National Chocolate Ice Cream Day

Craving some ice cream? June 7th is National Chocolate Ice Cream Day! Find out more about National Chocolate Ice Cream Day here.

If you love Chocolate Ice Cream, you’re not alone!  Many claim it as a firm favorite. Some might even say it’s an essential food item. Ha! 

We don’t know about that here at National Day Ideas, but it’s a popular flavor of ice cream for sure.

There most certainly is something about the silky texture of ice cream, whether you reach for a pint after the sudden pain of a tough breakup, or you’re just having some childlike nostalgia that only a chocolate ice cream cone, complete with chocolate sauce, can fill.

Chocolate may be a common flavor, and a staple ingredient in the kitchen, but that doesn’t make it any less worthy of our extreme adoration. Yes, it might put you in a food coma or be the cause of brain freeze, but the simple taste of one of Americans’ favorite ice cream flavors truly brings a comfort like no other.

Keep reading to find out more about this National Day and how to celebrate it!

When is National Chocolate Ice Cream Day?

National Chocolate Ice Cream Day happens every year on June 7th.

A Little Background on National Chocolate Ice Cream Day

There really isn’t any background info on where this day got its exact origin. But that’s how it is with a plethora of our National Days. So we won’t dwell on it at all.

Chocolate ice cream is a delectable treat. Just one scoop can make a plain, old, boring day seem special. Or a bad day seem a little brighter.

Or a time of sadness seem a little less sad. Or a stressful day seem a little bit less frustrating. 

And there are so many ways to eat it, and I’m not talking about in front of a TV either,bBut I’m getting ahead of myself here. LOL

A Brief History of Chocolate Ice Cream

Astonishingly it’s kind of amazing how long ice cream has been around, given that refrigeration didn’t make its debut with the ice box until around 1800, and commercial refrigerators were not common until around the 1830s. 

Prior to the ice box, houses might have pits dug and filled with ice collected from the frozen tundra.  In fact, the original President’s house in Philadelphia had an octagon shaped ice pit lined with stone to help keep it insulated. [1]

Can you even imagine?

I digress.

Back to the history of Chocolate Ice Cream

Unfortunately, the history of actual ice cream and who invented it is a bit murky. Did Marco Polo bring it back from China, or did Alexander the Great enjoy frozen drinks made with honey and wine? [2] 

We’ll probably never know for absolute certainty, but that’s OK. We have ice cream now, and, indeed, it is amazing.

Up until around the late 1800s, ice cream was generally only enjoyed by the wealthy. But refrigeration changed everything and aren’t we so thankful for that?

But we do have some better information about the history of Chocolate Ice Cream.

The very first recipes actually appear to be recorded in Antonio Latini’s, The Modern Steward, which was published in Naples, Italy in 1693.

Surprisingly, Chocolate was one of the first flavors of ice cream. That’s right! Even before vanilla entered the scene.  Perhaps ingenious Italians took Hot Chocolate and turned it into the creamy, chocolatey frozen dessert we now know and love. [3] 

If so, thank you Italy.

But when did it come to America? 

Contrary to what some say, Thomas Jefferson most likely did not introduce ice cream to his home country, but he is responsible for the first ever recipe written down by an American. 

Apparently he found ice cream to be a delightful dish when he was serving abroad as the ambassador to France. 

And he might be an important reason why the love of ice cream spread because he would serve it to his guest at the White House.  [4]

When did the first ice cream parlor open in the US?

The very first ice cream parlor opened sometime between 1774 and 1776 when Phillip Lenzi, a shop owner in New York, began offering ice cream in his confectionery shop. 

Supposedly, George Washington lost a couple of hundred dollars to Phillip’s ice cream counter one summer. That’s unbelievably over 4K in our modern dollars. [5]

Could you imagine going out and spending $4,000 at a local ice cream shop one summer? That’s cray, George, cray.  

Well, we won’t hold it against him because, well… DEMOCRACY. 

Soon local soda shops popped up everywhere selling soda drinks and milkshakes galore, and the appeal of the brown colored, frosty chocolate foodstuffs began to solidify its hold on the hearts of the public. 

Fun Ideas for Celebrating National Chocolate Ice Cream Day

And so, the biggest question is how do chocolate lovers celebrate?  Well then, let’s chat about some fun ways to enjoy some chocolatey goodness, my friends.

