It can be calorie restricted, but commercial options usually contain added sugars, corn syrup and artificial ingredients.

As early as 1872, two men, doing business as Ross and Robbins, sold a frozen-fruit confection on a stick, which they called the Hokey-Pokey.

[5][6] Epperson claimed to have first created an ice pop in 1905,[1][4] at the age of 11, when he accidentally left a glass of powdered lemonade soda and water with a mixing stick in it on his porch during a cold night, a story still printed on the back of Popsicle treat boxes.

[7] In 1922, Epperson, a realtor with Realty Syndicate Company in Oakland,[8]introduced the Popsicle at a fireman's ball.

He officially debuted the Epsicle[9] in seven fruit flavors[13] at Neptune Beach amusement park, marketed as a "frozen lollipop", or a "drink on a stick".

[14][15] A couple of years later, Epperson sold the rights to the invention and the Popsicle brand to the Joe Lowe Company in New York City.

[30] After a trip to the United States in the early 1940s, Ignacio Alcázar returned to his home city of Tocumbo, Michoacán, México,[31][32] bringing the idea to manufacture ice pops or paletas (little sticks) using locally available fresh fruit.

An alternative to the store-bought ice pops is making them at home using fruit juice, drinks, or any freezable beverage.

[34] In 2018, the UK food-focused design firm called Bompas & Parr announced that they had created the world's first 'non-melting' ice pop.

The 17.5 short tons (15.9 t) of frozen juice that had been brought from Edison, New Jersey, in a freezer truck melted faster than expected, dashing hopes of a new record.