Simply Thrifty

One of the best cheap kitchen items to own

by Jennifer on July 21st, 2008

The basic ice cube tray:

Seriously, it’s like you can’t have too many. Ice cube trays are inexpensive and you can use them for everything. I have some normal sized trays and some of those mini ice cube trays as well.

What can you do with an ice cube tray?

• Make ice - sooooo obvious, but true, and cheaper than store bought ice.
• Freeze berries in non-stick single layers before transferring to bowl for storage - use the mini trays for this.
• Mix paint; especially good for kids to mix water colors. If you have a little one who is not into paint yet, you can fill the cubes with water, add a dash of food coloring to a couple of the trays (use different colors), give your little a brush or medicine dropper and let her mix and match colors.
• Separate and freeze fresh herbs, or make herb ice cubes that you can later use for cooking.
• Create decorative dinner party ice - add flowers or berries to your ice. Cheap, yet adored by all.
• I was hard up one year come seed starting time, so I nailed holes in the bottom of one tray and started seeds in there. I don’t think I really needed to nail holes even though.
• Bead holder.
• Macaroni necklace holder.
• Place crayon shavings in the tray, leave out in the sun all day. Place in freezer for an hour, pop out new square crayons.
• Freeze homemade baby food in single serve sizes. Same with pumped breast milk.
• If you’re working with clay, say making small parts, you can use the tray to hold each small bit of clay as you work.
• Mold appetizer sized foods. I don’t eat meat, but know someone who made these tiny little meatloaf shapes and covered them with some sauce and served them at a party. I suppose you could make other tiny food items too.
• Store buttons, nails, screws, and any other little item that needs a space.
• Use as an inside desk tray - cheaper in most cases than those trays you buy at the office shop.
• Place in flower arrangement to one keep flowers cool at outside summer parties, and two, to liven up the arrangement. If you live you can add food coloring to the ice.

There are tons of other ice cube tray uses - making this one of the best, and least expensive kitchen tools you can own. What can you think of?

[image via stock.xchng]

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POSTED IN: Frugal Gourmet