificial flavors frozen solid. But nothing slaps like one of these on a hot day.
The Bottom Line:
A nonsense-free ice pop. It’s just frozen sugar, sweet and delicious, as it should be.
15. Whole Foods Market 365 — Citrus Pop-Ups
Price: $4.99
Whole Foods has a version of these Push-Pop clones (named Pop-Ups) that follow the traditional cherry, grape, and orange flavor rundown, but since we have the OGs on the list and they’re still delicious, we’re going to highlight this alternate set of flavors instead.
This variety pack features lemonades orangeade, and strawberry lemonade flavors. The lemon spike on each flavor gives each a nice tart aftertaste. The weakest of the three flavors is, unfortunately, the orangeade — it just comes across as a bit too zesty for my tastes. Whole Foods had the chance to opt for another flavor here (blueberry lemonade would’ve been amazing) to differentiate this pack from the regular Fruit Pop-Ups, but ultimately this is a minor complaint.
The pops are sweetened with a mix of real fruit puree and concentrate, cane sugar, and corn syrup solids.
The Bottom Line:
A good Push-Pop clone with an alternate set of flavors.
14. Nestle — Push-Up Pops
Price: $5.29
Ahh the classic Push-Up Pop… didn’t these used to be sherbet? I can’t really remember, but I have a distinct memory of the ice cream being a lot softer. While the texture is a bit too plastic-y for my liking, I can’t deny that each flavor is pretty delicious.
The “Outrageous Orange” and “Cherry Blast” are unbeatable!
There is something refreshing and satisfying about these flavors, it’s an itch that Popsicle Colors can’t scratch. One major gripe I have is that the cardboard tube that this pop is housed in sometime transfers its flavor over to the pop. It doesn’t happen all of the time, but it happened enough times through a single box that I felt it was worth mentioning.
The Bottom Line
Plastic texture and a good flavor (when it doesn’t taste like cardboard).
13. GoodPop — Watermelon Agave
Price: $5.79 (4 Pack)
Made with real watermelon juice, fair trade organic agave nectar, and cane sugar, Good Pop is clearly trying to appeal to the Whole Foods crowd and for all its efforts, this is a pretty good ice pop.
But it’s good, not great. Each pop has a strong watermelon-forward flavor but it just doesn’t really deliver on the sweetness. It comes across like an unripened watermelon, all water, no juicy flavor.
Having said that what I love about these pops is just how refreshing they are. They won’t satisfy a sweet tooth but they’re a nice companion to a freshly blended slushy margarita and work as the perfect dipping apparatus.
The Bottom Line:
Not as sweet as you want them to be but refreshing nonetheless.
12. Van Holten’s — Pickle Ice
Price: $3.24 (8 pack)
I’m totally aware that these are going to be a large turn-off for people who don’t like pickles, but you know what? F*ck those people. If you like pickles, you’re going to love these, they’re tangy, sour, and incredibly refreshing.
They have this savory quality that is completely unique to this brand. That said, if you don’t like pickles, this isn’t going to win you over.
The Bottom Line
It’s frozen pickle juice, which tastes way better than you’d imagine but still only appeals to those that love pickles.
11. Powerade — Sports Freezer Bars
Price: $4.98 (16 pack)
I can’t believe this exists, but as soon as I saw that Power Ade “Sports Freezer Bars” (hilarious name) were a thing I had to see if they taste, as I would expect, like frozen Power Ade. And yup, this tastes exactly like someone poured 1/8 of a bottle of Powerade into a plastic tube and froze it.
It has that same slightly salty flavor that Power Ade has and the Mountain Berry Blast and Fruit Punch taste exactly like their bottled counterparts. Each bar is fortified with b vitamins, which will allow you to pretend that these ice bars are somehow good for you. Who doesn’t love that?
The Bottom Line:
Surprisingly good! Power Ade’s Sports Freezer Bars are exactly what you think they are.
10. OtterPops
Price: $17.26 (100 Pack)
Food coloring, ice, and fruit flavor, how could you go wrong? I love Otter Pops, and I say that completely without shame. While it’s true that two of these flavors are duds (looking at you Alexander the Grape and Sir Issac Lime), the other flavors are unique and delicious. Unlike Bolis, the ice here isn’t quite as dense — it’s a lot more airy and easy to chew threw. That results in a better-tasting pop that puts more emphasis on the fruity flavors, but one that doesn’t last as long.
Highlights include Strawberry Short Kook, a strangely delicate strawberry-flavored ice unlike anything on the market, Louie Bloom Raspberry (it tastes blue!), and the great Little Orphan Orange. Otter Pops also get an award for having the weirdest, most out-of-touch flavor names in the entire ice pop world.
The Bottom Line
My favorite flavors go — Little Orphan Orange, Louie Bloo Raspberry, Poncho Punch, Strawberry Short Kook, Sir Issac Lime, and Alexander The Grape.
9. Annie’s Organic Fruit Juice Pops — Cheerful Cherry
Average Retail Price: $5.29 (pack of 10)
I know it’s easy to wince at Annie’s ice pops because of words like “organic” and “no high fructose corn syrup” and “no flavors, colors, or preservatives from artificial source.” It’s like, “Who are you trying to impress Annie? We’re eating ice pops, we know what we signed up for.”
And yet… I can’t hate these. They’re too delicious.
The cherry flavor here is strong and prominent, with a real noticeable richness that makes each pop worth savoring. I only wish Annie made the orange, grape, and cherry variety pack, but until then, this is our recommended flavor.
The Bottom Line
Strong and fruity, with a rich cherry flavor.
