A National Treat: Sundaes on Sunday

Grab a spoon and go ahead and splurge. Sunday is National Ice Cream Day.

So why is ice cream such a big deal? Here are some facts about one of America’s favorite desserts, provided by the International Dairy Foods Association:

• About 1.5 billion gallons of ice cream is produced each year.
• Nine percent of milk produced by U.S. dairy farmers is used to produce ice cream
• July is actually National Ice Cream Month, as designated by President Ronald Reagan in 1984.
• The third Sunday of July is National Ice Cream Day.

Here are two local spots to celebrate your Sunday with a sundae:

• Where: 7225 Regional Street in Dublin
• Why: For more than 60 years, Baskin-Robbins has been serving up ice cream treats to delighted customers all across the US, whether it's an old-fashioned favorite like pralines 'n cream or mint chocolate chip or a regional favorite like Splish Splash. The ice cream empire recently introduced Bright Choices, a delectable and not-quite-so sinful line of low calorie, fat and sugar free and non-dairy ice creams, like caramel turtle truffle, butter almond crunch and strawberry sorbet.

• 4920 Dublin Blvd Ste. 340 in Dublin
• Why: Cold Stone Creamery has been around for two decades, serving freshly-made ice cream in fun flavors, like cake batter and sweet cream, combined with mix-ins, such as M&Ms, pecans, and brownies. Cold Stone also offers petite cakes, cupcakes and birthday cakes, as well as sundaes and smoothies, shakes and coffee drinks. The store also has non-dairy smoothies and Sinless San Fat, a non-fat, no sugar added, 110 calorie ice cream.