For today's Camp Sweatshop, I again tricked my five year old into making me food. I'm actually looking forward to the end of summer so I can go on a diet. But for today, we ate watermelon popsicles. This is easier than you might think, so I shall share the recipe with you here. Mostly because it's not really a recipe at all. It's also not my idea, so go here if you want to see how it's really supposed to be done.

First, obtain a watermelon.

Next, skin it. I just used half a watermelon, laid it upside down and used a big knife to cut off most of the rind.


Now comment on how your skinned watermelon looks like a brain. Marvel at your creativity and design concept and vow to remember this for next Halloween. It is, perhaps, not the most appropriate of mother-daughter conversations, but... it's who we are.

Next, cut up your watermelon into slabs about one to two inches thick. Cut slabs into appropriate popsicle-type shapes.

Your job is done now, so make your daughter stick a stick in each one.


And line them up in a freezer safe dish. Be sure that none of them are touching. Or you will have a not so enjoyable time getting them apart later. Trust me.


Put them in the freezer for several hours. I paid no attention to how long it took, let's just say it's about the time of your average toddler's nap.


I suppose you could cover the dish if you didn't want these little curly cue ice crystals on them when you're done. I was really not thinking ahead that far. Plus the curly cue ice crystals were kind of cool looking.


When they are frozen (the pops, not your children), dress your children in bathing suits and send them out in the yard to eat. You do not want that stuff in your house.


Funny, I could not get The Caterpillar to eat watermelon if I had two men and a boy to hold her down while I force fed it to her. But these?
She ate three.

And then yelled, "More pops! More pops!"

So I've discovered the secret to getting kids to eat healthy stuff:


Trick 'em.

Enjoy.