Creative Uses for Ice Cube Trays

The good old-fashioned ice cube tray is becoming increasingly scarce in most homes since the advent of the automatic ice cube maker. I actually had the need for an ice cube tray and picked up two for less than a dollar each.

My initial need came about a few months back with the approaching winter season and the need to pick the lemons and limes off my trees before an overnight freeze hit. With bags of citrus I then proceed to juice them and pour them into the trays to make cubes. Once frozen I put the lemon cubes and lime cubes into big Ziploc bags and have used them for months.

I have since found many creative uses for ice cube trays that I wanted to share:

Make Lemon Cubes

• Juice your lemons, freeze them in the trays and then store in a Ziploc bag. Add a cube to your ice tea for fresh lemon taste.

• Place a cube or two to a Ziploc bag with pork or chicken, add a few drizzles of olive oil and salt and pepper and marinate meat. Cube will melt slowly as in the refrigerator, or if meat is frozen it will melt as the meat defrosts.

• Make a homemade salad dressing with olive oil, lemon and garlic — 1 cup of olive oil, 1-2 lemon cubes, 1 teaspoon minced garlic and salt and pepper.

Make Lime Cubes

• If you like a fresh lime wedge in a cold beer or with a Gin and Tonic, or Coke, for example, you can simply add a lime cube. It’s great because not only does it add great fresh lime flavor, but it keeps the drink cold too.

Organize Jewelery

• Another creative use for ice cube trays are great to organized your earrings by placing one set in each cube. And, because they are so flat they easily fit in vanity or dresser drawers.

Organize Craft Beads

• Sort different colors and sizes in each cube area.

Workbench Organizer

• Organize different sized nuts and bolts each in their own little cube area. You can place in your workbench drawer or on top of the work bench for easy access.

Seed Starter

• Place a little dirt and one seed in each cube and use to start growing your seeds. Once plants have formed they can then easily be planted in the ground or in larger pots.

Make Frugal Frosty Paws Ice Cream (Cubes)

• You can read my post on this — Frugal Frosty Paws Ice Cream Recipe for Fido. Dogs love them and they are quick and easy to make.

Make Popsicles

• Pour your favorite juice into the tray cover with saran wrap and then take popsicle sticks or tooth picks and poke a whole int he saran wrap and place one in each cube.

Freeze Foods

• Freeze egg whites if you make a recipe only requiring the yolks.

• Freeze stocks such as chicken stock for later use in recipes.

Use as a Mold

• More creative uses for ice cube trays — they can be used for candy or soap molds.

I hope that you find these Living Frugal Tips and creative uses for ice cube trays useful. I so love when one little product can be used and reused so many different ways.

Please share any other ways you use ice cube trays — just add a comment.