Summer ice cream and frozen desserts in Australia: getting value without overpaying

Ice cream spend rises sharply in summer

A hot Australian summer creates consistent demand for ice cream, gelati, frozen yoghurt and other frozen treats — both at home and when out. The supermarket frozen dessert category is heavily marketed, frequently promoted and wide in price range. A tub of ice cream can cost anywhere from $4 to $18 depending on format, brand and whether it is on special.

The value case for a larger tub

Per serve, a 2-litre tub of ice cream is almost always significantly cheaper than individual or smaller formats. A 2-litre home-brand or promotional tub that serves eight to ten people costs a fraction of equivalent individual ice cream bars or single-serve tubs.

If your household goes through ice cream regularly in summer, maintaining a 2-litre tub in the freezer and scooping as needed is the lowest-cost way to access it. Single-serve sticks and bars have their place for portability or treats, but as a daily household option they cost considerably more per serve.

When to buy name-brand ice cream

Premium ice cream brands (Connoisseur, Magnum, Häagen-Dazs) rotate on promotion frequently at both Woolworths and Coles — often half-price. Buying a premium tub when it is on promotion rather than at full price is one of the clearest examples of the half-price promotion cycle working in your favour. The key is not buying at full price, which can be significantly higher than the promotional price.

Home-brand ice cream

Both major chains offer home-brand vanilla, chocolate and neapolitan ice cream at competitive prices. For use in desserts, topped with fruit or used as an accompaniment to warm puddings, home-brand ice cream is closely comparable. For eating on its own as the main event, it comes down to personal preference.

Frozen yoghurt and alternatives

Frozen yoghurt tubs are available at both chains in home-brand and name-brand formats. Per serve, they are comparable in price to ice cream. The marketing claim of being a healthier alternative varies considerably depending on the product — some are high in added sugar. Check the per-100g nutrition panel rather than the front-of-pack claims.

Making frozen treats at home

Frozen fruit on a stick. Dipping strawberries or banana pieces in melted chocolate and freezing them on a tray costs very little and is a popular summer treat for children.

Yoghurt bark. Spreading plain yoghurt on a lined tray, topping with sliced fruit and honey, and freezing produces a simple, cheap frozen treat. Break into pieces once solid.

Homemade ice blocks. Blended frozen mango, pureed strawberry and orange juice, or any fruit juice poured into an ice block mould costs significantly less per serve than commercial ice blocks. Moulds are available from discount stores and supermarkets.

Blended frozen banana. Frozen banana pieces blended in a food processor produce a smooth, ice-cream-like texture without any added ingredients. Worth knowing about for households with children or those looking to reduce added sugar.

Comparing frozen dessert prices

For branded ice cream and frozen dessert products, run a search on TrolleyChecker to check which chain has the better price — promotional prices often differ between Woolworths and Coles in any given week.