National Ice Cream Day is celebrated on Sunday, July 16. This special day is observed each year on the third Sunday in July. The entire month of July is recognized as National Ice Cream Month. You can celebrate with a cone, bowl, cup or dish filled with your favorite flavor, and there are so many flavors to choose from.
The sweetened frozen food is made with dairy products such as milk and cream. Some people eat it as a snack, and others eat it as a dessert. It is usually a refreshing treat during the summer months. Before the invention of refrigeration, the treat was reserved for special occasions, but now it can be enjoyed all year long.
More ice cream is sold and eaten in the United States than in any other country. It is estimated that the average person consumes at least 48 pints in a year. In all, Americans eat 1.58 billion gallons each year.
Origin
According to reports, the Quakers were the ones believed to have introduced the product to Americans when they first came during the colonial era. They sold it from shops in New York and other cities, and the food soon caught on as a tasteful dessert or treat.
The dessert has an historical background. In 1984, the current President Ronald Reagan proclaimed the third Sunday in July to be National Ice Cream Day. The food was enjoyed by George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and Benjamin Frankin.
In 1813, records show that First Lady Dolley Madison suggested that the dessert be served at the Inaugural Ball for her husband.
Flavors
At one time, the flavors were limited to vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry. Today, there are hundreds of flavors because shop owners experiment by adding fruits, nuts, and other ingredients to create a different flavor.
Baskin-Robbins used to boast about its 31 flavors when it first opened the store in 1945. The slogan isn't heard too much these days because there are more than 31 flavors available not only at the popular stores but at other shops around the country.
An ice cream shop in Missouri is releasing its barbecue flavored ice cream on National Ice Cream Day.
That proves that you can add anything to a dish of regular vanilla or chocolate flavor.
Most popular
While there are thousand of flavors to choose from, the most popular flavor is chocolate, and the second flavor is vanilla. Chocolate syrup is the most popular topping. What is your favorite flavor? No matter what it is, enjoy it on the third Sunday in July.