8. Fla-Vor-Ice
Average Retail Price: $10.24 (100 count)
Intensely sweet and easy to chew through, Fla-Vor-Ice offers a lot of the same experience as Otter Pops, only instead of weird flavors named after imaginary orphans, you get a more varied range of flavors and a bar of ice that is four times as thick.
Your flavor options include lemon-lime, orange, berry punch, strawberry, tropical punch, and grape. To be honest, eating the ice through the plastic sleeve is kind of a chore, so your best move is to ditch the sleeve, put the ice in a bowl, and break it up with your spoon until it’s a slush and you have an experience akin to a snow cone.
The Bottom Line
Put it in a bowl and you have an instant snowcone. The only downside with Fla-Vor-Ice is that there is a high chance a few of these flavors aren’t going to be your favorites, and with 100 pops per box you might end up with 20 or so that’ll live in your freezer forever.
7. Outshine Fruit Bars — Cherry, Tangerine, Grape
Price: $5.92 (12 count)
As good as Annie’s was at capturing that classic cherry popsicle flavor, Outshine, forgive me, outshines the brand with this three-pack. I was a bit salty that Outshine replaced the classic orange flavor with tangerine in this three-pack, but considering how delicious it is it’s justified.
The tangerine flavor manages to be the highlight, it’s tangy and sweet with an intense flavor that is a true joy to suck on. The cherry and grape are also delicious but come across as a bit flat in comparison.
The Bottom Line
If you’re looking for that classic popsicle flavor trio, this is hands-down your best choice.
6. 365 Everyday Value — Strawberry Fruit Bars
Price: $4.19 (4 pack)
I’m not the biggest fan of strawberry-flavored sweets — I generally think the flavors are a far cry from their real-world counterparts. But Whole Foods’ 365 Strawberry Fruit bar actually tastes like a big bar of frozen strawberries. That probably comes down to the fact that the first ingredient in these frozen bars is actual strawberries, and then water, and cane sugar. It has so few ingredients, that I was actually shocked when I looked at the box.
Don’t celebrate too soon though, because this isn’t some healthy natural snack, at 28 grams of sugar these bars have more sugar in them than most of the ice pops on this list. It is a bit more “real” than the other bars on this list though — with bits of actual strawberries embedded in each bar and a flavor that strikes a nice balance between sweet and sour notes.
The Bottom Line
Sweet, natural, and refreshing, but if you’re trying to stay away from sugar be warned — these have a lot, as much as about half a can of strawberry soda.
5. Whole Foods 365 Everyday Value — Caribbean Mix Fruit Bars
Price: $4.19 (4 pack)
Whole Foods Caribbean Mix Fruit Bars are neck and neck with the Strawberry flavor but I have to give it to this pack for the variety factor. The main ingredient is still actual strawberries, but this one is also mixed with pineapple, mango, passion fruit juice concentrate, and has coconut flakes embedded into each bar giving it an interesting texture.
It’s so good I’ve had thoughts about melting it down and drinking it.
The Bottom Line
Delicious, fruity, and refreshing. One of the best fruit bars on the market.
4. GoodPop — Orange Cream Pops
Price: $5.79 (4 pack)
This isn’t quite as it seems, if you’re thinking it’s a classic Creamsicle or 50/50 bar, you’re wrong. Instead, this is a mix of orange and coconut cream, not quite as sweet as the classic 50/50 bar, but just as delicious and a whole lot more nutty.
This dairy-free treat mixes coconut cream sweetened with a hint of vanilla with a bright orange-juice-like flavor that is sweeter than it is tart.
The Bottom Line
It’s a subtle spin on the classic creamsicle with coconut instead of a fake sub-par vanilla ice cream (don’t buy an actual creamsicle, they are worse than you remember).
3. Chloe’s — Raspberry Pops
Price: $7.39
It pains me to say this but Chloe’s Raspberry Pops are essential. While they’re double the price of your typical ice pop brand, and you only get four pops per box, they’re made simply with Raspberry puree, water, and cane sugar. Just three ingredients, and dammit does it make a difference.
These things taste so damn good, the raspberry flavor is bright and tart, and the bar itself is sweet from the surface of the pop to the stick.
The Bottom Line:
One of the most natural ice pops on the market, it’s expensive and you only get four pops per box, but it’s worth it. Only one flavor truly beats this one out.
2. Trader Joe’s — Out Of This World Ice Pops
Price: $3.29
I know, I know, it’s not the original, but you know what? F*ck the original. We’re not here for nostalgia, we’re here for delicious ice cream and the Out Of This World Ice Pop is a significant improvement over the OG Bomb Pop. The pop is dense, Italian ice style, with a more intense set of cherry, blueberry, and lemon flavors.
The lemon at the bottom is downright tart, and it makes getting to the end of the ice pop a fun and delicious journey. The transition process between flavors is also a bit smoother than the OG, as hints of the preceding flavor are in the core of the bottom two layers.
The Bottom Line:
I know the shape is weird but these are better than the original in every way.
1. Budget Saver — Monster Cherry-Pineapple Pops
Price: $3.99 (12 pack)
Every market has a version of these ice pops, they’re almost always in a plastic bag at the bottom of the freezer section and are significantly longer than the boxed popsicles. Also known as a “Big Stick” by Popsicle brand (which for whatever reason isn’t sold anymore) this blend of cherry and pineapple flavors is unbeatable.
Is it natural? Not at all. It’s water, sugar, and high fructose corn syrup, but pineapple and cherry are an unbeatable flavor mix. It’s tart, sweet, rich, tangy, and exudes summertime vibes better than any other ice pop on the market.
The Bottom Line:
Sweet, tangy, and refreshing. You may see it under the name “Big Stick,” “Mighty Pop” or something else, but trust us — if it’s cherry and pineapple, it’s going to be good.
