Where “Zooper Dooper” Comes From
A Zooper Dooper is a frozen flavoured sugar-water treat sold in a long plastic sleeve. You snip the top off, push it up as you eat and enjoy a cold fruit flavour.
They’re sold in multi-packs and have been a summer staple for children and teenagers.
“Mum bought a pack of Zooper Doopers.”
How Aussies Actually Use It
You’ll hear it in summer, at school and at the beach.
In Real Life
On a scorching day, few things beat a Zooper Dooper from the freezer. Kids compare flavours, trade them with siblings and carry them in their hands as they melt. The sleeves also double as a cheap cold pack for hot hands. The word has become part of childhood nostalgia for many Australians.
Quick Questions
What’s the difference between an icy pole and a Zooper Dooper?
A Zooper Dooper is a specific brand of tube-shaped frozen treat. An icy pole is the general name for a frozen treat on a stick.
How do you eat one?
Snip the top, then squeeze or push it up as it melts.
Say It Like an Aussie
Say it: ZOO-per DOO-per.
In conversation:
- Pass me a Zooper Dooper.
- We had Zooper Doopers after school.
- Cut the top off the Zooper Dooper.
Good to know: The name is a brand, though people use it for similar frozen tubes. Another everyday word for frozen treats is “icy pole”.
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