When was the last time you had an ice pop?

I know I know, hubby and I are way past the age of ice pops, and we didn't think we'd be addicted to such kiddy treats but hey, we surprise ourselves sometimes ^.^

With the year-long language program over, many of hubby's classmates went home and moved on to other adventures of their lives. One of them used to live in the same building as we do, and prior to leaving she gave us her snacks, which included a few sticks of these Simple Mini Fruit Yogurts.

Cream Soda and Fruit Yogurt flavors

***Pictures from Shinko, Inc.

We quickly got addicted to this stuff as it's such a simple yet satisfying treat coming home from a hot day. We've since tried several other brands and found none can really match the texture and flavor of this particular brand, Simple Mini. I'm not sure if these have any dairy in them, perhaps they do, because they aren't just flavored ice, as in ice is all that's left after all the sweetness and flavor are sucked out. These have the texture of very light sorbet, so as the frozen pop melts, it turns into a slushy in a tube. Very interesting and yummy. My favorite flavor is the Cream Soda, but the Fruit Yogurt is just as delicious!

Anyway, the grocery store around the block used to carry them, but then the grocery went out of business (the business turnover here is crazy, you see a store, and then it's gone!!!) and we lost our regular supply of these Simple Mini ice pops among other things we can't find anywhere else T.T There is a larger grocery store 15-20 minutes walk away where we go for about 80% of our groceries, but this store doesn't carry this brand of ice pops. I found the company's website, Shinko Inc., but their products page for this particular line of ice pops, actually their entire website(!), doesn't have a "where to buy" link!

Didn't get a chance to take pictures of the Cream Soda before gobbling it all up, but here's picture of the unfrozen pops, which are liquid inside a soft translucent plastic tubes, and the pop after frozen. You either break them in the middle with some effort and have 2 small pops to share, or you can be greedy like me and just cut the tip there with a knife and have a whole pop to yourself :P

Our last supply of these ice pops, stocked up from before the grocery store around the block closed up, is dwindling fast. Gah...I want more ice pops!!!