January 13, 2017
The Holiday Season
Sparkling lights, shiny wrapped presents, friends and family filling the house with good cheer and good conversation. That’s the holidays. All those parties and events and decorations and festive ugly sweaters, they fill you with excitement and anticipation, like the feeling you have when you’re staring at an unopened pint of Ben & Jerry’s. You just know it’s going to be good.
…And then, January
You also know, somewhere deep in your soul, that every fresh pint will eventually be an empty pint. Just like you know that the holidays won’t last forever. The decorations come down, the ugly sweaters are pushed deep into the dark corners of your dresser, and the bills for all those wonderful presents you bought start arriving in the mail.
It’s really cold out. The days are short. There’s no eggnog in the fridge.
The word for this feeling is “January.”
Blue Monday?
No, Blue Monday(Opens in new window) is not actually a thing. But there is some common sense behind the pseudoscience: while no specific day has actually been proven to be the most depressing, it’s easy to see why some people start to feel down this time of year.
That’s where we come in. Remember that pint from earlier? Well, what if we told you that ice cream could help turn your January frown upside down? Let’s see what science has to say about flavors that will make you happy.
Chocolate Therapy
You don’t need an advanced degree to understand that chocolate is amazing. But researchers (with advanced degrees) have determined that there’s more to chocolate than deliciousness. On top of its many other benefits(Opens in new window), chocolate can also reduce stress(Opens in new window), which should help when you get your next Visa bill. In other words, have a pint of Chocolate Therapy ready at all times.
Coffee Coffee BuzzBuzzBuzz
Many of us can’t start our days without a cup or three of coffee. Our advice? If you’re a coffee consumer, keep at it. If not, you may want to start, because caffeine intake has been linked to a lower risk of depression(Opens in new window). Just one more reason why we use Coffee Coffee BuzzBuzzBuzz to fight the January blues.
Chunky Monkey
We are 100% pro-banana. Always have been, always will be. Especially now that we know how bananas not only pack a power-blast of potassium but also might help fight depression(Opens in new window). Perhaps Chunky Monkey and Banana Split will make more than just your taste buds happy.
New York Super Fudge Chunk
Up here in the North Country, night comes early this time of year. Dark skies at 4pm can make even the brightest brains feel a bit murky. Thank goodness, then, for walnuts, which have been shown to improve brain function(Opens in new window). Walnuts: just one of the reasons why digging into New York Super Fudge Chunk is always one of the smartest things you can do.
Strawberry Cheesecake
It’s been found that certain berries, like blueberries, raspberries, and strawberries, may help stabilize our moods and reduce depression(Opens in new window). Seems to us that there’s also something rather cheery (is it the scent? or the color?) about enjoying a pint of, say, Strawberry Cheesecake in the dead of winter. Berries make us happy.
Your Choice!
When it’s been cold and snowy for days and weeks on end, it can be hard to remember what summer even looked or felt like. Luckily for you, studies have found that eggs(Opens in new window) can help improve memory and cognitive function. So start scooping any of our regular (non-Non-Dairy) flavors and perhaps, despite the chill of the ice cream and the cold winds outside, visions of long summer days will fill your head.
No, we’re not doctors and, okay, yes, eating ice cream makes us happy any and every time of the year. Are we biased in favor of ice-cream-related solutions to almost every problem? Definitely. But we think every little bit of advice helps during these trying January times. We hope you’ll share some of your favorite happy-making flavors in the comments below!
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Do A Waffle Lotta Good With Every Waffle Cone!
Your waffle cone just got even sweeter! From Oct. 3 to 17, we’re donating $1 for every waffle cone purchased in Scoop Shops to Advancement Project, a national civil rights organization working to progress human rights and build power in local communities.
