Homemade ice lollies cost about CHF 0.10 to 0.20 each; branded sticks start at CHF 0.80 and single kiosk or Badi lollies hit CHF 2.50 to 4. Freeze own-brand juice, diluted sirup or plain yoghurt in a mould — or a paper cup — and a whole summer of Glace am Stiel costs a few francs instead of a small fortune.
A family that gets through ten lollies a week spends roughly CHF 100 on branded sticks over the thirteen weeks of warm weather and school holidays. The homemade version costs about CHF 15, including a reusable mould you buy once — a CHF 85 saving for ten minutes of pouring.
How much do bought ice lollies really cost
The sticker on a multipack hides how much you actually pay per lolly. A branded box of six to ten fruit-ice sticks works out at CHF 0.80 to CHF 1.20 each; a premium yoghurt or fruit-cream stick lands between CHF 1.50 and CHF 2.20. Buy singly from a kiosk, the pool kiosk at the Badi or an ice-cream van and you are into CHF 2.50 to CHF 4 for one lolly — the same lolly that costs cents to make at home.
Own-brand water-ice multipacks are the honest exception. M-Budget and Prix Garantie sticks can drop to CHF 0.30 to 0.45 each on Aktion, which is genuinely cheap. But those are the plainest sugar-water sticks. The moment you want real fruit, yoghurt or no additives, the bought price climbs fast, and that is exactly where homemade wins.
| Ice lolly | Typical bought price (each) | DIY cost (each) | You save |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kiosk or Badi single lolly | CHF 2.50–4.00 | ~CHF 0.15 | ~CHF 2.35–3.85 |
| Branded fruit water-ice stick | CHF 0.80–1.20 | ~CHF 0.10 | ~CHF 0.70–1.10 |
| 100% fruit-juice lolly | CHF 1.20–1.80 | ~CHF 0.15 | ~CHF 1.05–1.65 |
| Yoghurt or fruit-cream lolly | CHF 1.50–2.20 | ~CHF 0.20 | ~CHF 1.30–2.00 |
| Own-brand water-ice multipack | CHF 0.30–0.45 | ~CHF 0.10 | ~CHF 0.20–0.35 |
What a homemade lolly costs to make
The maths is almost silly once you run it. A one-litre carton of own-brand 100% apple or orange juice costs about CHF 1.20 and fills eight to ten moulds, so a pure-juice lolly is roughly CHF 0.12 to CHF 0.15. Diluted sirup is cheaper still: a splash of raspberry or elderflower Sirup topped up with tap water brings a lolly under CHF 0.10. A 500 g tub of nature yoghurt at CHF 0.70 to CHF 0.90, blended with a handful of berries and a spoon of honey, makes six generous yoghurt lollies at about CHF 0.20 each.
The only real outlay is a mould, and it is a one-off. A silicone or hard-plastic set of six sticks costs CHF 8 to CHF 15 and lasts years, paying for itself inside one or two batches. This is the same logic behind our look at homemade versus store-bought glace: the ingredients are cheap, and you are really paying the shop for the freezing and the packaging.
Rule of thumb: if a lolly costs you more than CHF 0.25 to make, you have over-bought the ingredients. Own-brand juice, sirup and nature yoghurt keep every stick between CHF 0.10 and CHF 0.20 — about a tenth of the branded price.
Three fruit-juice and yoghurt lollies kids actually want
Cheap only helps if the lolly gets eaten. These three cover the flavours children ask for twice, and each uses staples you probably already have:
- Fruchtsaft am Stiel: equal parts 100% fruit juice and water, or heavily diluted sirup, poured straight into the mould. The dilution stops them freezing rock-hard and stretches the juice further. About CHF 0.10 to 0.15 a stick.
- Yoghurt-berry swirl: blend 500 g nature yoghurt with a handful of berries — fresh in season, or frozen and bought on Aktion — and a spoon of honey or sirup. Creamy, tangy and barely sweet. About CHF 0.20 a stick.
- Banana-milk smoothie pop: one overripe banana blended with 200 ml milk and a drizzle of honey makes a mild, ice-cream-ish lolly with no added colour, and rescues bananas going brown. About CHF 0.15 a stick.
