Survey Reveals This Summer Treat Makes Americans Feel Young

It's no wonder that summer evokes feelings of nostalgia; bringing up memories that make us feel young again. After all, summer holidays away from school are a magical time in any child's life; filled with fun, frolic, and the feeling of endless possibilities. Sure, the touchstones of the summer experience may change from generation to generation, but some things — like ice cream, barbecues, and swimming pools — seem forever fixed in the imagination of summer.

The findings from a new survey, jointly conducted by survey specialists One Poll and the food company, I Love Ice Cream Cakes, certainly seem to echo this idea. The poll that included 2,000 respondents, recently released via PR Newswire, confirms that a majority of American adults (55%, to be exact) do indeed yearn to feel young again, and to that end, enjoy activities that remind them of childhood summers.

The three most popular activities in terms of evoking this seasonal nostalgia will surprise no one. Playing outside still resonates with 45% of respondents. Family vacations and road trips finished second with 43% of votes. Eating ice cream, meanwhile, remains a favorite of 39% of those polled, per PR Newswire.

The new survey was released in conjunction with National Ice Cream Month (July), notes PR Newswire, so naturally there is other interesting ice cream-related information including the hotly-contested favorite (or preferred) way to enjoy the iconic summer treat. Ice cream cake narrowly edged out the ice cream cone, 39% to 37%, but both the milkshake (36%) and the banana split (35%) also received plenty of votes. In fact, the percentages suggest that many of those polled may have checked more than one box on this question. If true, we can't say that we blame them.

The most interesting poll results, however, were those linking ice cream with state of mind. According to Psychology Today, a research study has shown that ice cream doesn't just give our brain a "freeze", it actually improves our mood. Perhaps this has something to do with the association that ice cream has with childhood and summer nostalgia. In any case, according to the survey published in PR Newswire, 36% of respondents said ice cream made them happy and 30% said that consuming it made them feel relaxed.

The survey also showed a desire for shared nostalgia, which is to say that childhood summer memories in which adults wanted to recreate with their own children. Eating ice cream with their kids, family barbecues, swimming together, and family road trips all showed high and virtually equal favorability ratings in this regard, per PR Newswire.