July Is National Ice Cream Month, and the Freezer Aisle Has Never Been This Chaotic
Somewhere between the fourth heat advisory of the month and your third iced coffee of the day, it becomes very clear: summer isn’t asking permission. It’s July. It’s hot. And it’s National Ice Cream Month, the one 31-day stretch on the calendar where eating dessert for dinner counts as civic participation.
President Ronald Reagan made it official back in 1984, designating July as National Ice Cream Month and the third Sunday of the month as National Ice Cream Day, which falls on July 19 in 2026. Somewhere, a dairy lobbyist is still taking a victory lap.
But the real story this year isn’t the holiday itself. It’s what’s showing up in scoop shops and freezer cases to celebrate it. Grocery chains, national chains, and cult-favorite indie brands have all rolled out limited-edition flavors that range from “obviously delicious” to “wait, someone actually made that.” Here’s what’s worth chasing down before it melts off shelves for good.
Publix Quietly Became an Ice Cream Powerhouse
Publix doesn’t get enough credit for its ice cream game, and that’s a mistake. The Lakeland, Florida-based chain released its first batch of 2026 limited-edition new ice cream flavors with 12 half-gallon options and seven pint-sized treats, including four brand-new flavors perfect for celebrating National Ice Cream Month.
The standouts worth a detour to the freezer aisle:
- Brown Butter Graham, a brown butter ice cream loaded with cinnamon graham crumb swirls and graham cookie pieces, which tastes suspiciously like a s’more that skipped the campfire.
- Peanut Butter Buckeye, peanut butter ice cream loaded with chocolate-covered peanut butter buckeye candies and swirls of thick fudge, a legit contender for richest thing on this list.
- Lemon Blueberry Crème, lemon crème ice cream with lemonade-flavored flakes and blueberry-flavored swirls, which is basically summer in a pint.
The pint-sized lineup gets bolder, including a Bavarian crème ice cream with hot honey-flavored ribbons and praline pecans and, for the adults in the room, a whisky-flavored ice cream swirled with bourbon-flavored praline pecans. Yes, boozy-adjacent ice cream is having a moment.
Ben & Jerry’s Doubled Down on the Sundae Trend
Ben & Jerry’s Sundaes line was already a hit, and the Vermont brand isn’t slowing down. After 2025’s runaway success, Ben & Jerry’s expanded the Sundaes lineup to seven total flavors with three new ice cream flavor additions: Straw-Bae Shortcake, PB Blondie Bestie, and Mocha Mood Pie. Each pint comes layered with a whipped topping layer and extra chunks sprinkled on top, essentially turning a pint into a sundae you don’t have to assemble yourself.
According to the company, the original Sundaes lineup became the number one Super Premium innovation across all new ice cream offerings in 2025, which explains why they kept building on it instead of moving on to the next gimmick.
Cold Stone Creamery Is Leaning Into Pop Culture Collabs
Cold Stone isn’t just celebrating National Ice Cream Month; it’s throwing a whole marketing campaign at it. The chain launched a new Cookies ‘n’ Peanut Butter Ice Cream Taco made with Oreo and Reese’s as part of its Ice Cream Month push, alongside exclusive rewards and social giveaways.
The bigger flex is the brand’s entertainment tie-in: Cold Stone debuted a Cosmic Creation and shake inspired by the upcoming DC Studios “Supergirl” film, proof that studios and ice cream chains have fully merged their marketing calendars. Expect more character-branded scoops as summer blockbuster season rolls on.
The Regional and Artisan Flavors Worth Seeking Out
Not every noteworthy release comes from a national chain. Stewart’s Shops, the Upstate New York institution, rolled out five new ice cream flavors for its 2026 seasonal lineup, plus two returning fan favorites, including a Philly Espresso flavor that’s essentially an affogato in scoop form and an After Dinner Mint flavor loaded with fudge swirl.
My/Mochi jumped on the viral Dubai chocolate trend by launching the first Dubai Chocolate Style Mochi Ice Cream in the U.S., pairing pistachio ice cream with crunchy kadayif and chocolate-wrapped mochi dough, all under 80 calories per piece.
And if you’re near a Serendipity partner shop, keep an eye out for the brand’s Selena Gomez-backed frozen treats, blue vanilla bean bars swirled with fudge and cookie bits, currently available through Gopuff delivery.
What Flavor Wins, According to the Data
Before you assume everyone’s chasing the weirdest flavor on the shelf, the numbers say otherwise. According to IDFA’s 2026 Ice Cream & Frozen Novelty Trends Survey, chocolate is America’s favorite ice cream flavor, followed by butter pecan and vanilla. Cookies and cream, salted caramel, and mint chocolate chip round out the top 10. Turns out the classics still win, even in a summer full of hot honey and whisky pecan.
The Bottom Line for National Ice Cream Month
National Ice Cream Month isn’t just a marketing excuse, though brands are clearly milking it (sorry) for everything it’s worth. Between Publix’s new lineup, Ben & Jerry’s expanded Sundaes collection, Cold Stone’s pop-culture crossover, and regional gems from Stewart’s and My/Mochi, there’s more genuinely new stuff to try this July than in most recent years combined. Grab a spoon. You’ve got 31 days.
FAQ
When is National Ice Cream Month, and who created it?
National Ice Cream Month runs the entire month of July. President Ronald Reagan officially declared it in 1984, along with National Ice Cream Day on the third Sunday of the month.
When is National Ice Cream Day 2026?
National Ice Cream Day 2026 falls on Sunday, July 19.
What’s the most popular ice cream flavor in the U.S.?
Chocolate ranks as America’s top flavor, followed by butter pecan and vanilla, according to IDFA’s 2026 Ice Cream & Frozen Novelty Trends Survey.
How much ice cream does the average American eat per year?
The average American eats about 23 pounds of ice cream annually.
Where can I find limited-edition ice cream flavors this July?
Grocery chains like Publix, national brands like Ben & Jerry’s and Cold Stone Creamery, and regional shops like Stewart’s Shops are all releasing limited-time flavors throughout July.
