The National Frozen & Refrigerated Foods Association (NFRA) is going all out to celebrate America’s favorite dessert during National Ice Cream Month, and there are A LOT of reasons to celebrate. About 6.4 billion pounds of ice cream and frozen yogurt were produced in the U.S. in 2019. That’s barely keeping up with America’s appetite for creamy treats: 87% of consumers say they bought ice cream in the last 6-months, and the average American eats more than 22 pounds of ice cream and related frozen desserts per year.

Also, ice cream is BIG business: Fortune Business Insights estimates the global ice cream market will reach $91.9 billion in 2027, up from $70.9 billion in 2019—a 30% jump in less than a decade.

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.

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.

And to make the month even sweeter, consumers have a chance to Win Free Ice Cream & Novelties For A Year. All they have to do is visit www.EasyHomeMeals.com to enter the giveaway.

Sprinkling On Fun Facts About Ice Cream

While they’re there, they can also check out the crowd-pleasing, easy-to-make Pinwheel Ice Cream Cake and the grown-up Tipsy S’mores Milkshake to get into the spirit of the month.

Keeping It Cool 

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. 

• The top three flavors of ice cream are Vanilla, Chocolate and Cookies ‘N Cream
• 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
• Chocolate chips are the most popular ice cream topping
• The average dairy cow produces enough milk in its lifetime to make 7,500 gallons of ice cream
• 9% of milk produced in the entire U.S. is used to prepare ice cream
• The biggest ice cream sundae ever was created in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada in 1988. It weighed a whopping 24 tons
• 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
• Pecans are the most popular nut chunk in the U.S., and strawberries are the most popular fruit chunk
• The average number of ice cream sandwiches eaten every second is 48
• More than two billion popsicles are sold each year

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.