Our 40^th President, Ronald Reagan, designated July as National Ice Cream Month.  Celebrate by learning a little ice cream trivia—and of course, by eating ice cream.

Ice cream has been popular in one form or another since the time of the Roman Empire.  Both Julius Caesar and the Emperor Nero enjoyed frozen desserts made with snow, fruit, and honey.  And Marco Polo brought more than spices from the Far East; he also brought ice cream recipes.

Americans wasted no time putting ice cream on the national menu: the first ice cream parlor in the United States opened in 1776.  And First Lady Dolly Madison served ice cream at the second inaugural ball in 1812.

Today ice cream accounts for more than $20 billion in annual sales.  And the USDA estimates an average of 23 quarts of ice cream is consumed per person per year. Premium and super-premium brands continue to out-pace regular and lower fat/lower sugar options.

To enjoy ice cream at its best, be sure to store it between -5F and 0F in the main freezer compartment (never in the door).  Don’t allow it to melt and refreeze, and be sure to seal your ice cream container tightly.