What You’ll Need

• 2 bananas
• 1 cup chocolate chips
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 4  craft sticks
• Chopped nuts or other topping (optional)

What to Do

1. Peel the bananas. Cut them in half and push a stick in the cut ends.
2. Place the bananas on a cookie sheet covered in wax paper. Freeze for 30 minutes.
3. Mix together the chocolate chips and vegetable oil. Ask an adult to put the mixture in a microwave for 30 seconds or until the chocolate melts.
4. Dip the frozen bananas in the chocolate and then place them on the cookie sheet again. Sprinkle with chopped nuts or other topping, if you like.
5. Put the bananas back in the freezer for 30 minutes.

Extend the Fun

Younger kids: Before the chocolate hardens, it is sticky. Try adding different toppings such as toasted coconut or colored sprinkles. How many different toppings can you get on one banana pop? What happens if you wait too long between dipping the banana in chocolate and adding the topping?

Older kids: Try this recipe with other fruits, like strawberries or dried apricots. If these fruits are smaller, do you think they need more chocolate or less chocolate? Will you be able to make more fruit pops or fewer fruit pops? If you have extras, can you think of a family member or friend that you would like to share with?