Popularity of Ice Cream and Other Frozen Treats in the United States
Are you an avid ice cream eater? In recent years, we?ve seen new frozen desserts come onto the market. These other frozen treats like gelato and frozen yogurt are becoming fast contenders with the beloved ice cream dessert. If you?ve never tried other frozen treats like frozen yogurt and gelato before, now is the time to try out a few flavors of each of these options. Compare and contrast how they fair next to your favorite dessert flavors.
Interested in learning more about ice cream?s history in the United States? Keep reading for more information about the rise in popularity other frozen treats like frozen yogurt and gelato have seen in recent years.
Ice Cream?s Steady Popularity in the United States
Ice cream is one of those desserts that Americans love to consume. No matter the season of the year, the month of the year, the day of the week, or the time of day, ice cream is a favorite treat, snack, and dessert. That explains why Americans still eat ice cream on nearly 30 different occasions throughout any given year.
When you add up all the ice cream that Americans eat throughout the year, it equals around 1.5 billion gallons in total. With so much ice cream being consumed consistently throughout the year, it?s no surprise the ice cream industry does well. It has to constantly produce enough ice cream to keep up with the demand of the American people.
So, how often are Americans eating ice cream in any given week or month? Nearly 40% of Americans actually consume ice cream every couple of weeks, according to research by the NPD Group. Other statistics show that on a regular basis, nearly 90% of households across the country purchase or consume some type of ice cream treat. While Americans aren?t picky about when they eat their ice cream, there is still one month out of the year that sales tend to skyrocket. In June, ice cream becomes a favorite treat for all. It?s the one month of the year when more ice cream is produced than any other month.
Even though there are so many new flavors developed each and every year, vanilla remains the most popular flavor. The International Ice Cream Association released data from a recent survey stating that vanilla has the largest popularity vote out of all the flavors.
Rise in Popularity of Other Frozen Treats
Across the United States, new types of frozen treat stores are popping up and gaining popularity. They don?t necessarily take the place of your regular ice cream treats, but they do offer some competition to ice cream. Let?s take frozen yogurt, for example. By 2013, there were more than 2,500 stores selling frozen yogurt throughout the United States. This demonstrated a rising interest in frozen yogurt amongst the American people. Unlike ice cream, frozen yogurt can have a tangier taste. It is also praised for potentially being healthier than ice cream since it is made from yogurt.
When you get frozen yogurt, it?s often at a self-serve store where you can fill up the cup with the flavors you want. Then, you move on to adding your favorite toppings and sauces. This adds to the fun of going out for frozen yogurt in comparison to going out for a ice cream cone or ice cream cup.
Gelato is another frozen treat that people are beginning to enjoy consuming more frequently. Depending on the flavor you get, it can be similar to frozen yogurt. Gelato is also a little bit lighter than most ice creams, too, as it is 25% to 30% air and only 3% to 8% milkfat. When you go out for gelato, you may even feel somewhat European as this is a popular treat to eat when in countries like Italy.
How frequently do you go out for frozen treats with friends or family? Do you prefer ice cream, frozen yogurt, or gelato more? Let us know in the comments about your thoughts on the popularity of each of these frozen desserts.
