Stock up on ice cream info before buying

July is National Ice Cream Month. Here's how to get ready.

It was during the Reagan administration that ice cream finally got its place in history, with our 40th president designating July as National Ice Cream Month and the third Sunday of the month as National Ice Cream Day.

The nation's ice cream industry is one of the supermarket's largest and generates more than $20 billion in annual sales, which, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, translates to about 23 quarts a person a year.

The trend in ice cream is certainly toward "indulgence." Premium and super premium quality ice creams continue to outsell all other varieties, making up more than 40 percent of total dollar sales. Light, reduced fat, lowfat and nonfat products all show declines in sales.

These days, a pint of ice cream can set you back $4 or more, so we had better understand what we are buying, before we buy!

But first, a little history:

Who gets credit for inventing ice cream? History isn't perfectly clear. Julius Caesar and the Roman emperor Nero both took credit for the idea of mixing snow with nectar, fruit pulp and honey. Another tale credits Marco Polo, who is said to have brought with him from the Far East the recipes for water ices.

Here in the United States, the first ice cream parlor reportedly opened in New York City in 1776. Our third First Lady, Dolly Madison, served ice cream as a dessert in the White House at the second inaugural ball in 1812.

Now, let's head to the freezer.

Ice cream packages can be as confusing as any in the supermarket, so be sure you know what you are buying. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration sets the standards for ice cream. Here are some of the terms on those ice cream cartons -- and exactly what those terms mean:

•  Ice cream is a frozen food made from a mixture of dairy products, containing at least 10 percent milk fat.

•  Overrun refers to the amount of aeration the ice cream undergoes during its manufacture that keeps the mix from becoming a frozen mass. Overrun is governed by federal standards; the finished product must not weigh less than 4.5 pounds per gallon.

•  Super premium ice cream tends to have very low overrun and high fat content, and the manufacturer uses the best quality ingredients.

•  Premium ice cream tends to have low overrun and higher fat content than regular ice cream, and the manufacturer uses higher quality ingredients. It is the largest category in terms of sales with over 50 percent of the volume.

•  Gelato is an Italian frozen food made from a mixture of dairy products and typically made with fresh fruit or other ingredients. In the manufacturing process, it is super-cooled while stirring to break up ice crystals as they form. Like super premium ice cream, gelato generally has less than 35 percent air, resulting in a dense and extremely flavorful product.

•  Reduced fat ice cream contains at least 25 percent less total fat than the referenced product (either an average of leading brands, or the company's own brand.)

•  Light ice cream contains at least 50 percent less total fat or 33 percent fewer calories than the referenced product.

•  Lowfat ice cream contains a maximum of 3 grams of total fat per serving (½ cup).

•  Nonfat ice cream contains less than .5 grams of total fat per serving.

Finally, here are my tips to ensure that every bit of the ice cream you choose tastes great.

1. Be sure your freezer temperature is set between -5 and 0 degrees.

2. Store ice cream in the main part of the freezer. Never store ice cream in the freezer door, where ice cream can be subject to fluctuating temperatures since the door is repeatedly open and shut.

3. Never allow ice cream to soften and refreeze. As ice cream's small ice crystals melt and refreeze, they can eventually turn into large, unpalatable lumps.

4. Keep the ice cream container lid tightly closed when storing in the freezer. What I always do is put a covering of heavy-duty plastic wrap or aluminum foil around the mouth of the container first, then put the lid over that to ensure a tight seal.

5. Don't store ice cream alongside uncovered foods; odors can penetrate ice cream and affect its flavor.

Now you are ready to stock up your freezer, so look for special flavors and coupons. Even though ice cream sales soar during summer, it is also the time when most ice cream brands promote heavily and offer the best coupons and in-store savings!

Food industry analyst Phil Lempert is the editor of SupermarketGuru.com and reports on the latest trends on NBC's "Today" show, ABC's "The View" and local Chicago news programs. E-mail him at Phil@SupermarketGuru.com.