The Country That Eats The Most Ice Cream Ranked Just Above The US

Ice cream dates back to ancient times, and while there is debate on its country of origin, it is incredibly prolific in the United States. Ice cream parlors dot every major city and most fast food joints offer some form of ice cream. Iowa even contains what is known as the "ice cream capital of the world." However, there is one country that beats out the U.S, in ice cream consumption per capita: New Zealand.

According to the World Population Review, each person in New Zealand eats, on average, 28.4 liters of ice cream per year. The U.S. ranked second at 20.8 liters per person, nearly 8 liters behind the Kiwis. While it's unknown exactly why this is, climate may play a role; Northern areas of New Zealand are subtropical and a cool ice cream makes for a wonderful treat on a hot and muggy day. In addition, dairy is cheap in the country, and an boom in innovation has led to many New Zealand ice cream shops experimenting with new and bold flavors. According to Anita Gelato, though, the most popular flavors in New Zealand are familiar flavors to American ice cream fans: mint chocolate chip, cookieman (cookies and cream), vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry.

While New Zealand eats the most ice cream, the United States comes in second, followed by Australia, Finland, and Sweden. Of the 10 countries the World Population Review polled, the United Kingdom ate the least ice cream, at just 7.0 liters per year per person — over 21 liters fewer than in New Zealand. Of course, these numbers are measured per capita, not in total; the U.S. population, at the time of this writing, is estimated to be about 342 million, while New Zealand's population is estimated at a bit over 5 million. If we multiply these numbers by the per capita numbers, we get an estimated 7.1 billion liters of ice cream eaten in America each year, but only 147.6 million liters of ice cream are eaten in New Zealand per year, meaning America certainly takes the cake when it comes to volume.

When it comes to which country makes the best ice cream, opinions are mixed, but Italy is a common answer. The country is known for its artisan gelato, which originated in Florence and often has recipes passed down through generations. You can try your hand at making Italian gelato yourself, even if you don't have an ice cream machine. America is another popular answer, specifically the frozen custard in the Midwestern states (especially Wisconsin). Many countries all have their own unique takes and uncommon ice cream flavors, and each one is worth a try to find your personal favorite.