Reduce Waste and Save Money By Making Your Own Ice Lollies

Reduce Waste and Save Money By Making Your Own Ice Lollies

If you’ve sweltered in the heat in the last few days, you might have treated yourself and the kids to an ice lolly, and while they’re certainly a delicious treat, they often come with a plastic wrapper that can’t be recycled, and that just ends up in the bin or as litter, especially if you’re out and about.

Make your own lollies

You could avoid creating waste and save a few pennies by making your own ice lollies. All you will need are lolly moulds and the ingredients you want to include. Silicone lolly moulds are durable and dishwasher proof if you want to avoid plastic. You can get them from Amazon, Ikea, or discount retailers like Home Bargains for a very reasonable price.

What kind of ingredients can I use?

• Make a smoothie type lolly (you can use overripe fruit which will help avoid waste)
• Squash (using double concentrate will mean you use less)
• Fruit juice (remember to pop your containers or bottles in the recycling afterwards)
• Yogurt (recycle your pots and containers)
• Fruity cocktails/prosecco (strictly for adults only!)

Is making your own ice lollies completely environmentally friendly?

The answer is yes and no. The only way to really reduce waste is to not create it in the first place, so if you think you’ll use the moulds once then never again, maybe don’t buy them in the first place. Though remember silicone moulds are reusable and washable so you could give them away if you really weren’t going to use them again. The only thing with silicone is that it’s not usually accepted for recycling, but as long as you reuse it or give it away once you no longer need it, you won’t be creating any unnecessary waste.

When it comes to ingredients, don’t buy excessive fruit or juices to make lollies, use what you already have, or maybe see what’s in the supermarket ‘reduced’ section. And of course, recycle all of the containers and packaging afterwards.

Recipes to try

For kids

Watermelon and Kiwi lolly

Ingredients:

1 small watermelon

3 kiwis

How to make it:

Halve 1 small watermelon and scoop the flesh out of one half into a bowl. Pick out any black seeds. Purée the flesh using a hand blender or put it in a liquidiser. Fill the ice lolly moulds three-quarters full with the purée, push the sticks in, and freeze for at least 3 hrs, or overnight. Put any remaining purée into an ice cube tray and freeze it.

Peel 3 kiwis and cut the green flesh away from the core, then discard the core. Purée the flesh. Add a very thin layer of puree to the top of each lolly and refreeze for 1 hr. Add some green food colouring to the rest of the purée to make it the same colour as the watermelon rind. Pour a very thin layer onto the top of each lolly and freeze again until you’re ready to eat them.

For adults

Pimm’s lollies

Ingredients:

500g strawberries, hulled and halved lengthways

10 mint leaves

75ml Pimm’s

200ml lemonade

100g golden caster sugar

20 thin slices of cucumber, cut into quarters

How to make it:

Put the strawberries and mint leaves in a blender and process them until they’re smooth. Pour the strawberry mixture through a fine mesh strainer to remove any seeds. Add the Pimm’s, lemonade and sugar, and stir them until they are combined and the sugar has dissolved.

Divide the cucumber pieces equally between your lolly mould and pour the strawberry mixture equally over each mould. Put the mould in the freezer and chill for 30-45 mins or until it’s just starting to freeze. Insert the lolly sticks and leave to freeze for at least 4 hrs.

To remove the ice lollies from the mould, dip it in hot water for a few seconds, then carefully remove the lollies. Enjoy!

You can find more recipes on BBC Good Food