Beat the Heat: 3 Delish DIY Frozen Treats for #PlasticFreeJuly

So, you’ve made it through the first two weeks of #PlasticFreeJuly. Go you! Seriously, that’s no small feat. As you continue to REset your summer — and your life! — with waste-free updates, it’s also important to REward yourself. And now, it’s time to do just that!

So, what goes better with #PlasticFreeJuly and summer than some truly delicious frozen treats? We’ve put together 3 DIY recipes you can make right in your favorite endlessly reusable Stasher bags — so you can keep cool even on the hottest of days. Read on for the recipes!

A Two-Ingredient Ice Cream Recipe in Under 15 Minutes (For Real!)

Making ice cream in a Stasher bag is a fun activity for kids, a great portable dessert idea for picnics at the park (a cooler can keep your ice cream chilled), or an easy way to satisfy an ice cream craving. This recipe makes a generous single serving, but you can comfortably double it for a treat for two.

Ingredients:

• ½ cup half and half
• 1 Tbsp sugar or honey to taste

Add ins for flavor:

• Vanilla: ¼ tsp vanilla extract
• Strawberry: ¼ cup chopped strawberries, ¼ tsp vanilla extract
• Chocolate: 2tsp cocoa powder, ¼ tsp vanilla extract
• Mint chocolate chip: ⅛ cup mini chocolate chips, a few drops of peppermint extract

Experiment with your own combinations: crushed cookies or candy, flavorings, and fruits!

Directions:

1. Place ice cream mixture inside a Stasher bag — we recommend a sandwich size.
2. Seal firmly (try to squeeze out excess air).
3. Nest inside a Half Gallon Stasher.
4. Add 3 cups of crushed ice and ⅓ cup rock salt (normal table salt will work in a pinch!) to the Half Gallon Stasher.
5. Shake, squish and flip the bag gently for 10 minutes, or until the ice cream mixture has hardened to your liking. Subtract a few minutes for soft serve, add a few minutes for a harder texture.
6. Drizzle honey on top.
7. Eat the ice cream right out of the bag, or transfer to a bowl or cone. Add additional toppings if desired.

You’ve just made your own ice cream in under 15 minutes!

Yogurt Bark

Craving a chocolate bar, but want to be a little healthier? Yogurt bark to the rescue! You can add different toppings to customize, too.

Ingredients:

• 12 oz./1 ½ cups (for Half Gallon) or 6 oz./ ¾ cup (for Sandwich) Greek yogurt (flavored or unflavored)
• Toppings of choice: Berries, gummy bears, chocolate chips — the sky’s the limit!

Directions:

1. Add Greek yogurt to a Stasher bag. Use the sandwich size for a single serving, or the Half Gallon Stasher to share. Add just enough so it lies flat when filled.
2. Sprinkle in your toppings — as much as you want!
3. Knead the bag to evenly mix your yogurt and toppings.
4. Lay bag flat in the freezer for 3-4 hours.
5. Remove from freezer and break up into smaller pieces with your hands while the concoction is still in the bag.
6. Enjoy!

Fresh Raspberry Granita

Want to enjoy a fresh raspberry treat? This Italian semi-frozen iced dessert is the way to go!

Ingredients:

• 2 pints of fresh raspberries
• ¼ cup white sugar (or to taste)
• ¼ cup water
• juice from half a lemon

Directions:

1. Rinse raspberries with cold water and drain. Transfer to a blender and add sugar, water, lemon juice.
2. Pulse several times to get the mixture moving, then blend until smooth, about 1 minute.
3. Pour into a Half Gallon bag. Purée should only be about ⅜” deep.
4. Place bag in the freezer. Leave until mixture barely begins to freeze around the edges, around 45 minutes — it will still be slushy in the center.
5. Remove bag from the freezer and knead it until it becomes more slushy. 
6. Put bag back in freezer and chill until nearly frozen. Then remove and knead about every 15-20 minutes.
7. Repeat freezing and kneading 3-4 times, until the mixture looks dry and fluffy.
8. Pour granita into small serving bowls, fluff gently with a fork and serve. Voila!

If you try these healthy, fun, naturally-minded treats out, we’d love to know! Tag us on Instagram to show off your creation!