WASHINGTON, July 17, 2024—Americans have been enjoying ice cream since the founding of the United States, and for the first time ever, Butter Pecan and Cookie Dough have cracked top five favorite flavors. In celebration of National Ice Cream Day on Sunday, July 21, the International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA) is excited to share what American consumers are saying about their favorite ice cream and frozen novelty treats.
So, what’s the scoop? According to a recent IDFA and Morning Consult survey, 97% of Americans love or like ice cream. While traditional ice cream flavors still dominate IDFA’s list, newer flavors like Butter Pecan and Cookie Dough are shaking up the top five. Vanilla also topped Chocolate for America’s favorite flavor. Before you lose your sprinkles, let’s compare the top five from 2024 and the previous trends report in 2022:
Top 5 flavors among the general American public in 2024:
- Vanilla
- Chocolate
- Strawberry
- Butter Pecan
- Cookie Dough
Top 5 flavors among the general American public in 2022:
- Chocolate
- Cookies N’ Cream
- Vanilla
- Strawberry
- Chocolate Chip
“It’s always a great time to celebrate ice cream,” said IDFA President and CEO Michael Dykes, D.V.M. “Not only is it America’s favorite frozen treat, but ice cream 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 Sunday, join us in celebrating National Ice Cream Day 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.”
Here is a deeper dive into the results of the Ice Cream & Frozen Novelty Trends Survey:
What type of container do consumers prefer?
- Waffle cones beat out sugar cones 29% to 12% among consumers, but 27% of consumers prefer to eat their ice cream 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 that ice cream flavor is the most important consideration, though 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 ice cream is at home; 21% of young adults (18-34) are more likely than other groups to say outdoors is their favorite setting.
To see the full results, visit here. How does this lineup compare to previous years? You can find results from the 2022 and 2019 surveys on IDFA’s website.
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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 membership ranges from multinational organizations to single-plant companies, from dairy companies and cooperatives to food retailers and suppliers, all on the cutting edge of innovation and sustainable business practices. Together, they represent most of the milk, cheese, ice cream, yogurt and cultured products, and dairy ingredients produced and marketed in the United States and sold throughout the world. Delicious, safe and nutritious, dairy foods offer unparalleled health and consumer benefits to people of all ages.
Media Contact
Andrew Jerome
Vice President, Communications