Chill Out: Reduce Food Waste at Home by Using Scraps to Flavor Ice Cubes

Photo © iStockphoto.com/tanjichica7

Ice seems pretty straightforward and isn’t usually something to think twice about—unless you open the freezer to find the trays empty on a scorching hot summer day—but there’s an easy way to both brighten up your drinks and make them look gorgeous: keep flavored ice cubes in the freezer and ready to go at all times. 

If you’re not focused on adding flavor and simply want to liven up a glass of plain water, keep a tray of floral cubes (making sure to only use flowers that have been grown to eat and have not been treated with chemicals) on hand. Add berries, pitted cherries, or other fruits to cubes for juices or fruity summer cocktails. To make lemonade a little bit more interesting, add basil or tarragon cubes. 

The process could not be simpler: just fill your ice trays as you normally would and plop in a small amount of whichever ingredient you choose. If you’d like to have more control over how they turn out and want to suspend things right in the middle of the cube, it takes a little extra effort: fill your trays a bit less than halfway with water, freeze, add your ingredient, fill with water, and freeze again. Bonus tip: freeze leftover coffee into cubes, which you can use for iced coffee or cold brew and it’ll never be watered down! Get the kids into it, reduce food waste, and utilize the best of summer’s beautiful produce. 

EDIBLE FLOWERS 

choose whole flowers or petals

nasturtiums

pansies

orchids

roses

BERRIES 

whole or sliced

raspberries

blackberries

blueberries

sliced strawberries

CITRUS

use the peel or a small wedge

lemon

lime

grapefruit

orange

SOFT HERBS

use whole or chopped leaves

basil

mint

tarragon

thyme