I don’t know about you, but this weather’s got me thinking about ice-cream…

There’s no denying it…we’re all partial to a scoop of ice-cream (or two!) and as temperatures are set to soar this summer, we’re sure the sales of this creamy delight will too – especially with the huge variety on offer in the market (including vegan and dairy free).

Believe it or not, ice-cream was first eaten in China by King Tang of Shang (what a name…) who had 94 ice men help make a dish of buffalo milk, flour and camphor (although no specific date of origin nor inventor has been indisputably credited with its discovery). Years later, the explorer, Marco Polo, is believed to have seen ice-creams being made during his trip to China and then introduced them to Italy.

As we evolved, ice cream did too…ice cream sundaes were invented when it became illegal to sell ice-cream sodas on a Sunday in the American town of Evanston during the late 19th century. To get around the problem some traders replaced the soda with syrup and called the dessert an “Ice Cream Sunday.” They replaced the final “y” with an “e” to avoid upsetting religious leaders.

With the invention of ice-cream, and superior technology came ice-cream vans! Ice-cream vans carried simple ice cream (I’m sure you’ll be aware of the legendary 99 Flake), during a time when most families didn’t own a freezer. So, when you think ice cream van, what comes to mind? Music! By law, ice cream vans are banned from playing their tunes before 12 noon and after 7pm. Outside these hours, ice-cream sellers can only use a hand bell to let people know they are in the area. Otherwise they could be taken to court and fined for noise pollution.

Upmarket gelato and indulgent new vegan flavours were among previous summer’s coolest (excuse the pun…) ice-cream trends as consumers sought out more artisanal and healthier versions – but don’t worry; there’s still plenty of room in the freezer for childhood favourites like Fab lollies.

So…if you fancy a treat during this scorching heat, I’ve listed out my top 3 ice-creams for you to try this summer:

  • Halo Top Strawberry Cheesecake – enjoy this popular lower calorie ice-cream for just 360 calories per tub!
  • Rowntrees Watermelon – if you’re not much of an ice-cream lover, try these ice-lollies instead! Another low-calorie option at only 61 calories per lolly, combining watermelon water ice & apple water ice with chocolate flavoured pieces!
  • Lotus Biscoff Ice-Cream Sticks – if you’re looking for a treat these will no doubt satisfy your cravings! With Belgian chocolate, fresh dairy cream and crunchy bits of Biscoff biscuit (mixed with Biscoff spread) you can’t go wrong!