Did you know that July is National Ice Cream Month? In honor of this special occasion, my family conducted an ice cream taste test. Sunday afternoon, we broke out 8 different containers of ice cream. Four mint were varieties. Four were chocolate. The brands included were Safeway Select, Baskin Robbins, Haagen Dazs, and Ben & Jerry’s. Only I knew which sample was which.
The testing procedure was pretty simple. I set eight bowls on ice cream (one for each flavor) on the kitchen table, and put a numbered sheet of paper with each bowl. Everyone tasted the ice creams and then noted why they liked it (or not) and which was their favorite. Needless to say, they all enjoyed the samples. They’ve already suggested doing the same with pizza and french fries. It was a fun way to spend some time on a hot Sunday afternoon.
Mint Flavor Results
In the mint flavored category, we tasted Safeway Select Mint Chocolate Cookie Crumble, Baskins Robbins Mint Chocolate Chip, Haagen Dazs Mint Chip, and Ben & Jerry’s Mint Chocolate Cookie. Our results were pretty mixed, but I learned a few things about my family’s tastes.
My husband, middle daughter, and son favored the Safeway Select which is nice because it is much more affordable. My husband liked that it had a green color. I’m not sure what to say about that. My daughter and son liked it because it had a higher chocolate to ice cream ratio than the other brands. I thought it had a gritty texture. It wasn’t as creamy as the others.
My oldest daughter and I chose the Haagen Daaz as our favorite. We liked that it was very creamy and fresh tasting. My son thought it didn’t taste minty enough, but my husband thought it was too minty, like medicine.
We all agreed that the Baskins Robbins ice cream had very little mint flavor. My son thought it tasted more like vanilla. My middle daughter thought the chocolate to ice cream ratio was way too small.
The Ben & Jerry’s came in second place. I thought it was light and fresh and so did my husband. My middle daughter said it reminded her of Thin Mint cookies, which is a good thing. The other two kids thought it was not minty enough, but good and creamy.
So if you want a good, inexpensive mint ice cream, try the Safeway Select Mint Chocolate Cookie Crumble. Just be aware that it has a deep green color (food coloring) and is not as creamy as the premium brands. If you want a premium mint ice cream, we recommend Haagen Dazs Mint Chip.
Chocolate Flavor Results
When I chose the chocolate ice creams, I went for extreme chocolate flavor. The more chocolatey, the better. The four chocolate flavors we tested were Safeway Select Extreme Moose Tracks, Ben & Jerry’s Chocolate Therapy, Haagen Dazs Chocolate Chocolate Chip, and Baskin Robbins Chocolate Fudge. Our results were very interesting. First, two of my kids prefer mint ice cream over chocolate ice cream. They must be adopted. The chocolate tests turned out much differently than the mint taste test.
Three of us agreed that Ben & Jerry’s Chocolate Therapy ice cream was the best one tested. My husband said “Very Fudgy-Perfect.” My middle daughter said, “Fudgy Perfection. This stuff is dangerous.” My son also liked it better than the rest, but said it might be too rich for him. My oldest daughter said there was too much cookie mixed in.
The oldest daughter preferred the Haagen Dazs Chocolate Chocolate Chip ice cream. It was also my and my husband’s second place choice. It is very creamy with large chunks of chocolate. In fact, that is why the other two kids didn’t like it. They thought the chocolate chunks were too big. Again, they must be adopted.
The Safeway Select Extreme Moose Tracks was deemed “not creamy enough” by all of us. My middle daughter said she like the large swirls of chocolate, but not the quality of ice cream. We all seemed to agree on this one.
The Baskin Robbins Choclate Fudge looked promising. It is extremely dark and rich looking. But no one really cared for it. My son and oldest daughter thought it had a bad after taste. My husband and middle daughter weren’t impressed either. And I didn’t like it much. I would say it was in 3rd place overall.
National Ice Cream Month
National Ice Cream Month began in 1984, when U.S. President Ronald Reagan declared the special day. The resolution was sponsored by Senator Walter Dee Huddleston of Kentucky. Over 90% of Americans enjoy ice cream. The industry provides over 188,000 jobs in the United States and contributes more than $39 billion to the national economy.
History of Ice Cream
Ice cream is a common treat these day. It’s history dates back centuries. The ancient Greeks would sweeten cold cream with honey. In the 13th Century, Marco Polo returned from his travels with a recipe for something much like modern sherbet. Frozen treats were usually reserved for the elite classes, In the 17th Century, ice cream was a royal treat, not available to the common man.
The first written account of ice cream in the United States is found in a letter dated 1744 and the first advertisement for ice cream dates to 1777. Records kept by a New York vendor show that President George Washington spent almost $200 on ice cream in the summer of 1790. Obviously, the American love affair with ice cream began early in our history. For more interesting ice cream history, check out the International Dairy Foods Association website.
National Ice Cream Day
The third Sunday in July is designated as National Ice Cream Day. Why don’t you have a taste test with your family this year? National Ice Cream Day sounds like the perfect occasion. Don’t you think?
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