Get Ready to Celebrate National Ice Cream Day!
If you are a fan of ice cream, and how could you not be, then get ready to stuff your face on National Ice Cream Day. You may not be old enough to remember President Ronald Reagan, but thanks to him, we can celebrate this cold and tasty treat every third Sunday in July. This year the holiday falls on July 17th!
Did you know that when it comes to eating ice cream, Americans lead the world? According to ice cream experts (how do I get a job as one of those?!), we each eat roughly 23 gallons a year of the frozen concoction.
The History of Ice Cream
No one has ever been identified as the “creator of ice cream.” We do know that people have been enjoying ice cream-like treats for a very long time.
For instance, historians mention an ice cream-like food consumed in China somewhere between 618 to 697 AD. The treat was made from flour, buffalo milk and camphor… mmmmm tasty!
There are also legends that Alexander the Great loved ice and snow flavored with nectar and honey. And the bible mentions that during the Roman Empire, Caesar would send people into the mountains to gather snow, which he would then cover in fruit and juice.
Thousands of years later, Marco Polo returned to Italy from his trip to the far east with a recipe in hand. The concoction would become known as sherbet. Eventually the recipe would be refined and turn into gelato, which was the inspiration for today’s ice cream.
Healthy Options for National Ice Cream Day
Want to celebrate this tasty holiday but without all of the sugar and the fat? Here are some healthier alternatives:
· Watermelon Sorbet
· Frozen Banana Ice Cream
· Chilled Yogurt (yep, just freeze it!)
· Avocado Ice Cream
· Halo Top Ice Cream
Join this masses this July 17th and celebrate National Ice Cream Day. But keep in mind you can have your ice cream and eat it too by opting for a healthier treat.
SOURCES:
https://nationaltoday.com/national-ice-cream-day/
https://www.brit.co/ice-cream-alternatives/