National Ice Cream Day: Fun Facts About Everyone’s Favorite Ice Cream Dessert

07/19/2020 World


Americans will have an excuse on Sunday to dig into their favorite flavors as the country celebrates National Ice Cream Day.

We’ve got the scoop on all of your most important questions.

Our love for ice cream goes far, far behind. Thousands of years ago, people around the world discovered that cold + sweet = a delicious combo.

Records show that some of history’s most famous leaders enjoyed cold delights, from the Roman emperor Nero to Alexander the Great. Even King Solomon liked “a drink chilled by snow at harvest time,” according to some Bible translations.
Take a global tour of the world's best frozen delights

Historians believe that the ancient Chinese were the first to develop a fresh and creamy treatment that resembles what we enjoy today. In the 16th century, ice cream began to spread throughout Europe, although at first only aristocrats could afford it.

No one knows for sure when ice cream arrived in the United States, but at least some Founding Fathers were fans.

Thomas Jefferson wrote 18-step instructions, the first known ice cream recipe recorded by an American. And George Washington reportedly gave out $ 200 in a single summer to get his ice cream fix. In today’s dollars, that’s a lot of money.

Did the ban really increase ice cream sales?

It is true. When the ban banned the sale of alcohol, Americans turned to ice cream as a fun alternative.

What makes ice cream so addictive?

The timing could not have been more perfect as new technologies made ice cream manufacturing and cooling easier than ever, and increased their popularity.

The frozen ice cream was enjoyed by all kinds of people across the country. In fact, new immigrants were served on Ellis Island and even American soldiers during World War II.

When did the United States create National Ice Cream Day?

Thanks to President Ronald Reagan, National Ice Cream Day is legitimate.

In 1984, he signed a proclamation declaring July to be National Ice Cream Month. The third Sunday of that month, which falls on July 21 this year, was officially known as National Ice Cream Day.

Proclamation – No. 5219, to be exact – describes “a nutritious and healthy food, enjoyed by more than 90 percent of people in the United States.”

Although we can’t vouch for its stats, it sounds pretty accurate. Right?

How much ice cream do Americans consume?

Today, the average American consumes more than 20 pounds of ice cream each year, according to the International Dairy Food Association.

If you think it’s a lot, multiply it by 329 million Americans.

What is the most popular flavor of ice cream in the United States?

From Neapolitan to chocolate chip cookie dough, there is no shortage of flavors.

Thats not all. You can also get it with a jet of nitrogen, rolled by hand or with charcoal.

You can even make ice cream without the help of cows. Biotech company Perfect Day introduced a laboratory milk ice cream that uses genetic engineering to recreate the proteins generally found in cow’s milk.
Still, the best flavor in the United States? Simple vanilla, according to the International Dairy Food Association.

So this weekend, don’t think of your sweet tooth as a guilty pleasure, but as a patriotic duty.

This piece was originally published in 2019.

.

Tags

Designed by Tricksfast Solutions
© Copyright 2024, All Rights Reserved