You may not have ever considered the uses for an ice cube tray beyond the obvious of using them to make ice. But many common household items have a wide range of different uses, and ice cube trays are no exception. So here are 7 brilliant uses for an ice cube tray.
1 Ice Lollies
You can buy proper ice lolly makers in lots of shops but creating mini ice lollies is one of the possible uses for an ice cube tray. Fill the sections up with juice, squash, cola or anything you fancy, cut up a couple of straws and stick them in or use lolly sticks and stick them in the freezer, and you’ve got some fab mini ice lollies. You can even layer the liquids to create colourful effects and kids will love them.
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2 Sushi
If you fancy making your own but lack the time or skills to deal with fiddly dried seaweed or rice paper, you can put your bits of seafood into the ice cube tray and pop it back into the fridge. Your friends will be really impressed with your easy homemade sushi.
3 Stock
If you make up a lot of stock and aren’t sure what to do with it, you can save it for months in handy ready portions to pop into your cooking whenever you want it, just by freezing it in an ice cube tray. It’ll be far tastier than any stock you can buy in a shop too.
4 Jelly Shots
There are so many uses for an ice cube tray if you’re hosting a party and making jelly shots is one of the best. Just mix the jelly with boiling water and alcohol of your choice, and put it in the fridge to set. Try classic flavor combinations like vodka and lime or be more adventurous – it’s up to you.
5 Trick Ice Cubes
Another tip for parties (this one is best for kids’ parties and Halloween parties) is to make trick ice cubes. Fill the tray with water as usual but add plastic spider or flies. When they’re set, put them in people’s drinks and enjoy seeing their faces when they spot what’s floating in their drink!
6 Chocolates
If you’re feeling creative and have lots of leftover sweet ingredients, you can make your own chocolates in an ice cube tray. Just put sliced fruit, nuts or sweets in before filling with melted chocolate, then put it into the fridge to set (but let it cool first). You can even try using a couple of different types of chocolate and making them look pretty. Homemade chocolates make excellent gifts if you’re on a tight budget.
7 Cocktail or Coffee Cubes
If you hate your drinks getting all watered down, one of the best uses for an ice cube tray is freezing other liquids to make ice cubes. You can pour in warm (not boiling) coffee to put in iced coffee, or make ice cubes with mint leaves to put in a mojito. In fact, you can make cubes for pretty much anything you like!
So there you have it, 7 brilliant uses for an ice cube tray. Do you have any ingenious uses for ice cube trays or other household items that you would like to share with other readers?
