How Much Does Ice Cream Cost?

Last Updated on October 12, 2023
Written by CPA Alec Pow | Content Reviewed by CFA Alexander Popinker

There are many reasons why ice cream is one of the most popular desserts. It’s cool, refreshing, and creamy; and is available in hundreds of flavors to choose from in just about any grocery store across the country.

How much does ice cream cost per pint?

You will usually spend anywhere from $2 to more than $10 on ice cream, depending on some factors. The brand of the ice cream, the size of the container, where you get it from, and whether or not you take advantage of any discounts, are all factors that will have a big influence on the final price.

Having to choose from so many available brands, you can go through the table below to get an idea of the average price you can expect for ice cream.

You can buy products such as Great Value Vanilla Bean Flavored Ice Cream, 48 fl oz at Walmart for $2,67 and save some money if you order it online from walmart.com. 

A 4 oz scoop of ice cream is generally priced at around $0.63. Adding a cone or cup and spoon can increase the total cost to approximately $0.70 per scoop. Some ice cream shops offer single-scoop cones for $2.75 and double-scoop cones for $4.

As shown by a study done by Statista, the price of ice cream has increased from just over $2.50 in 1995, to over $4.50 nowadays.

The average retail price of prepackaged, bulk, regular ice cream per one-half gallon (1.9 liters) in the United States city was about $ 6 in August 2023.

What do premium ice cream prices include?

Real premium ice cream brands often include high-quality ingredients and unique flavors to provide a rich and indulgent experience.

These ingredients often include a variety of dairy components like whole milk, skim milk, cream, whey protein concentrate, whip, and sweet butter, resulting in a rich and creamy texture. Emulsifiers and stabilizers like egg yolk, monoglycerides, and diglycerides play a role in achieving a smooth consistency. Moreover, the addition of natural flavors and inclusions such as vanilla, chocolate, fruit, brownie pieces, nuts, salted caramel, and seeds provides a delightful palette of tastes and textures.

Some premium ice cream makers even push the boundaries of creativity by incorporating global and unconventional ingredients like tahini, miso, goat cheese, tea, beer, vegetables, and even chili peppers. While some may choose to use artificial additives for texture and color, others opt for natural flavors like pure vanilla extract. The result is a premium ice cream that stands out for its artisanal craftsmanship and exceptional flavor profiles.

The exceptional quality and craftsmanship of premium ice cream are reflected in its ingredients and production process, contributing to the higher price point. By focusing on the use of top-tier dairy ingredients and a meticulous selection of flavors and inclusions, premium brands create an item that transcends the ordinary.

Their willingness to experiment with unique and globally inspired components, as well as the option to embrace natural flavors, makes their memorable ice cream in frozen dessert experiences.

Ice Cream Factoids

• A general statistic states that Scandinavians eat a lot of ice cream, taking first place with around 20literss per year, per person. The second place is taken by the Americans, avid ice cream eaters as well.
• Most surveys on the topic show that women will usually be less likely to order ice cream as a dessert than men.
• During the late 19th century, a town called Evanston published a law to prohibit the sale of ice cream with flavored soda, which was the basis of creating the Ice Cream sundae. Sellers started to take advantage of a loophole and just serve the ice cream with syrup instead, naming it an “Ice Cream Sunday”. When religious leaders got upset over the usage of the word “Sunday”, the same sellers replaced the ‘y’ with ‘e’, which gave it the final name.
• Most ice cream contains more milk protein weight for weight than is present in milk itself.
• Nowadays ice creams are becoming more and more healthy, having a very low fat content, while incorporating vitamins, minerals, and calcium.
• Even though there are thousands of different ice cream companies all over the world, most people wouldn’t be able to name more than a handful. Even though there are literally thousands of different flavors, a recent study shows that there are a lot of people who only know and have tasted vanilla ice cream.
• As competition is harder and harder in the niche, many ice cream brands will go above and beyond to create new flavors, which leads to the invention of some really weird flavors, like Chilli, Black Pepper, Smoked Bacon and Egg, or even the Horse Meat flavor or the Green Tea one.
• To better preserve the ice cream from an opened container, you can place pieces of greaseproof paper on top of the ice cream and then replace the lid. This will keep air from getting to it.
• If when buying ice cream you notice any ice crystals, then it’s safe to assume that it has been badly kept, allowing it to thaw. Be sure to check this, and if you notice any ice crystals, just replace the container with one that looks fresher.

Is there any way to spend less?

Ice cream is a delicious treat that can be enjoyed any time of year. At most local grocery stores, usually, at least one brand will go on sale each week and it’s worth checking to see which flavors are available at a discount before you make your purchase.

You might also like our articles about the cost of other desserts like cheesecake, bagels, or fudge.

Many ice cream brands offer coupons via social media sites like Facebook as well as through their official website and email subscription lists. You can also find coupons by looking at weekly newspapers’ paper insert sections where there are often multiple pages dedicated just to food discounts.

Homemade ice cream has the potential to be cheaper than store-bought for some people, depending on what they’re making it with. Mint.com claims that homemade costs around $3.95 per pint, which is around $.50 less than averagely priced pints of ice cream at stores.