Lollies and the lesser of two evils

I have a dilemma.

Lollies. I love lollies.

So much so that they started to impact excessively on our weekly shopping bill and the number of wrappers that I was throwing away began to hurt my green credentials. I was happily munching through 2 a day, recycling the boxes they came in by either sticking them in the wormery, the compost bins or the recycling bin and washing and using the sticks as plant labels.

So, a reasonable effort regarding waste disposal but still a disturbing habit for a grown man, albeit one with a sweet tooth.

It wasn't until I noticed that my children had started to take on a similar hunger for lollies that I paused to reflect on my own appetite for these frozen wonders. I'm happy to stuff my face with sugary delights because I am long enough of tooth to understand what my body can take without suffering any ill effects or weight gain (I've been between 10 and 11 stone for the past 20 years) but to see my children eating brand lollies stuffed full of sugar and god knows what else started me thinking of alternatives.

Enter Annabel Karmel's Ice Lolly Moulds and pure fruit juices!

I no longer baulk when Milly or Tom ask for a lolly as a special treat. I happily open the freezer drawer and ask them what flavour they would like. Pineapple? Apple? Orange? Cranberry? Made where possible with pure juice, not from concentrate, these lollies are not just a treat, they're good for you too!

No more asking for a chocolate coin when she's been a big girl and done a poo - choc rewards are out, frozen goodness is in!

Guilt free lollies for me - brilliant, I can eat two and it's not even a glass of juice and if it was, it wouldn't matter!

Back to the dilemma. The Lolly Makers can be re-used hundreds of times which is a good thing. Their end product is healthy but just as much of a treat as those that Tescopoly offer - brilliant.

I can't recycle the juice cartons. Ah.

Can the Gods Of Green forgive me? Have I forged the greenest and healthiest path through my addiction? Answers on a postcard or in the comments section if you have to!

Personally, I don't like having to stop eating something or buying something because of its packaging but I have done and I will do again. The answer? Food manufacturers have a collective responsibility to produce recyclable packaging. Simple, eh?