When it’s the hottest days of summer and the kids are eating up your food budget in icy pops, you may want some hacks on how to make popsicles at home.
The easy part of this DIY money-saver will be the recipes, of course. Fruit-flavored drinks, chopped fruit and yogurt, blended berries and juice, chocolate milk and marshmallows, even grapes and melon cubes in plain water will all become enticing frozen treats for over-heated kiddos.
But what do you do with all your clever recipe ideas when there’s no popsicle molds to be found?
How to Make Popsicles without Molds
Here’s your opportunity to get really clever! Liquid can be frozen into any shape, so look around the kitchen for freezer-safe containers (that will fit into your freezer).
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Small Cups Paper, plastic, and Styrofoam will work just fine! Set them on a small tray. Fill the cups half-way with your popsicle base. Cover with cling wrap or foil and poke the popsicle sticks through, one for each cup, and then slide the tray into your freezer.
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Loaf Pan This is a super easy mold that takes less space in the freezer than a tray of individual cups. Just line your loaf pan with cling wrap or foil. Fill the pan with your popsicle base. Cover with cling wrap or foil and poke the popsicle sticks through. The sticks can be added in a single row down the center, or in two rows, depending on how many popsicles you want, and then freeze. Once frozen, remove the block from the pan and slice. (If you have bigger kids, popsicles sliced from a pan mold can be enjoyed on a plate with a fork or spoon—no popsicle stick required!)
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Ice Cube Tray The mini-popsicles you’ll get from these are ideal for the littlest in your crew and the prep may be the easiest of all. Just fill the tray will your popsicle base. (Pure liquid or a blended base are best here.) Cover with cling wrap or foil and poke the popsicle sticks through, one for each cube, and then freeze.
Should you find yourself short on popsicle sticks, plastic spoons, and plastic or metal drinking straws can be used as substitutes.
Comment below if you’ve used any other items as popsicle molds and let us know how it turned out.
