This July is National Ice Cream Month, and you have Kentucky to thank! In 1984, Senator Walter Dee Huddleston of Kentucky introduced a resolution to proclaim the month of July 1984 National Ice Cream Month and the 15th of that month National Ice Cream Day. Ronald Reagan signed the bill into law the same year, and the rest is history! Even though the bill only specified that July 1984 was National Ice Cream Month, the tradition carries on—much to our pleasure. Celebrate with us this July!
National Ice Cream Month Activities
-
Host an ice cream party
Next time you're having a barbecue this summer, add an ice cream bar! You can do it potluck style—supply several different flavors of ice cream and ask your friends to bring their favorite toppings. You might not be the life of the party, but your dessert will—and that's what counts.
-
Try as many ice cream flavors as you can
How many ice cream flavors can you eat this month? We challenge you to try at least 10, but you can set your own goal and see how well you do. We know we'll be aiming for the moon—try and keep up!
-
Invent your own flavor
To celebrate everyone's favorite month, find a recipe you can use as a starting point to invent your own ice cream flavor. You can use a vanilla ice cream recipe and add your favorite toppings, or just pour ingredients into a pan and wing it. If you have an ice cream maker, this is your time to shine. If you don't, there are plenty of recipes that you can make without any equipment!
Why We Love National Ice Cream Month
-
It's the perfect excuse to eat ice cream
We're always looking for reasons to eat sweets—and with summer here, what better treat than a frozen one? This holiday gives us the perfect opportunity to eat as much ice cream as our heart desires. And believe us, our heart desires a lot.
-
It pushes us out of our comfort zone
When we treat ice cream as a rare delicacy, we always order the same flavor. We go with what we know, because we're not sure when we're going to have ice cream again. However, when we have the opportunity to eat it every day, we don't have to play it safe. Cookies and cream begone—we want to try flavors like thai tea and taro.
-
It's a gateway to other desserts
The most beautiful thing about ice cream is how many delicious desserts it can go on top of. Brownie with chocolate ice cream? Yes please! Pie with a side of vanilla? Pile it on us. This month is a great excuse to eat lots of desserts—as long as they involve ice cream, they're fair game.
National Ice Cream Month dates
| Year | Date | Day |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | July 1 | Saturday |
| 2024 | July 1 | Monday |
| 2025 | July 1 | Tuesday |
| 2026 | July 1 | Wednesday |
| 2027 | July 1 | Thursday |