You can also freeze the drinks you already make: leftover homemade ice tea or sirup becomes a lolly instead of going flat in the fridge. For the smallest children, a soft yoghurt lolly is a cheap, no-fuss treat — the feeding toddlers on a budget guide has more low-sugar ideas in the same spirit.
How do you make them, step by step
Whichever recipe you pick, the method is the same and takes about ten minutes of hands-on time:
- Mix and taste. Blend or stir your juice, sirup or yoghurt base, and make it a touch sweeter than you would drink — freezing dulls sweetness noticeably.
- Fill, leaving a gap. Pour into moulds or cups to about 5 mm below the rim; the mix expands as it freezes.
- Freeze until slushy. Give it 60 to 90 minutes, until half-set, before adding sticks so they stand up straight instead of sinking.
- Add the stick. Push a wooden Glacestängeli or a cut straw into the centre of each and return the tray to the freezer.
- Freeze solid, then release. After four to six hours, dip the mould in warm water for five seconds to slide each lolly out cleanly.
Can you make lollies without a mould
Yes, and it costs nothing extra. Small paper or plastic cups, an ice-cube tray, or the empty yoghurt pots you were about to recycle all work. Fill them, freeze for an hour until slushy, then stand a wooden ice-cream stick, a sturdy teaspoon or a short piece of cut straw in the middle and freeze solid. Peel the cup away, or dip the tray briefly in warm water to loosen the cubes.
Ice-cube trays make bite-size lollies that suit toddlers and fit a packed cool-bag. Cups make chunky ones for older kids. Reusing yoghurt pots is the most Swiss move of all: no new packaging, no cost, and the pot is already the perfect single-portion size.
Storage benchmark: well wrapped, homemade lollies keep two to three months in the freezer, but eat them within two to three weeks for the best texture. Bag the whole mould or cover each stick so they do not take on freezer odours.
Do small summer treats really move the budget
On its own a lolly is loose change, which is exactly why it slips past the budget unnoticed. The average Swiss household spends around CHF 636 a month on food and non-alcoholic drinks, according to the Federal Statistical Office household budget survey, and summer impulse buys — lollies, kiosk glace, cold drinks — are a quiet slice of that. Swap ten bought sticks a week for homemade and you keep roughly CHF 85 across one summer from this single habit.
Stack it with the other summer swaps and the francs add up: making your own cold drinks, buying fruit at its seasonal floor, and freezing treats when berries or juice go on Aktion. This is where our algorithm earns its keep. It tracks fruit, juice and yoghurt promotions across Coop, Migros, Lidl, Aldi, Denner and Aligro, then folds the cheap weeks straight into your meal plan and grocery list, so each batch of lollies costs even less than the numbers above.
Frequently asked questions
Are homemade ice lollies cheaper?
Yes, dramatically. A branded ice lolly costs CHF 0.80 or more each, and single kiosk or Badi lollies run CHF 2.50 to 4. Made at home from own-brand juice, sirup or yoghurt, a lolly costs CHF 0.10 to 0.20. Even after a CHF 10 mould, which pays for itself inside two batches, you save around CHF 0.80 to 3 per stick.
How do I make lollies without a mould?
You do not need one. Pour juice or yoghurt into small paper cups, an ice-cube tray or empty yoghurt pots, freeze for about an hour until slushy, then push in a wooden ice-cream stick or a short piece of cut straw and freeze solid. Cups peel away; the tray makes bite-size lollies for toddlers.
What is a healthy cheap lolly?
Blend fruit with water or plain yoghurt and skip the added sugar. Overripe bananas, berries bought on Aktion, or heavily diluted sirup all work. A yoghurt-and-berry lolly at about CHF 0.20 has a fraction of the sugar of a branded fruit-ice and none of the additives.
How long do homemade lollies keep?
Well wrapped, homemade lollies keep two to three months in the freezer, though the texture is best in the first two to three weeks. Cover them or bag the whole mould so they do not pick up freezer odours or ice crystals.
Does Eini find deals on fruit?
Yes. Eini's algorithm tracks fruit, juice and yoghurt promotions across Coop, Migros, Lidl, Aldi, Denner and Aligro, so you can batch your lollies when berries or 100% juice drop on Aktion — and it folds those buys into your meal plan and grocery list automatically.
Plan smarter, spend less with Eini.
Real prices from Coop, Migros, Lidl, Aldi, Denner & Aligro. Smart meal plans. Automatic grocery lists.
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