National Ice Cream Month is upon us! What is it? Do we really need any special reason to indulge in the world's favorite dessert? Of course not. But in July, it gets its own special month to shine, all the same. There's also a National Ice Cream Day on which to really go all out. It falls on the third Sunday of July.
These two official US holidays were signed into law by President Ronald Reagan. A bit of whimsy? Not at all. Ice cream is big business. Almost 10% of US milk production goes to its manufacture and the industry generates billions of dollars for the US economy. It provides tens of thousands of jobs.
And you do want to stimulate the economy and preserve jobs, do not you?
President Reagan urged people to observe the day with "appropriate ceremonies and activities." So here are some suggestions on how we can celebrate the world's most popular dessert, stimulate the economy and have lots of summer fun, too!
- Learn how to make it yourself – it's so easy!
- Treat yourself to an ice cream maker so you can make some time you feel like it. (Here's how to find the best one for you.)
- Host a tasting party!
- Treat a friend to a cookbook on frozen desserts.
- Test your knowledge with a trivia quiz – one question for each day of the month.
- Make costumes for the party.
- Get into shape and lose weight with the ice cream diet. (Yes, there is such a thing!)
- Consider becoming your own boss with a franchise – open your own parlor.
- Teach your kids some science by making this dessert the old-fashioned way, with salt and ice.
However you celebrate – have a wonderful, delicious time!