National Ice Cream Day is July 19th – Here’s where to get the best Freebies and Deals

As the summer heats up, the best day of the season is rounding the corner: National Ice Cream Day! The holiday for enjoying a classic hot-weather sweet treat always falls on the third Sunday of July, which is actually known as National Ice Cream Month. That means it will take place on the 19th this year.

If you think that National Ice Cream Day is just another made up ‘day’ that’s an excuse to treat yourself, then you’d be wrong. This very real holiday was first declared by former President Ronald Reagan in 1984, even though he was more of a jelly bean fan.  As Reagan stated at the time, “ice cream is a nutritious and wholesome food, enjoyed by over 90 percent of the people in the United States.” With the upcoming deals, freebies, and new flavors that creameries are churning up, it will be easy to celebrate with “appropriate ceremonies and activities,” as Reagan invited us to do.

It cannot come fast enough either because there are some great frozen treats to try this year. And the deals are not only for the regular ice cream crowd either. This year there are options for dairy-free diets too.

 

Ice Cream Deals Out and About

Chains both big and small are celebrating National Ice Cream Day with a wide variety of deals and freebies. With so many places to choose from, you shouldn’t have a hard time finding somewhere nearby with free or cheap ice cream come the 19th.

Dairy Queen is offering a dollar off any size dipped cone for traditionalists, but not the kiddy sized cone. The national chain is also introducing a vegan Dilly Bar made with coconut cream and a dairy-free chocolate shell. The new plant-based frozen treat and the $1 off will be available on the 19th.

Next up, Brusters is allowing rewards customers to earn double points the entire weekend of July 19th. There will also be a limited-time flavor, S’mores with Oreo ice cream. The chain just opened three new locations in Ashburn, Virginia; Bowie, Maryland; and Polaris, Ohio, so locals there can join the Sweet Rewards program and take advantage of the weekend too.

You can save at Baskin-Robins in two different ways. The first is just on the 19th through DoorDash. When you order $15 worth of ice cream, you can get a regular scoop for free with the code “BASKINSCOOP.” Another on-going promotion includes a free regular-size scoop as an in-app offer when you download the app for the first time.

Maggie Mo’s and Marble Slab will give you a $5 reward after your first purchase when you join the rewards program. This is also an ongoing promotion, but there’s no better time to start than National Ice Cream Day.

Dippin’ Dots is offering a chance to win a year’s worth of ice cream on Facebook and Instagram. Be sure to check out the official raffle and rules on social media if you plan to participate. Some locations are also giving away free ice cream to essential workers during the novel coronavirus pandemic.

 

Ice Cream Deals to Take Home

If you’d rather celebrate at home on the couch, balcony, or porch, then there are plenty of store-bought ice cream options too. For example, Whole Foods is offering 35 percent off of Bubbies ice cream on the 19th. Plus, Whole Foods rewards members get an extra 10 percent off.

Instacart is giving a dollar off single-serve ice creams when you buy one, or a $1.50 when you buy two. This will go on through September 27 as well, so there’s plenty of time to take advantage of it.

Good Humor ice cream is turning 100, so they released limited editions of two favorites: Strawberry Shortcake Frozen Dessert Bars and Creamsicle Bars. Each anniversary package has a $2 coupon that can be used for any six- or four-count Good Humor boxes.

If artisanal, organic ice cream is more of your pick, then look into getting some from Alden’s, Jeni’s, or Churnbaby. Alden’s has posted a $1 coupon that can be used at retail locations through July 28. Jeni’s will give you free delivery when you order four pints or more through their website. It’s an ongoing deal, but it won’t work if you use a third-party delivery app like Postmates. You can also win a year’s worth of ice cream from Churnbaby if you post a video of yourself screaming for ice cream on Instagram with the hashtag “iscream4icecreamCB.”

—
Photo Credit:  gornostay / Shutterstock.com