Play sports or workout? Just getting over a stomach bug or flu? Stay hydrated with these Homemade Electrolyte Popsicles. They’re easy to make with simple ingredients, and so much cheaper than store-bought versions. Plus, the whole family will enjoy them.

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There’s nothing more refreshing than a Homemade Electrolyte Popsicle to replenish vital minerals and restore fluid balance naturally on a hot summer day, after playing sports, or after a hard workout. These DIY treats are also great for soothing a sore throat and providing fluids after the stomach bug, so they’re a great alternative to Pedialyte popsicles.

I created this recipe for my own kids. For many years in my family, we experienced colds, flu and the stomach flu during the winter. And it never failed – my son would always get the stomach flu. But during those times when my son did get sick I found that homemade electrolyte drinks and popsicles helped to soothe his stomach. He loathed taking the store-bought electrolyte drinks. It was syrupy and too salty.

So I made my own homemade electrolyte drink. But sometimes he couldn’t drink a lot of fluids at once. So I came up with this electrolyte popsicle recipe so my son could take fluids slowly, yet still feel like he’s getting a treat.

Why You Need Electrolytes

According to the National Institutes of Health, electrolytes are essential minerals, such as sodium (salt), calcium, potassium, bicarbonate, magnesium, chloride, and phosphorous. These minerals play a key role in controlling nerve function and regulating muscle contractions, which are vital for the body to function.

Electrolytes not only help maintain hydration but also balance pH levels within the body. Electrolytes are particularly crucial when the body is dehydrated because water alone may not suffice for proper rehydration.

What Foods and Drinks Have Electrolytes?

Electrolytes are in food like bananas, yogurt, and watermelon, as well as drinks like coconut water and lemon juice. While these foods and drinks can help with hydration, they may not be the best choice when you’re feeling fatigued or under the weather.

For instance, have you tried giving yogurt or bananas to a kid recovering from the stomach bug? I’ve been there, and it’s hard to even get a few drops of water down. This is why you want an alternative to get electrolytes like in this Homemade Electrolyte Drink or these homemade popsicles.

How Do You Know If You Need Electrolytes?

Typically, you lose electrolytes through sweat from exercise, sports, or hot or humid days. You could also lose electrolytes from urine, vomiting and diarrhea.

According to Cedars-Sinai, the signs you may be experiencing electrolyte loss are:

Fatigue
Headaches
Nausea
Muscle cramps
Low energy levels
Changes in blood pressure
Feeling off

Muscle cramps are a tell-tale sign for my family that electrolytes may be out of balance. That’s usually when I start making a batch of these Homemade Electrolyte Popsicles to replenish fluids and get electrolyte balance.

What’s In Store-Bought Sports Drinks and Electrolyte Popsicles

Let’s take a look at the ingredient list of two popular electrolyte products at the grocery store:

Gatorade(r) Orange
Ingredients: Water, Sugar, Dextrose, Citric Acid, Salt, Sodium Citrate, Monopotassium Phosphate, Gum Arabic, Natural Flavor, Sucrose Acetate Isobutyrate, Glycerol Ester of Rosin, Yellow 6

Nutrition: 140 calories for a 20 oz bottle, 270 mg of sodium, 34 g sugar, 80 mg of potassium

Pedialyte(r) Freezer Pops Variety Pack

Ingredients: Grape (Water, Dextrose; Less than 2% of: Citric Acid, Salt, Cellulose Gum, Potassium Citrate, Potassium Sorbate (Preservative), Sodium Benzoate (Preservative), Natural & Artificial Flavor, Sucralose, Acesulfame Potassium, Red 40, Blue 1), Blue Raspberry (Water, Dextrose; Less than 2% of: Citric Acid, Salt, Cellulose Gum, Potassium Citrate, Potassium Sorbate (Preservative), Sodium Benzoate (Preservative), Natural & Artificial Flavor, Sucralose, Acesulfame Potassium, Blue 1), Cherry (Water, Dextrose; Less than 2% of: Citric Acid, Salt, Cellulose Gum, Potassium Citrate, Potassium Sorbate (Preservative), Sodium Benzoate (Preservative), Natural & Artificial Flavor, Sucralose, Acesulfame Potassium, Red 40), and Orange (Water, Dextrose; Less than 2% of: Citric Acid, Salt, Cellulose Gum, Potassium Citrate, Potassium Sorbate (Preservative), Sodium Benzoate (Preservative), Natural & Artificial Flavor, Sucralose, Acesulfame Potassium, Yellow 6, Red 40.

Nutrition: 15 calories for 2 pops, 130 mg sodium, 3 g sugar, 100 mg potassium, 160 mg chloride

Personally, I stay away from anything with food dye, artificial sweeteners, preservatives and a laundry list of ingredients that I can’t pronounce. My kids also never liked the taste of Gatorade or the Pedialyte popsicles so I’ve had to look for alternatives to keep them hydrated.

Why Make Your Own Homemade Electrolyte Popsicles?

