Everything in Moderation, Except Ice Cream

I’ve read Americans eat more ice cream than citizens of any other country in the world, and nobody can claim my family and I don’t do our part. During the summer months, we head, nearly every night, to one ice cream shop or another, ending most evenings with a cone; nothing fancy, no sundaes, no sprinkles, or waffle cones—just a simple cone. By this time in August, our sugar consumption reaches unsustainable levels, and I question the logic of transforming a treat into a daily bread. And then there is the cost. Though not an extravagant luxury, daily trips to the ice cream shop force some monetary inquiries not dissimilar to the, “do I really need a latte everyday” line of questioning, and “maybe it’s best not to know how much I spend per month on beer.”

Recently I started keeping a tally, made a few calls to ice cream shops, and came up with some numbers. Here is a non-quality based, incomplete, and purely monetary tally of what a person shells out for a cone/cup* at some of my favorite ice cream shops.

*I used the basic cone or cup as the comparative measure—a single, not a kiddie, or some other insulting amount of ice cream, large or small.

**Soft serve ice cream uses cheaper ingredients and sells at a cheaper price than homemade ice cream and might prove an unfair, albeit tasty and satisfying, comparison.