Birthday party idea: preportion ice cream scoops with a muffin tin

Streamline the birthday party cake-and-ice-cream delivery by scooping the ice cream into single-serving portions ahead of time! The fantastic idea appeared in the comments of another muffin tin hack (Muffin tin as drink serving tray). Thank you, MaryG (and thanks to your sister for coming up with this idea in the first place)!

My sister used cupcake liners in a muffin tin to pre-portion ice cream to go with cake at her kids' birthday parties. Just portion out a scoop in each, and throw it into the freezer until time to serve. It makes chaotic cake time so much easier!

Tip: I would take the ice cream out of the freezer a few minutes before you serve it to let it soften up.

More: Hacks for birthday parties and other special occasions

Comments

[nancy]

so simple and smart! and i loved yesterdays drinks tray idea as well

[Maegan]

I am a HUGE fan of single-serve items. Mostly b/c it means my kids can get their own stuff without me having to mommy-manage every single aspect of their lives (and really, how cool is it when it's 6 am and you can tell your 3 yr old to get their own breakfast by grabbing a kid size carton of milk & a ziploc baggy of cheerios so you can go back to sleep?). You can BUY small cups of icecream "sundaes". I know Hood, Bluebunny & Bluebell all have versions of this. Some fancier than others. The Bluebunny brand I just bought had chocolate & strawberry syrup already swirled in.

Just a thought in case you don't have the freezer space to hold a bunch of open paper liners (that will get icky as the ice cream melts when it's eating time, right?). I like cheap hacks, but there it's like there is a formula for a time/space/money equation on whether or not it is really that good an idea. I had 20 kids at a party the other night...and the little sundaes came in a plastic cup with a lid...so I even tossed a few across the room (to a helpful parent) rather than have to walk them all over. :)

[Marita]

Great idea and so easy to do.

We made a ice treasure hunt for my daughters 5th birthday - which is in summer. Put a small wrapped lolly/candy in bottom of a muffin tray or plastic cup and just barely cover in water. Freeze solid. Add a small plastic toy and cover in water, freeze solid. Add another small wrapped lolly/candy and cover in water, freeze solid.

Her birthday party was on a 30C day and on the day we scattered around a whole bunch of the frozen treasures in our backyard, the children then had to hunt and find a frozen treasure block and then work out how to get their treasures out. Some kids banged the ice against bricks, others used little wooden hammers we had out. Some sat their ice in the sun until it melted - didn't take long, it was a very hot day.

Fun to do, easy to clean up after as the water just melts way. Given how hot it was the childrens clothing dried very quickly.

[mom101]

Oh my gosh, LOVE this. Totally using this.

Now, to figure out how to make enough room in my freezer for a muffin tin.

[Dale -kids Birthday Party Entertainer]

This is a great idea. things get so hectic at a party.