🍦 Why Is Ice Cream REALLY a Big Deal in July?

Chocolate, vanilla, mint chip, or cookies and cream — no matter your favorite flavor, there’s one thing we can all agree on: ice cream is awesome. And in the United States, it even has its own official holiday. Actually… it has a whole month.

Welcome to National Ice Cream Month — a July celebration that’s as sweet as it is historical. But where did it come from? Who started it? And why is there such a big scoop of tradition behind your cone? Let’s dig in.

📜 Who Made It Official?

Believe it or not, National Ice Cream Month isn’t just something companies made up to sell sprinkles. It was created in 1984 by none other than President Ronald Reagan. He signed a proclamation that declared July to be the official month to celebrate ice cream — and named the third Sunday of July as National Ice Cream Day.

Why? Because ice cream is loved by nearly everyone in America — and Reagan wanted to recognize its popularity and the joy it brings to people of all ages. We told you this topic was presidentially approved.

🧊 How Is Ice Cream Made?

Let’s break it down — scoop by scoop.

Traditional ice cream starts with a simple mixture of milk, cream, and sugar. That mixture is chilled while it’s churned, which adds air and prevents ice crystals from getting too big. The result? That smooth, creamy texture we all know and love.

Depending on how you make it, ice cream can have all kinds of variations. Gelato has more milk and less air, making it denser. Sorbet skips the dairy entirely. And sherbet? It’s a fruity blend with just a hint of cream. Basically, there’s a frozen treat for everyone — and every scoop has a science behind it.

🌍 Flavors from Far and Wide

In the U.S., the most popular flavor is still classic vanilla. Chocolate comes in second, and cookies and cream scoops in at third. But around the world, ice cream flavors get a whole lot wilder…

🍣 In Japan, you can find wasabi ice cream — spicy and sweet at the same time.

🧀 In Italy, they make gelato from gorgonzola cheese.

💜 In the Philippines, there’s ube ice cream — a vibrant purple treat made from sweet purple yams. Suddenly, plain old chocolate chip sounds a little tame, doesn’t it?

📈 The Stats Are In

Americans eat a lot of ice cream — around 20 pounds per person each year. That’s more than double the weight of a bowling ball! And in case you’re wondering… the tallest ice cream cone ever made was over 9 feet tall. That’s taller than most elephants — even the ones wearing fancy Wimbledon top hats (yes, we said it).

🎧 Want More?

This blog post is based on our podcast episode:🎙️ Why Is Ice Cream REALLY a Big Deal in July?, featuring Professor Punzworth and a whole freezer-full of frozen facts!

🍦 Ice Cream Month Fast Facts

📅 It started in 1984 by U.S. presidential proclamation

🍨 The third Sunday of July is National Ice Cream Day

📊 The average American eats 20 pounds of ice cream per year

💜 Ube, gorgonzola, and wasabi are all real ice cream flavors

🍦 The world’s tallest cone was over 9 feet high.

💬 Discussion Question:

If you could invent your own ice cream flavor, what would it be called — and what would it taste like?