Labor Day may be just around the corner, but the heat does not seem to be going away anytime soon. While climate experts predict that 2023 may be the hottest year on record, our team was curious to know what Americans do to deal with the heat waves, and which summer treats are their favorites.
We analyzed Google searches from the United States this summer, and found that ice cream is the most searched treat in hot weather. We also studied the search results for several other snacks and drinks traditionally consumed in the summer; beer, despite its alcoholic content (or maybe because of it), ranks second, which is followed by a refreshing watermelon.
This is how ice cream compares to other summer treats in the U.S.:
– Ice cream – Google search interest score 43
– Beer – Google search interest score 33
– Watermelon – Google search interest score 10
– Corn on the cob – Google search interest score 4
– S’mores – Google search interest score 1
Compared to the other four, ice cream emerges as the top search term in an astounding 43 states, and the District of Columbia, while beer is the most searched term in 7. These beer-loving states are Colorado, Montana, New Mexico, North Dakota, Vermont, Wisconsin and Wyoming.
Our research also shows that chocolate is the most popular ice cream flavor in the U.S., being the most searched term in 34 states. Vanilla ranks second with 10 states plus D.C., followed by strawberry ice cream with 3 states, coconut with 2, and banana with 1.
Our research was based on Google Trends data for searches between May and August 2023, and we confined our comparison for search terms within the Food & Beverage category.
