In this article
EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW TO CELEBRATE NATIONAL ICE CREAM DAY JULY 21ST
Ice cream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream, no matter if it’s boozy ice cream, Ice cream sandwiches, or ice cream cakes.
When it comes to flavors, we don’t play flavorites. For us, every day is ice cream day, but there’s actually a day and month devoted to our favorite frozen treat.
The average American eats about 4 gallons of ice cream each year, according to the International Dairy Foods Association. We bet we eat more than that in a year, so grab a pint of ice cream and read on as we dish on everything you need to know to celebrate National Ice Cream Day (and month!).
Each day, we love scooping up ice cream in all its forms, but we use National Ice Cream Day to help ourselves to an extra scoop and sweet toppings and ice cream toppings from America’s best ice cream shops.
What Month is National Ice Cream Month in the United States?
July is National Ice Cream Month in the United States. Ice cream is so popular — ice cream makers churned out 1.30 billion gallons of ice cream last year — that there is a day devoted to it as well. National Ice Cream Day is observed on the third Sunday of July. In 2024, National Ice Cream Day is Sunday, July 21.
Additional National Ice Cream holidays include:
- January 15: National Strawberry Ice Cream Day
- February (first Saturday): National Ice Cream for Breakfast Day
- June 7: National Chocolate Ice Cream Day
- July 1: National Creative Ice Cream Flavors Day
- July 17: National Peach Ice Cream Day
- July 23: National Vanilla Ice Cream Day
- August 2: National Ice Cream Sandwich Day
- August 18: National Ice Cream Pie Day
- August 19: National Soft Ice Cream Day
- September 6: National Coffee Ice Cream Day
Why is National Ice Cream Day Important?
National Ice Cream Day is important because it promotes and celebrates one of America’s favorite treats. Ice cream companies are a huge support to America’s economy. The impact is more than $13 billion.
Most ice cream companies are family owned, have been in business for more than 50 years, and support nearly 29,000 jobs that generate $1.8 billion in direct wages, according to IDFA’s Dairy Delivers.
Which President Started National Ice Cream Day?
President Ronald Reagan (1981-1989) started National Ice Cream Day and National Ice Cream Month in 1984. For 40 years, America has celebrated this food holiday by spooning ice cream pints, licking ice cream cones, and eating ice cream sandwiches.
How to Observe Nation Ice Cream Day
The 40th President, Ronald Reagan, encouraged Americans to observe this summer holiday with “appropriate ceremonies and activities.” That means, go ahead, run after the ice cream truck, and enjoy a cup or cone of your favorite ice cream. Better yet, indulge in a sundae, milkshake, or get an ice cream kit to indulge in some DIY fun.
If you’re on a special diet, you can use the day to eat sorbet or frozen fruit. It’s also the perfect excuse to try frozen custard, gelato, or popsicles from across the country. Consider hosting an ice cream social, a blindfold ice cream flavor taste test, or an ice cream eating contest with your family or friends.
Don’t forget your furry friends. Your doggie can enjoy the sweet festivities with ice cream for pups, which many ice cream parlors and supermarkets now sell.
Most Famous Ice Cream Shops
Graeter’s Ice Cream
More than 150 years since its founding in 1870, Cincinnati, Ohio’s Graeter’s Ice Cream still makes French-style ice cream the old school way. Home to the world’s only French Pot Freezer, Graeter’s churns custard-like ice cream just 2 gallons at a time — it’s the ultimate in small batch.
Each flavor begins with a French-style ice cream base made with 18% butterfat. Fanciful flavors include Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip, peanut butter ice cream with milk chocolate chips, Oregon Strawberry with Willamette Valley strawberries, and Salted Caramel Chocolate Chip with brown sugar, cream, and dark chocolate chips.
Caffè Panna Ice Cream
Since 2019, Hallie Meyer has been impressing New York City with her creamy ice cream. What started as a South Bronx pop-up has turned into a beloved Gramercy Park shop that typically has a long line out front.
Caffè Panna makes its ice cream fresh daily, sourcing ingredients locally and from Italy. Flavors include Vanilla made with Heilala Vanilla beans, Chocolate made with extra dark cocoa and a hint of Trapani sea salt, and Aud’s Dream, vanilla sweet cream with thick peanut butter swirls.
Sloan’s Ice Cream
Sloan Kamenstein opened Sloan’s Ice Cream in 1999 in West Palm Beach, Florida and it’s been continuous fun for the past quarter century. The playful ice cream shop brings creativity to life in the form of small-batch ice cream.
Whimsical flavors include Almond Joy, coconut ice cream with fudge, chocolate covered almonds, and shredded coconut, Checker Boy’s Rum Raisin with golden raisins soaked in Myer’s dark rum, and Coffee & Doughnuts, coffee ice cream with Krispy Kreme glazed doughnuts.
You’ll melt for our ice cream. Get ready to scoop up the coolest ice cream from America’s best ice cream shops shipping nationwide on Goldbelly!
