We All Scream

National Ice Cream Month drips to a close.

Today is the first day of the rest of your life. Unfortunately, yesterday was the last day of National Ice Cream Month.

Not the ideal way to raise the curtain on new beginnings, but there’s no need to—as the popular saying goes—scream about it, and we’re here to help see the month out right, staving your ice cream fix off for at least one more minute.

We’re far from being the only ones that think ice cream should be celebrated every day. American usage tells the story: each year on average a person consumes 48 pints of ice cream. Go USA! This and other interesting ice cream fun facts are available at the aptly named icecream.com.

In the search for a breakdown of the most popular ice cream flavors by state, we came across this map. It shows front-runners by state based on Baskin-Robbins accumulated sales. Though somewhat incomplete, it’s a colorful way to view consumption habits.

For a brand-independent list of popular flavors, check out the top 15 according to GrubHub. As a bonus, a list of the most requested toppings is also included. If you’re looking for the most popular ice cream brands according to social media, find them here. For a comprehensive look at ice cream varieties and their popularity around the globe, this Wikipedia article is hard to beat.

As for C-stores and ice cream? Well, Ben & Jerry’s started out in a renovated gas station in Burlington, Vermont, so that’s a sign, right? Actually, ice cream products and their generous price margins have always been welcomed by the industry, mostly in the form of pre-packaged ice cream novelties. Now some C-store operators are broadening their approach to include the hand-dipped concept, as summarized in this NACS article from a few years past.

Perhaps the best working example of the hand-dipped concept plays out every day at Neighbors’ General Store and Ice Cream Parlor in Port Orange, Florida. Visiting he Neighbor’s website is worth your time, if only for the beautiful pictures of the off-beat flavors available at the store.

With ice cream being such an alluring combination of taste and texture, it’s unfortunate that fat content and caloric intake are on the high side. This reality has driven the rise of healthier offerings, many available at the C-store, such as these treats for 150 calories or less. This short piece from Convenience Store News summarizes the latest developments in healthy ice cream alternatives.

Well, we’re running long, so it’s time to wrap up. We enjoyed spending National Ice Cream Month’s last hurrah with you. Oh, and by the way, if there was any question about the strong pull of the convenience store ice cream freezer, this gentleman proves it’s no joke. Does this really beat screaming for ice cream?!