Fast Facts
- The first ice cream cone was made by accident at the 1904 World’s Fair when a waffle maker rolled his waffle to hold ice cream!
- It takes about 12 pounds of milk to make just one gallon of ice cream!
- Vanilla remains the most popular ice cream flavor in the U.S., with chocolate and cookies & cream often following close behind.
- National Ice Cream Day is celebrated on the third Sunday of July each year!
Ice cream is a sweet, frozen treat enjoyed by kids all around the world! Its history dates back thousands of years—people in ancient China mixed snow with fruit and honey, while Persian royals enjoyed icy desserts flavored with rose water. The idea of frozen milk treats spread to Europe, and by the 1600s, ice cream was being made for kings and queens!
Today, ice cream comes in many forms across the globe. In Italy, there's creamy gelato; in Mexico, colorful fruit paletas; in India, frozen kulfi flavored with cardamom and nuts. In Japan, kids enjoy matcha (green tea) ice cream, and in Turkey, there's stretchy, chewy dondurma. New Zealand consumes more ice cream per capita than any other country, with an average of 7.5 gallons per person per year, and the U.S. comes in second at 5.5 gallons per year a person!
Ice cream can be scooped into cones, served in bowls, or shaped into sandwiches and bars. It’s made by freezing milk or cream with sugar and flavorings. Have you ever made ice cream at home? Here’s an easy recipe to try out with just a few simple ingredients!
Sources and additional information:
https://kids.nationalgeographic.com/books/article/ice-cream
https://www.benjerry.com/whats-new/2017/09/ice-cream-useless-facts
https://kids.britannica.com/students/article/ice-cream/275028