A birthday party isn’t a celebration without a sweet treat. And what dessert is better than ice cream? Currently, Americans eat a whopping 20 quarts of ice cream per year. According to the International Dairy Foods Association, this rate of consumption is the highest per capita!
Here’s the best way to serve up this cold and creamy sweet treat at your next birthday party:
How much ice cream do you need?
It’s true that we all scream for ice cream. But the amount of ice cream you provide should depend on the amount of guests you have coming. For each person arriving, you should have at least three half-cup (four-ounce) scoops. That totals to 1-1/2 cups of ice cream per person.
For example, if you’re having 12 guests come to your party, you’re going to need 1-1/4 gallons of ice cream (144 ounces, or nine pints). If 16 guests are coming, then you need 1-1/2 gallons (192 ounces, or 12 pints). And if you have 20 people on your guest list, then you’re going to need two gallons of ice cream (240 ounces, or 15 pints). That’s a lot of ice cream!
What flavors of ice cream should you choose?
While you can have any flavor of ice cream under the sun these days, most people have classic preferences. According to a recent Harris interactive poll, 28% of people like chocolate ice cream, making it the most popular flavor. Vanilla, cookie dough, and cookies-and-cream all tie for second, with 22% of survey participants voting these as their favorite flavors.
How should you serve the ice cream?
When it comes to serving, keeping it fun and simple is best. As for cups, choosing classic white paper cups are a classic and tried and true presentation. However, if you want to change it up, choosing cups in rainbow or funky colors such as electric lye, sunny orange, bright green, pink or any other bright color provides a colorful and fresh design.
Ice cream cupsare available in mini four-ounce sizes and go all the way up to a generous 20-ounce cup. And for those who believe that bigger is better, there are extra large cups available in 24- and 32-ounce sizes!
And of course, don’t forget the toppings! After all, what’s an ice cream sundae without a cherry on top? You can also check out our ice cream flavoring to add flavor to your dessert servings.
