A thrifty mum has shared a simple but cost-effective tip to assuage her children's sweet-tooths, with other parents hailing the hack as a "game-changer".
Charlotte, an Australian mother-of-two from Queensland, shared her top tip on social media to the delight of fellow mums looking for cheap, kids-sized treats.
Charlotte revealed that instead of paying AU$4 for a McDonald's M&M's Minis McFlurry - which is around $6 in New Zealand - she orders a vanilla soft serve in a lid with the mini M&Ms on top for a thrifty AU$1.70 (NZ$1.85).
With her children aged just two and five, she noted that a regular-size McFlurry often goes unfinished as it's too big for their appetites - but the mini soft serves are the perfect portion for young kids.
The mum claimed the hack is her "go-to" when her daughters ask for ice cream when they're out and about.
"When the kids are asking for ice creams whilst we're out and about this is my go-to," she said, alongside a photo of her drive-thru order that saw the two mini soft serves add up to just AU$3.40.
"It works out way cheaper than a McFlurry ($4 each) or even the ice cream man - who was charging $6 each for a small soft serve, especially if you're buying a few. My girls are only five and two, and they would never finish a whole McFlurry each - so this is the perfect size for them," she added.
Charlotte's hack has resonated with other mums, many of whom also resent forking out for a McDonald's ice cream - only for most of it to be thrown in the bin.
"So smart, quite often McFlurrys are big serves for a little one so this works perfectly," one commented.
"I had no idea you could do this! My toddlers ask for ice cream twice a week, and I get them a soft serve cone but they never finish it - then it gets thrown on my car floor," said another.
A third mum agreed the hack was a game-changer, noting her daughter can't have a typical McDonald's ice cream cone due to her gluten allergy.
"My daughter is coeliac and can't have the cone, so we do this a lot too," she weighed in.
In New Zealand, a M&M's Minis McFlurry is typically priced around $5.50 to $6, depending on where in the country you are, while ordering a McFlurry on UberEats will set you back $6.90.
