When the weather heats up, no other treat is as craveable and satisfying as a cold scoop or swirl of ice cream. With each and every year, we wonder if last year’s or this year’s flavors will topple the tried and true ice creams of America.
Low-fat, fat-free, frozen custard, frozen yogurt, and high-end brands have hit the scene, and time and time again, American ice cream classics have not only ridden these waves but have come out on top. The survey conducted last year showed that the US, despite having tons of food trends, has a rock-steady relationship with its classic ice cream flavors.
As of last year, America’s favorite ice cream flavors are: vanilla, chocolate, strawberry, butter pecan, cookies and cream, cookie dough, mint chocolate chip, chocolate chip, and peanut butter cup. Look back at this top ten list, and numbers two through ten are always ranking up or down, but vanilla has been the unchallenged champion of Americans’ chilly freezers and warm summers.
It’s not just America; vanilla has been the number one king of the ice cream world. And while the phrase “to be vanilla” describes something that is painfully plain, there’s nothing vanilla about vanilla. With numerous flavor and fragrance components that number in the hundreds, vanilla is up there as being one of the most expensive spices around, after saffron.
The trendy flavors last year include flavors like chili lime mango, lemon poppy seed, and saffron. People are seeing ice cream releases like strawberry tres leches, Dubai chocolate, root beer, mango, nutter butter, and Oreo birthday cake. Yet as exciting as these new flavors are, nothing hits the same way as a bowl full of nostalgic classic flavors.