• Throw an Chocolate Ice Cream Bar party! 
  • Buy a variety of chocolate ice creams, toppings and cones or waffle bowls and then treat all your friends and/or family to a chocolate ice cream utopia!
• Take a dear friend or family member or all of your kids to a local ice cream parlor for a special treat!
• Buy your favorite pint of Chocolate Ice Cream, find a favorite movie to watch and then snuggle under a comfy blanket to celebrate. That idea is just for all the introverts like me!

Celebrating this day at Work

Do you, in fact, have co-workers who are chocolate ice cream fanatics too? Then let’s get them involved!

That chocolate ice cream party I aforementioned above? Just turn it into a Chocolate Ice Cream Bar Potluck Extravaganza Feast and you’ll finally have an office party everyone fondly remembers! 

Then just invite everyone to sign up to bring their favorite toppings and you provide the Chocolate Ice Cream.

Everyone will have a sweet time… In fact, you’ll be a shoe-in for Employee of the Month! 

Common Ingredients Found in Chocolate Ice Cream

What is chocolate ice cream made out of?  Most often, you’ll find the following:

• Cocoa Powder – which gives it its characteristic brown color
• Eggs – which make it into more of a creamy custard
• Sugar
• Vanilla
• Cream

Most Beloved Chocolate Ice Cream Flavor Variations

Oh, dear chocolate gods. There are so many delicious chocolate ice cream flavors out there!

So now, let’s name a few different kinds of chocolate ice cream:

• Classic Chocolate Flavor
• Rocky Road
• Mint Chocolate Chip
• Chocolate Chunk
• Moose Tracks
• Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup 
• Double Chocolate Brownie
• Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough
• Death by Chocolate

Pray tell, did I leave any out?  

Topping Ideas for Chocolate Ice Cream

Now that we’ve listed a variety of flavors, let’s take a look at some amazing topping ideas! In fact, you can use these for your office party sign up list!

Did I leave anything out???

Delicious Ways to Eat Chocolate Ice Cream

There are so many ways to eat that favorite chocolate scoop. But it doesn’t have to be just a simple bowl of ice cream. That is, if you’re feeling adventurous! 

How about trying something totally different? Surely any one of these would definitely make a delectable dessert:

• Classic Chocolate Ice Cream Cake
• Chocolate Ice Cream Sodas or Milkshakes
• Peanut Butter-Chocolate Ice Cream Torte
• Homemade Chocolate Ice Cream Sandwiches
• Chocolate Affogato – this is just ice cream and coffee (or espresso)
• Chocolate Ice Cream Brownie Bomb
• Boozy Chocolate Cocktail
• Gargantuan Ice Cream Sundaes
• Double Chocolate Banana Splits – Chocolate ice cream and chocolate sauce only!

Noteworthy Stats about Chocolate Ice Cream

• The most popular flavor is chocolate (14%), followed by vanilla (13%) and butter pecan (11%).
• Year after year, Half Baked reigns supreme over the ice cream aisle. Is it the fudge brownies and cookie dough chunks that bring fans back time after time? Yes, it absolutely is
• About 98% of US families have ice cream in their fridges, at all times.
• As for what people like to top their ice cream with, hot fudge (43%) and nuts (31%) are the most popular picks, with chocolate syrup (28%), Oreo crumbles (24%) and sprinkles (21%) coming in slightly behind.
• People who are 18-34 years old were more likely to prefer cookies ‘n creme (14%) and chocolate chip cookie dough (13%), while people 55 and up were far more likely to prefer butter pecan (17%) and vanilla (16%)

So, next time you are searching for that mighty tub of chocolate ice cream after a long day, remember that you are a part of a large group when it comes to America’s ice cream eating habits!  But it’s not just American either, it’s pretty much the rest of the world too. 

So whether you love milk chocolate or dark chocolate, the good old chocolate flavor that gives you that addictive chocolate buzz has a history that dates back centuries. 

Does Chocolate Ice Cream deserve its own day?

Most certainly, it does! 

Obviously vanilla is a close contender, but if you look at the preferences of real life ice cream lovers, this versatile treat, a frozen bar of chocolate, if you will, is a luxury that many people, even British royalty like Prince William, indulge in from time to time. [6]

Last but not least, get ready now for July. It’s National Ice Cream Month! So, when you hear that ice cream truck blaring its music, grab your wallet and race out the door!

For more fun days to celebrate, just pop over and visit our Calendar!

Sharing is caring!