Who creates these food holidays anyway?
That’s exactly what I asked myself when I noticed that July was National Ice Cream Month (the third Sunday in July, more specifically, being National Ice Cream Day). Driven by curiosity, I had to investigate the backstory.
On July 9, 1984, President Ronald Reagan signed Proclamation 5219 (which can be read in its entirety here) declaring July to be National Ice Cream Month and the third Sunday in July to be National Ice Cream Day, praising it as a “nutritious and wholesome food.”
I know, I giggled too.
The funny thing is that such proclamations (since most “national days” are created via presidential proclamation or a resolution in the House or Senate) are meant to be a one-time deal, so there technically hasn’t been an official National Ice Cream Day since the ’80s. And now we know.
But is that going to stop you from celebrating? I know it won’t deter my enthusiasm!
I keep finding myself saying that this summer we are going to XYZ, but the truth is that summer is here, it’s happening right now. The time of lemonade stands, lazy pool days, and mid-week root beer floats are upon us and I’m determined to not let all the fun summer activities we’ve listed out pass us by. Maybe it takes a presidentially-proclaimed food holiday to remind us of that?
For example, last week the girls and I skipped rest time to go blueberry picking.
There were no bells and whistles, just a small, family-owned farm with blueberry bushes that grew taller than our car. It was easy to find the magic of summer’s simplicity while listening to the hum of the bumble bees while we filled our baskets with the sweet berries.
On the way home I called my mom and asked for Nannie’s (my grandmother) recipe for cobbler. I grew up eating it and am excited for my girls to do the same.
I pulled it off and it tasted as good as I remembered. Both David and the girls agreed that it was pure…
bliss.
So maybe these food holidays make me laugh a little, but in a world where so much of the news makes me want to run and hide, a little whimsical culinary holiday may be just what we all need to remind us of the lighter side of life. A reminder to slow down, savor the sweet summer moments, and celebrate life’s simple pleasures, like National Ice Cream month.
My partnership with Mayfield Creamery this summer has helped me embrace the simplicity of childhood. Watching the girls light up at cobbler and homemade vanilla ice cream makes my heart happy. Mayfield has been making delicious ice cream since 1923 using cream from their own dairy with no artificial growth hormones. After 94 years, they are refreshing their look but still sticking with the same great taste that families have come to know and love.
Mayfield Creamery is fanning out and expanding to new markets across the South and Southwest, offering a whole new generation of consumers the opportunity to savor the genuine southern homemade taste that has made them a beloved family tradition. Grab yourself a carton (using their store locator) and celebrate National Ice Cream Month with me!
Here in North Carolina, you can find their bright yellow cartons at Food Lion, Publix and Harris Teeter!
Now let’s talk ice cream- what is your favorite way to enjoy it?
Purist? (in a bowl or cone)
Topping lover?
On cobbler or pie?
In a milkshake or float?
This post is sponsored by Mayfield Creamery and their delicious ice cream!
JOHN J STATHAS says
Yup, blueberry cobbler with Mayfield’s vanilla. Good then, good now. Thanks for the memory and reminder!
montessoriishmom says
Haha, I love Kaitlyn’s face when you’re pouring the root beer, so funny. What a fun afternoon!
Erica says
Ice cream…straight out of the carton LOL! But I try to use a bowl, I’m not a cone fan. My 2-year old son has not had ice cream yet! I have a carton of organic 1/2 and 1/2 in my fridge just waiting for me to make some for him. I would love that cobbler recipe!
Brittany Dixon says
I’m going to ask my grandma if I can share her recipe- so simple and good, but not a bit healthy 😉
Laura says
I love vanilla ice cream with pie or crisp, or sandwiched between 2 cookies in the form of an ice cream sandwich. Soft serve is also amazing. We are also very into milkshakes over here as of late. They have a local restaurant within walking distance of our house that serves 14 different flavours in kid size portions, so my five year old daughter is on a mission to try all of them before the summer is out.
I’ve never made cobbler (is it more of a Southern thing?), but would love to one of these days. Looks incredible!
Brittany Dixon says
I think cobbler may be more of a southern thing and I’ll be making it again with peaches soon, so maybe I can share the recipe then (spoiler: it’s super simple). Trying all the milkshake flavors sounds like a pretty amazing summer goal for a 5 year old. I know Hailey would love to join her on that mission- haha!
Kathy says
How do I like my ice cream? Maybe I am a purist???… I enjoy it most from a coffee mug. 🙂
Brittany Dixon says
That’s how my mom always ate it when we were growing up too! She said it was built in portion control 🙂
Taryn says
Vanilla ice cream over my mom’s sour cream apple pie (warmed for a few seconds in the microwave). This is a staple dessert in our house over the colder winter months. In the summer, I make a huckleberry (wild blueberries that grow in upstate NY) pie served with vanilla ice cream. But honestly, I will eat ice cream in any fashion. I think it deserves its own food group 🙂
Brittany Dixon says
I have never heard of sour cream apple pie but am going to google it because it sounds like it would be incredible! Also, I’ve heard of huckleberries but never actually knew what they were, haha. Thanks for enlightening me!
Christen says
The best ice cream is a hot fudge brownie sundae with salty peanuts on top! It gets me every time 🙂
Kate says
In my opinion a warm fruit dessert HAS to have vanilla ice cream.
Also, we love Virgil’s around my house!
Brittany Dixon says
We’ve only tried Virgil’s root beer (love!), are there any other flavors worth trying?
Christine says
I love ice cream on its own – but if there is a fruit pie or cobbler laying around, ice cream is a must with it! I do enjoy a butter pecan hot fudge sundae once a year too from a local ice cream stand. I guess you really cant’ go wrong with ice cream, no matter how you eat it!
Brittany Dixon says
Funny story, I actually worked at Baskin Robbins for a year or so as a teenager and loved their banana royales, which was basically a banana split with cut up banana in a cup. It’s been years since I’ve had a true banana split or a sundae, but now that you’ve mentioned it (and butter pecan is SO good), I think I might have to add it so my summer list!
Christine says
Do it! I can’t remember the last time I had a banana split, that sounds wonderful too! I have yet to fulfill my butter pecan hot fudge sundae goal this summer, but hopefully this weekend I will get one of them!
Sarah | Baby Brain says
Blueberry picking sounds like the perfect outdoor activity with kids! I wish it weren’t so hot over here in Texas or I’d try to find a place to pick berries right this minute!
Jodie Flicek says
I love plain ‘ol simple vanilla bean. YUM! I take it in a bowl, slightly melty. I do like it with berries too.
There is a local creamery here in MN that had a basil vanilla. That was my favorite but I only got to have it once.
Brittany Dixon says
Oh basil?! It sounds like such a crazy combo, but somehow those unique pairings mix. Maybe I should try blending my vanilla into a milkshake with some basil?! Haha, I do like to play around with flavors! Thanks for the idea 🙂
Megan says
Hi Brittany.
I was wondering if you could write a post about emotional intelligence and raising kids to express their emotions in a useful way. I remembered that you’d worked with Hailey to verbally express herself while she had tantrums and it helped. It would be cool to hear about.
Brittany Dixon says
Hi Megan, I love that suggestion because EQ is something I’m really interested in and believe in. Is there a certain angle or question you’d like me to come at it from? I love talking emotion, so I’m definitely open to it, I just would not be sure where to start. Thanks for the suggestion!