What Does America Scream For? Discover the Most Popular Ice Cream Flavor in Your State
Get the scoop from Instacart grocery shopping data.
Instacart
Not only is July National Ice Cream Month, but National Ice Cream Day is on July 16. And while we don't need an excuse to celebrate our favorite frozen treat, we’ll take one anyway—with whipped cream and sprinkles on top. So when it comes time to stock up on your cones and cartons, what is the go-to flavor on your grocery list? And what are your neighbors loading their freezers with in your home state?
Instacart has the answers for us with new data that analyzes ice cream grocery orders at a national and state level over the past 12 months (June 2022 to May 2023) to determine the average share of orders for each flavor. Here's the scoop.
Instacart
The Top Ice Cream Flavors by State
Alabama: Chocolate
Alaska: Vanilla
Arizona: Vanilla
Arkansas: Vanilla
California: Rocky Road
Colorado: Vanilla
Connecticut: Chocolate
Delaware: Chocolate
Florida: Chocolate
Georgia: Vanilla
Hawaii: Coffee
Idaho: Mint Chip
Illinois: Vanilla
Indiana: Vanilla
Iowa: Moose Tracks
Kansas: Vanilla
Kentucky: Vanilla
Louisiana: Chocolate
Maine: Chocolate
Maryland: Vanilla
Massachusetts: Coffee
Michigan: Moose Tracks
Minnesota: Vanilla
Mississippi: Vanilla
Missouri: Vanilla
Montana: Rocky Road
Nebraska: Vanilla
Nevada: Rocky Road
New Hampshire: Chocolate
New Jersey: Chocolate
New Mexico: Coffee
New York: Chocolate
North Carolina: Chocolate
North Dakota: Vanilla
Ohio: Vanilla
Oklahoma: Vanilla
Oregon: Mint Chip
Pennsylvania: Mint Chip
Rhode Island: Coffee
South Carolina: Chocolate
South Dakota: Vanilla
Tennessee: Chocolate
Texas: Vanilla
Utah: Vanilla
Vermont: Chocolate
Virginia: Chocolate
Washington: Mint Chip
Washington, D.C.: Strawberry
West Virginia: Chocolate
Wisconsin: Moose Tracks
Wyoming: Vanilla
Vanilla Takes the Lead
With 21 states favoring vanilla, this classic, reliable flavor holds true. According to Laurentia Romaniuk, Instacart’s trends expert, “It’s no surprise most states in the country are partial to vanilla ice cream because it’s arguably the most versatile of them all. The luscious vanilla flavor effortlessly enhances a variety of desserts, whether it’s nestled in a chocolate sundae, paired à la mode with a slice of pie or cobbler, or simply savored in its pure form with a delightful sprinkle topping. As such, it holds the title of America’s favorite ice cream overall, and we don’t foresee it losing its lead anytime soon!” It is also worth noting that vanilla makes up 30 percent of all ice cream purchases through Instacart.
Chocolate Isn't Far Behind
The yin to vanilla's yang, chocolate—in all its rich, velvety glory—is the pick for 15 states on the East Coast. Each spoonful delivers blissful cocoa notes that melt into pure luxurious satisfaction that chocolate lovers enjoy by the gallon. Whether you are a vanilla or chocolate ice cream fan, you stand with over half the country.
The Flavors for the Rest of Us
But if you're like me, your top pick might lie outside the black-and-white dessert duel. Coincidentally, my choice—mint chocolate chip—actually aligns with my home state of Pennsylvania, plus three others in the Pacific Northwest. Four states went caffeinated with coffee, three states cheer for rocky road ice cream, and three Midwestern states are all in with moose tracks (a winning combo of vanilla ice cream with peanut butter cups and fudge swirls). That gives us a total of 50, though we can't leave out our nation's capital Washington, D.C., which throws in the lone vote for strawberry ice cream (someone had to complete the Neapolitan trio, right?!).
Instacart delivers 22 percent more ice cream per customer in July compared to the yearly average. And we can see why, between pool parties and barbecues, we are whipping up a lot of cold and creamy dishes to help us cool off. And ice cream is the perfect vehicle for all things summer, from a classic frozen layered cake to a Hot Fudge Ice Cream Bar to our top-rated milkshakes, and everything in between.
