Rejoice! July Is National Ice Cream Month

Though “sliced bread” gets the credit, we all know that it is ice cream that deserves the honor of being the world’s best invention. That is probably why on July 9, 1984, former US President Ronald Reagan declared July, National Ice Cream Month, and the third Sunday of the month, National Ice Cream Day. According to Proclamation number 5219, the event should be observed “with appropriate ceremonies and activities.” This, of course, means eating as much of the creamy treat as possible.

To help Americans perform their civic duty, many US ice cream manufacturers have fun initiatives lined up. Baskin Robbins is commemorating the event with the launch of four delicious polar pizzas and a donation program to support the United Service Organizations. The company is also offering a free waffle upgrade to all its guests during the month of July.

Ben & Jerry’s plans to celebrate the occasion with weekly flavor launches. In honor of July 4^th, the company will kick-off the event with Empower Mint, a delicious blend of peppermint ice cream with fudge brownies and fudge swirls. During the second week of July, customers can choose from four new dairy-free flavors that include Peanut Butter & Cookies, and a revamped version of their bestseller, Chunky Monkey. Week three will bring Cookies and Cream Cheesecake, Brownie Batter, and Coconuts for Caramel. To wrap up the celebration, the company suggests eating a scoop or two of a new or past favorite or “shaking” things up with a creamy milkshake.

Those that do not care for ice cream or wish to celebrate the month without the added calories may want to head to the nearest post office and seek out the collection of “Soda Fountain Favorites” that was released on June 30. The booklet of 20 stamps features five delicious frozen treats — A double scoop ice cream cone, a root-beer float, a banana split, a hot fudge sundae, and an egg cream. Though the last option does not contain any ice cream, it is delicious!

Given that the US dedicates an entire month to ice cream, it should come as no surprise that it is the country’s favorite dessert — One that generates manufacturers an astounding $10 billion USD annually. A 2015 study conducted by Yahoo Food found that 86% of the population eat the treat at least once a week. Also, despite the rise in unusual flavors, chocolate and vanilla remain the most popular! Finally, it takes an average consumer fifty licks to devour a scoop. So the next time you are eating the treat be sure to test if your ice cream eating skills are just “average” or “outstanding!”

Happy National Ice Cream Month!

Resources: icecreamjournal.turkeyhill.com, wikipedia.org,usps.org