Vintage Kool-Aid ice cream recipe is a sure-fire way to stay cool this season

✯ Day 208 of Vintage 365 ✯

 

It's anything but nutritious or low in sugar, but there is something about the classic, wonderfully sugary taste of Kool-Aid in all its vibrant rainbow hues that makes it so well suited to the scorching hot days of summer and ensures it deserves a recipe post this month.

Long before a smiling pitcher was bursting through walls, proclaiming "Oh, Yeah!" in the process, Kool-Aid was a popular drink with fans of all ages. First introduced in 1927 by Nebraskan Edwin Perkins, Kool-Aid's low price, simplicity of use, and assortment of tasty flavours quickly made it one of the most beloved soft drinks on the market.

When Kool-Aid initially debuted it came in seven flavours (Cherry, Grape, Lemon-Lime, Orange, Raspberry, Strawberry, and Root Beer - the latter of which has been discontinued for decades), though as devotees of this powdered beverage mix know, scores upon scores of other varieties have come and gone over the year (though some of those original flavours are definitely still on grocery store shelves).

If we hop back in time to 1949 though, the first six flavours listed above were what Kool-Aid shoppers could add to their grocery cart. In the absolutely charming illustrated ad below from 1949, a recipe is featured that shows Kool-Aid lovers how to combine a package of drink mix with cream, milk and sugar to create quick, colourful ice cream in a flash.

{If you've got a sweet tooth and enjoy Kool-Aid (or have youngsters in your life a day), this super fun ice cream recipe is definitely worth giving a spin this summer. Image via clotho98 on Flickr; click here to see a larger version of this great vintage ad.}

 

Kool-Aid ice cream is a light-hearted, delightfully hued dessert that's been around since at least the 1940s. It's speedy to put together, uses a minimum of ingredients, and is sure to put a big smile on Kool-Aid lovers who  are both young and young at heart, while helping to chase off the sweltering summer heat for at least a few sweet minutes.