I’ve been home from college for two weeks now, and the boredom is finally starting to sink in. After about 10 days of recuperating from a long semester and a college diet, I finally feel like myself again. However, there is definitely something different about summer vacation in your 20’s than summer when you’re in grade school. Maybe the allure and excitement of three months of no school has faded away, or it’s the fact that it’s mid-May, and it’s 55 degrees outside (thank you very much, Connecticut).
There are many unknown factors shading my summer ~vibes~, but I know of one for sure… the ice cream truck is nowhere to be found. A staple of so many summertime childhood memories – let’s reminisce on seven of the all-time favorite treats from the ice cream truck we so loved as kids.
1. Shots
Photo courtesy of @oli_48 on Instagram
Looking back, this one just makes me laugh. Eating these mini lemon-lime flavored ice balls was literally like taking a round of shots. Of course as an 8-year-old, I had no idea what I was doing, but they were still damn good.
2. Cookie Sandwich
Photo courtesy of @whatwouldjulieorder on Instagram
These classic ice cream truck treats were, for lack of a better word, DANK. Chocolate chip cookie sandwiches were my personal go-to. They combined just the right amount of ice cream and cookie, and who could forget the Oreo and M&M varieties.
3. Strawberry Shortcake
Photo courtesy of @babybui on Instagram
As a kid who was on the chunkier side, anything with fruit in it was basically my personal hell. However, Good Humor really outdid themselves with this creamy summer treat. Their strawberry shortcake bars were covered in a delicious sweet crumbly coating, and the vanilla ice cream inside really enhanced the strawberry filling. Props to them for getting kids to eat a small portion of the daily recommended amount of fruit. It counts… right?
4. Choco Taco
Photo courtesy of @poweredbyicecream on Instagram
I truly believe by consuming these as a kid, I unknowingly sparked my love for tacos in general. If you have never eaten one of these brilliant Klondike creations, you need to go to your local gas station and get one right now. What sets this treat apart is its unique mixture of textures: crunchy, melty chocolate over a chocolate waffle shell, filled with cold, creamy vanilla ice cream and finished off with fudge swirls. These treats were such a hot commodity at the ice cream truck back in the day, and I am impatiently waiting for them to make a comeback.
5. Screwball
Photo courtesy of @lllabs on Instagram
These icy treats were so simple, yet so delicious. A cone full of cherry-flavored ice gave way to not 1, but 2 gumballs at the bottom of the cup. After devouring the refreshing ice portion, the treasures at the bottom kept the fun (and the sugar high) going for the rest of the afternoon.
6. Spongebob Ice Cream Pop
Photo courtesy of @rsaunders on Instagram
Even though most of the time my boy Spongebob came out looking like he cried off all his mascara, these pops deserve a spot on this list. As a kid, the combination of fruit punch and cotton candy was everything. The texture of these icy treats was cold and invigorating but also creamy and smooth. The two black gum ball eyes were there to help finish it off.
7. Candy Center Crunch
Photo courtesy of @litt1edb on Instagram
The triple C was incredibly epic. Essentially two desserts in one, a candy bar inside an ice cream bar, was the perfect way to deceive parents. These were actually really filling, and I remember not always being able to finish them. That obviously meant nothing… these sold out at every early 2000’s block party.
These days summer breaks seem lackluster, and these absolutely killer ice cream treats bring back amazing memories. So now that we are adults ready to make a difference in the world, our first priority should be bringing ice cream trucks back into abundance, one pop at a time.