1. Healthier Alternative

As you can see above, traditional sports drinks and electrolyte popsicles typically have a lot of unnecessary ingredients that you may want to avoid like food dyes, preservatives, artificial sweeteners or excessive sugar. When you make your own electrolyte popsicles, you know exactly what’s in it and can use real food ingredients.

2. Save Time

These homemade electrolyte freezer pops are really easy to make and can save you a lot of time. The is based on a homemade oral rehydration solution (ORS) recipe from the World Health Organization (WHO). In a nutshell, it’s sugar, salt, and water. I adapted this homemade Pedialyte freezer pops recipe to add citrus juice (which have natural electrolytes) and add flavor and make it more palatable.

3. Save Money

A pack of 12 oz bottles of Gatorade Lemon Lime Thirst Quencher is about $8. That’s about 2 servings per bottle = 24 servings in that 12 pack. It would still likely be cheaper to make your own or pretty dang close, but you’ve also got cleaner ingredients with the homemade version.

How To Make Homemade Electrolyte Popsicles

About the Ingredients

Salt – opt for Himalayan pink salt or Celtic sea salt rather than table salt
Sugar – opt for a natural sugar like raw honey (avoid for babies under 12 months of age), maple syrup, organic sugar or even molasses
Water – use filtered water
Freshly squeezed lemon juice – lemons are naturally high in electrolytes like potassium, calcium and magnesium, as well as vitamin C to help with support the immune system
Freshly squeezed orange juice – oranges contain electrolytes like magnesium, potassium, and phosphorus, and are high in vitamin C to support the immune system
Cherry juice – like lemon and orange juice, cherry juice has magnesium, potassium, and calcium

Ingredients

Citrus Electrolyte Pops

1/2 cup fresh orange juice
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 cups water filtered or purified or raw coconut water
1-2 tbsp organic maple syrup
1/8 tsp Celtic sea salt I like Himalayan better – it has 84 trace minerals

Cherry Electrolyte Pops

1/3 cup cherry juice unsweetened
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 cups water filtered or purified or raw coconut water
1-2 tbsp organic maple syrup
1/8 tsp Celtic sea salt

Directions

Put all ingredients for Citrus Electrolyte Popsicles in a blender. Pulse for a minute.
Pour all liquid in silicone mold and freeze at least 3-4 hours or until solid.
Repeat steps 1-2 for Cherry Electrolyte Popsicles.

Best Time to Eat

For rehydration after a good workout, strenuous activity, or hot summer days, use this like a homemade Gatorade. Drink as often as needed to replenish fluid and electrolyte loss. Drink water as well to help keep the body hydrated.

In cases of fluid loss due to vomiting or diarrhea, the World Health Organization (WHO) provides the following recommendations:

Children under the age of 2: 1/4 to 1/2 large cup (approximately 2 to 4 oz) at a time.
Children 2 years and older: 1/2 to 1 large cup (around 4 to 8 oz) at a time.
Adults and older children: 12 cups (about 3 quarts) of fluids per day.
Begin with small sips, and consider spoon-feeding if necessary.
If vomiting occurs, wait for 10 minutes before attempting to administer fluids again. Even in cases of vomiting, the body retains some fluids.
If you have any concerns or suspect that your child may be dehydrated or unable to drink at all, it’s essential to consult your doctor or pediatrician.

For my own children, I usually offer a freezer pop every 30-60 minutes to keep them hydrated when they’re under the weather along with water. For hydration after sports or a hard workout, you could give it to them when they’re done as a hydrating treat.

Popsicle Mold

Personally, I prefer push-up style silicone popsicle molds as I’ve found them to be less messy. I love this ice pop mold style because it comes with a tray to store upright in the freezer.

Storage Tips

Make batches and store in the freezer. They can store for up to 3 months, but ideally you’ll want to use before then for full flavor.
FAQs

Can I use bottled lemon juice or boxed orange juice?

Bottled lemon juice and boxed orange juice often have additives or preservatives added, so they can last longer in the grocery store. If you’re looking to avoid additives, it’s best to use freshly squeezed lemon and orange juice.

Can I use other juices?

Yes, you can use lime juice, grapefruit juice and even watermelon juice (just blend watermelon chunks to make a juice). Just be sure to use freshly squeezed (or blended for watermelon juice).

What kind of cherry juice should I use?

Opt for black cherry juice (if you want it sweeter) or tart cherry juice (if you want a more sour taste) that’s organic and has nothing but cherry juice in it. Avoid juices with preservatives and additives if possible.

Top Tips for Making These Popsicles

Keep all ingredients and popsicle silicone molds on hand, so you’re ready to make them when you need to.
Make a couple of batches to store in the freezer so they’re ready to eat as a cool treat after sports, exercise, or stomach bug to aid in electrolyte intake.
Try different fresh fruit juice like lime, grapefruit, or watermelon to make these homemade pops.
Offer as needed for hydration or per WHO guidelines.

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