National Ice Cream Month is in July! In celebration of America’s favorite frozen treat, the International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA) has partnered with Morning Consult to survey America’s love for ice cream and frozen desserts.
This year’s survey asked over 2,200 American adults for their take on flavors, toppings, and other preferences.
So, what’s the scoop? 97% of Americans love or like ice cream. While traditional flavors still dominate IDFA’s list, newer flavors like Butter Pecan and Cookie Dough are shaking up the top five.
Top flavors among the general public:
- Vanilla
- Chocolate
- Strawberry
- Butter Pecan
- Cookie Dough
“It’s no surprise that America loves ice cream,” said IDFA President and CEO Michael Dykes, D.V.M. “And America’s favorite frozen treat is more than dessert—it also supports nearly 30,000 jobs and pumps $11.4 billion into our nation’s economy each year according to IDFA’s Dairy Delivers data. This July, celebrate National Ice Cream Month with a cone, pint, or half-gallon of your favorite flavor, and know that you’re also supporting dairy farmers and manufacturers across this great nation.”
Related Article: National Ice Cream Month: History, Statistics, and Trends
More results from the IDFA-Morning Consult survey:
What type of container do consumers prefer?
- Waffle cones beat out sugar cones 29% to 12% among consumers, but 27% prefer eating frozen dessert out of a bowl.
What type of toppings do consumers prefer?
- Hot fudge is the top ice cream topping at 35%, beating out caramel sauce at 24% and chocolate sauce at 21%. Whipped cream is the second most popular topping at 29%.
When weighing ice cream options, what consideration is most important to consumers?
- 94% of respondents said ice cream flavor is the most important consideration. However, four-fifths of adults think size and price are important as well.
Where is your favorite place to eat ice cream?
- 63% of Americans say their favorite place to eat is at home; 21% of young adults (18-34) are more likely than other groups to say outdoors is their favorite setting.
The International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA), Washington, D.C., represents the nation’s dairy manufacturing and marketing industry, which supports more than 3.2 million jobs that generate $49 billion in direct wages and $794 billion in overall economic impact. IDFA’s diverse members represent most of the milk, cheese, ice cream, yogurt and cultured products, and dairy ingredients produced and marketed in the United States and sold worldwide.
