Demand melting away? Americans eating less ice cream, according to report

PHOENIX - With the ongoing extreme heat, ice cream is a great treat.

Americas love for ice cream took off during Prohibition and during World War II. During the war, it was used to boost morale among troops. Later, as our highways and shipping improved, every family in America wanted ice cream in their home.

According to the United States Department of Agriculture, the average American eats 12lbs of regular dairy ice cream a year. While that sounds like a lot, the number has gone down quite a bit.

At Churn in Central Phoenix, they’ve been scooping ice cream since 2011.

"I've been coming here ever since it opened" Gia Garcia said. "I was 10 years old. I'm 20 now. This ice cream is the best because it never changes."

Garcia loved it so much, she got a job here.

"People come in hordes at the end of the night," Garcia said. "We have lines down the street. This ice cream makes people happy."

From kids, to those young at heart, the homemade ice cream is a perfect treat on a brutally hot day.

But according to a recent report by the USDA, Americans are eating a lot less of regular dairy ice cream. We mentioned earlier that the average American consumes 12lbs of regular dairy ice cream a year nowadays, but in 1986, that number stood at around 18lbs.

To be fair, there is a lot more competition. Some brands claim they're healthier, or at least have fewer calories. Frozen yogurt is also an option.

At Churn, however, business is booming. 6-year-old Noah and 4-year-old Sebastian are making sweet memories with their family, and the local shop is confident they’ll be customers for life.

"The crafty ice cream is usually what people enjoy the most when they were kids, so when they come in here and have a taste of our ice cream, they're totally brought back to their childhood," Garcia said.