Freeze Pops, Twin Popsicles, Push-Ups, Fudgesicles, Bomb-Pops. No matter your preference, cold treats from your childhood home’s freezer always meant summer! On Friday, July 8 it’s time to celebrate National Freeze Pop Day!..hey, why not?!

Freezer treats were a staple of my childhood summer. We lived at the top of our street on a hill so if my friends, who lived at the bottom, decided to bike to my house on a sweaty summer day, Mom always had plenty of cold treats on hand to cool everyone off.

You were lucky if you encountered a fresh unopened box of freeze pops. That meant first dibs on your favorite flavor. I always grabbed blue raspberry. Were you that kid that chewed your pops and got a brain freeze or did you take your time and savor the flavor? Nonetheless, I’m sure we all remember drinking the sugary liquid from the bottom of the plastic wrapper followed by an occasional coughing spell from all the sweetness.

My neighborhood friends and I biked uptown during the summer to our neighborhood convenience store, The Quick Shop. When the weather was sweltering, it felt so refreshing to slide open the freezer that housed all the cold treats. That blast of cold air on your face felt fabulous! If I had enough money my first choice was the Good Humor Strawberry Shortcake Bar. Between the fake strawberry flavor and the soft crumb coating on the outside, summer never tasted better!

Before I was old enough to ride to the Village Green to get freezer treats, there was the Dairy Isle. I have a couple of fond memories of that walk-up establishment. If I remember correctly it was in business in the early 1970s. I was very little because I recall grabbing onto the high countertop to pull myself to peek in the ordering window. It was always a big deal when we actually drove somewhere with the family to get a special dessert! P.S. If any Canfield, Ohio resident reading this has a picture of the Dairy Isle, please, please let me know! I’ve been searching for one for years and would love to frame a copy! 

What glorious summers I had growing up! Eating all kinds of cold treats that dripped down your face while the sun shone brightly was a fun part of those days. So act like a kid again and celebrate National Freeze Pop Day on July 8! While you’re indulging in perhaps a grape-flavored pop in the summer sun, I’m hoping you’ll conjure up some memories of your favorite summer frozen treats and those feel-good days of your childhood summer. Enjoy… and don’t forget a napkin.

Fun Fact…The Good Humor Company was started in my city of Youngstown, Ohio in 1920!