LOVEINUSA Square Ice Cream Mold, 2-Pack

Few things can be as refreshing on a hot summer day as a good popsicle or ice cream. But packaged frozen treats can be packed with artificial ingredients and sugar. Making your own ice pops opens up an endless array of ingredient combinations, from fruit-juice popsicles to ice cream swirled with your favorite flavors. As a bonus, you’ll save money.

To make your own popsicles, you’ll just need a mold. Pour the ingredients in, freeze them and a little while later, you’ll have a delicious treat. The length of time you’ll need to leave your creation in the freezer depends on the ingredients themselves. You can find plenty of great recipes online.

As you start looking around for molds, you’ll start to notice there are many shapes and sizes. You can find smaller options that make only a few smaller popsicles at a time. One benefit of that type is that it won’t take up much room in the freezer. But there are other molds that make larger popsicles or even have fun shapes and sizes — these are often great options for making ice cream pops

As with any food container, cleanup will be an issue. Most popsicle molds will be fairly easy to clean, but some can even be placed on the top rack of the dishwasher. If this convenience is worth it, make that a top priority while you’re shopping.

• Getting the ingredients into your mold can be challenging, particularly if it has a narrow opening. Some ice cream molds come with a funnel that makes it easy to pour items in. They might even fold up for easy storage when you aren’t using them.
• You can find ice cream molds that make popsicles in characters, animals and shapes. For the younger children in your life, that can add even more fun to the process.
• If your mold doesn’t have a built-in handle, you’ll need to invest in popsicle sticks. Some molds come with a set of sticks to get you started, but you’ll need to purchase some extras for when those run out.
• If your mold makes 10 or more popsicles, you’ll need a way to store them if your children won’t be eating them all immediately. If you’re only storing them for a short time, an airtight container will do. But for longer storage, you’ll need to wrap each popsicle individually in a freezer bag.
• Inserting the sticks can be tricky. If you slide them in too soon, they’ll tilt and turn out crooked. If you wait too long, though, you won’t be able to insert them. For best results, pour the ingredients and place the mold in the freezer for 40 minutes, then insert the sticks. Make sure to set a timer to keep yourself from forgetting to put the sticks in.