The Sweetest Time of the Year: National Ice Cream Month

The Inside Scoop to Celebrate America's Favorite Dessert

HARRISBURG, Pa., July 22, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Summer is in full swing, and ice cream lovers everywhere are finishing their time in the sunshine with the treat they love most. That's why the National Frozen & Refrigerated Foods Association (NFRA) is celebrating America's favorite dessert this month.

And there is a lot to celebrate because Americans really love their ice cream. They consumed 12.1 pounds per person in 2019 – basically the weight of a 40" TV. They eat it often – 73% of consumers eat ice cream at least once per week, and 84% prefer to purchase ice cream at the grocery store and eat it at home.^*

This all equals a big piece of business. Fortune Business Insights estimates the global ice cream market will reach $97.85 billion in 2027, up from $71.52 billion in 2021. That's a 37% jump in less than a decade thanks to the world's craving for ice cream. 

Plus, ice cream and novelties are a family affair and not just for those enjoying it. The majority of U.S. ice cream and frozen dessert manufacturers have been in business for more than 50 years, and many are still family-owned businesses.

Such a big dessert deserves an equally big celebration! And what's bigger than FREE ice cream for a year? Consumers have a chance to win this sweet prize by submitting an entry at www.EasyHomeMeals.com.

When they visit, they'll find new and innovative recipes from our experts and influencers. From the inventive Frozen Rainbow Dessert Jars to the family favorite Cookie Crust Ice Cream Pie, scoop after scoop of tasty ideas, recipes and more are waiting to be discovered.

It's no wonder NFRA's Summer Favorites Ice Cream & Novelties promotion is bigger than ever. All over the nation, shoppers will find promotions, special deals and signage at their local supermarkets throughout July.

• The top three flavors of ice cream are Chocolate, Cookies 'N Cream and Vanilla^*
• Chocolate is the most popular topping sauce^*
• Strawberries are the most popular fruit topping^*
• Cookies are the most popular confection topping^*
• Chocolate was the first ice cream flavor ever invented^*
• The World Record for most ice cream eaten is 16.5 pints in six minutes, set by Miki Sudo
• The average dairy cow produces enough milk in its lifetime to make 7,500 gallons of ice cream
• Ice cream cones were invented at the 1904 World's Fair in St. Louis, Missouri by concessions vendors as a way for people to eat ice cream easily while they enjoyed the fair
• More than two billion popsicles are sold each year

Proper storage and handling of ice cream and novelties helps to maintain the high quality and good taste of the products. Don't let your ice cream repeatedly soften and refreeze.

NFRA reminds you to make the ice cream aisle your last stop in the grocery store. Keep your frozen purchases in a separate section of the cart while shopping and pack your ice cream in an additional brown paper bag for the ride home. They also suggest that you store your frozen treats in the main part of the freezer, not on the door, where they are subject to more fluctuating temperatures.

NFRA (www.nfraweb.org) is a non-profit trade association representing all segments of the frozen and refrigerated foods industry. NFRA sponsors national promotions March Frozen Food Month, June Dairy Month and June/July Ice Cream & Novelties; and provides consumer information such as food safety guidelines, meal preparation tips, recipes and sweepstakes opportunities through its www.EasyHomeMeals.com consumer website and social media properties.

SOURCE: https://www.idfa.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/IDFA-Ice-Cream-Frozen-Novelty-Trends-2022-Report_6-21.2022-for-Press.pdf

SOURCE National Frozen & Refrigerated Foods Association