Where to celebrate Ice Cream for Breakfast Day across Idaho
Story and photos by Tara Roberts
Ice Cream for Breakfast Day sounds like one of those made-up social media holidays, but it’s the real deal – and Idaho is the perfect place to celebrate on Feb. 5.
The celebration originated in Rochester, New York, in the 1960s as a mother’s way to cheer up her children during the dreary days of February, according to the official website. Now, people around the world begin the first Saturday in February with a cold, sweet treat.
Luckily for us, Idaho is home to some of the freshest ice cream you can find (after all, we are third in the nation for milk production), as well as shops highlighting local ingredients and experimenting with fun flavors.
A waffle cone from Panhandle Cone and Coffee
Panhandle Cone and Coffee
Sandpoint, Coeur d’Alene and Moscow
Panhandle’s shops in its namesake region are known for their seasonal selections, Pacific Northwest themed flavors and partnerships with other local food producers. They’re scooping winter flavors in February – try Gingerbread & Spice, featuring ginormous chunks of housemade cookies. Make it even more breakfast-y by adding a shot of Evans Brothers espresso for an affogato.
coneandcoffee.com
My Father’s Place
McCall
This retro diner has all the classics: soft-serve cones, floats, sundaes, banana splits, and “mile-high” shakes and malts. You’ll have to come back in the summer for seasonal flavors like huckleberry and Mountain Berry, but in February you can’t beat a fresh banana milkshake for breakfast. Even better: a fresh banana milkshake with tater tots on the side for dipping.
mfpmccall.com
Two scoops from The STIL in Boise.
The STIL
Boise and Caldwell
Ice cream lovers now have four locations of The STIL to choose from, and they’ll all be open starting at 9 a.m. Feb. 5 for an Ice Cream for Breakfast Day celebration benefiting the Idaho Food Bank and Friends of the MK Nature Center. You’ll never be able to choose just one from among the long list of inventive flavors, so you might as well treat yourself to a double scoop ... or a triple. Try Deja Vu (almond cream, Oreos and waffle cone pieces), or, for those over 21, Parachuting Beavers (Belching Beaver peanut butter milk stout with peanut butter swirl and dark chocolate).
ilovethestil.com
Local ice cream from local cows at Reed’s in Idaho Falls
CloverLeaf Creamery
Buhl and Twin Falls
The milk and cream for CloverLeaf’s ice cream are ultra-local, from a small herd of Holsteins in Buhl with cute names like Maggie and Fay. The creamery features classic favorites – and since Ice Cream for Breakfast Day started in the ’60s, you can indulge in delicious nostalgia with a scoop of Butter Pecan. If you’re at the Twin Falls location, try it on a Great Harvest Bread Co. snickerdoodle cookie.
facebook.com/CloverLeafCreamery
Toni’s Sun Valley Ice Cream Co.
Ketchum, Hailey, Sun Valley and Boise
The Sun Valley area is home to several ice cream shops, but most are closed in the winter. Mercifully, local favorite Toni’s supplies grocery stores and restaurants all over the Wood River Valley and Boise with its small-batch specialties. Try the luxurious Vanilla Bean or have some fun with Circus Animal (sweet cream with the iconic frosted cookies and rainbow sprinkles).
sunvalleyicecream.com
Reed’s Dairy
Idaho Falls, Ammon, Meridian, Boise, Kuna (and everywhere else)
Reed’s goes all out for Ice Cream for Breakfast Day, serving French toast topped with ice cream and syrup starting at 8 a.m. at all their locations. For an extra-decadent breakfast parfait, try one of Reed’s 10 flavors featuring Oreos, such as Gorilla Munch (banana with Oreos and peanut butter), Blue Moo (blue cookie dough base with Oreos, chocolate chip cookies and cookie dough chunks) or Gavin’s Mess (chocolate with Oreos and caramel). And if you live too far from any of these locations to celebrate, Reed’s has you covered – they ship pints by mail.
reedsdairy.com
