Freezer Free dilemma: root beer floats :)

[Kaylee]

Happy "National Root Beer Day" to y'all!
Yes, that's a genuine designation (albeit silly).
Several fast food chains have deals today, for example, A&W Restaurants give out free floats (from 2-8pm this year).

It's a dilemma for those of us unburdened by a freezer, and who live far away from most/any fast food restaurants.
Soooo, first a question, then a couple of in-town only options...

Has anyone successfully kept ice cream in a cooler (i.e. only cooled by regular ice that mere mortals can easily obtain, no voodoo-liquid-nitrogen/whatever)?
If so, please share your tips.
And accept our admiration.

Since I had been a non-vehicle-dwelling Nomad for decades, and often had been in motels without a freezer, I've experimented with some workarounds.

Many Burger King and McDonald's have summer sales (roughly 50 cents to a dollar) on their soft serve ice cream, and have the option to get it in a sundae cup instead of a cone.
This is sufficient to make a pretty good root beer float.
I regularly buy a "fridge pack" of root beer in cans, and one can goes perfectly with this size.
Slowly pour in just enough to reach below the top, and refill regularly as you drink.
No clean up required (except to rinse & recycle). You can, of course, use a full size cup to combine it all at once.
I can nurse one for about half an hour.

Yesterday, I tried a new experiment: DollarTree ice cream sandwiches, which come in a box of 3.
I ate the first one normally, then with the others, carefully removed the "sandwich" outer parts and dropped the ice cream into a cup, added root beer, and wow, pretty dang good!

My current fridge pack is Dollar General's generic root beer, and is ok, and even better as part of a float, or with ice.

And remember... root beer is the defacto drink of Starfleet Academy.


("Starfleet Academy" is part of a fictional TV universe)

 

[B and C]

I'll have to celebrate tonight!

Went with some friends to Colorado once. We were in Silverton and there was just a small shop that had drinks and ice cream. They had 32 Oz. drink cups and pint ice cream. My friends kidded me for dumping a pint of ice cream in a cup and then filling with root beer from the fountain. When you want a float, you make do.

 

[highdesertranger]

nothing silly about root beer floats. if there was an A&W anywhere close by that's where I would be heading. I wonder if freeze dried ice cream would work? highdesertranger

 

[B and C]

I only had freeze dried ice cream back when they took it to the moon. I was less than impressed with it then. Has it improved? I haven't even thought about it again after that experience.

 

[XERTYX]

Hmm. Idk about that. I'd imagine youd have to crumble it a bit. Might have the same creamy flavor but defs wouldnt have the same consistency. It might be close though. It does have a similar mouth feel when it rehydrates on your tongue.

I nominate HDR to pick some up the next time hes at Walmart. My local walmart has FD neapolitan and ice cream sandwiches.

 

[cherterr]

Not to 'dis root beer floats..BUT..

And i am so sorry for those of you not in Texas (cause I don't know Where else it's sold) but BIG RED Floats are to die for!!
https://www.beveragesdirect.com/pro...MIy4rKkI3v4wIVY__jBx159gd7EAQYBSABEgKxlvD_BwE

This is a red soda (gotta be Can.. bottles don't taste the same in a float) with a reminiscent vanilla Cream soda flavor.  

Using a large Cottage Cheese container (because it's the Perfect size!)

https://www.hometalk.com/7179764/q-cottage-cheese-containers

you empty into it a Pint of (again sorry if you aren't in Texas)... Vanilla Blue Belle Ice Cream.  

https://www.target.com/p/blue-bell-...VjMDACh2CEwYoEAQYAyABEgKnPvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds


Get a tea spoon with long handle and a straw.  Slowly pour in the Big Red. Then you can sip, stir, scoop your way to the bottom.
MMMMMM.
Be SURE to do this if you ever ARE in Texas!!   Hmm... maybe from these links you can get some elsewhere??  Probably not the Ice Cream.?

 

[Kaylee]

I second the nomination!
If he doesn't find any, I'm pretty sure I have one packet in my storage unit. It's been too hot to work on it, but I plan to hit there during my next town run. Have added it to my list of stuff to look for.

HDR: The notion of a "national day" is what I consider silly. Every day is a good day to have a root beer float!

Brian: you rule! Yes, when you have the ingredients right in front of you, a real Geek embraces the fact that the Universe demands they be combined.


Edit To Add:
cherterr: thanks!
Sounds awesome!

 

[B and C]

Blue Bell (not Blue Bunny) is by far the best ice cream I have ever eaten. They are not only in Texas. Here is there where to buy page: https://www.bluebell.com/where-to-buy/

Never knew they were in Arizona. A friend tipped me off that the Walmart in Parker had it.

Never cared for big red, sorry, I won't be trying it. Cream soda is the worst stuff. Makes me shiver to think of it. Sorry to those that think it is the bomb.

 

[XERTYX]

I am positive I have seen big red before and I'm 99% positive blue belle ice cream is available in georgia. I've never had the good fortune to visit Texas.

Btw isnt it called molecular gastronomy when you make things combine in your mouth to make a different flavor on your palette?

 

[bullfrog]

Not that I make many anymore but some vanilla ice cream, a little Mountain Dew soda out of a glass bottle cold from the ice chest poured over it in a large solo cup which is then filled with Blue Nun white wine could be the answer if not traveling for the next few days! You really won't care if the ice cream is melting.

 

[cherterr]

I am positive I have seen big red before and I'm 99% positive blue belle ice cream is available in georgia. I've never had the good fortune to visit Texas.

Btw isnt it called molecular gastronomy when you make things combine in your mouth to make a different flavor on your palette?

Nooooo... not in your mouth!!  In the Cottage Cheese container.  Hell, if you put it in your mouth First, I think you'd blow up! lol

 

[XERTYX]

I actually dont care that much for floats. I'm not really a sweets kinda person. I do take a notion for ice cream or cake every now and then. Maybe a doughnut (unglazed blueberry cake doughnut)

But I'd always take a sip or 2 from a float if there is one available.

 

[DannyB1954]

You can make ice cream using ice and salt. So I assume it would be cold enough to keep it ice cream. Maybe in one of those high dollar coolers you could get a day out of it. Maybe a can of whipped cream and root beer will hold you over.

 

[highdesertranger]

the only soda I drink is root beer and then very sparingly maybe a six pack a year. so any other type of float ain't going to cut it for me. highdesertranger

 

[XERTYX]

I drink at least a 2 liter of diet soda a day. Every day since ... well when was Clinton in office? Haha. I cant live without soda. But zero sugar. Sugared soda tastes as strange to me as diet soda does to other folks.

 

[maki2]

we used to make a fake ice cream float without the ice cream, just add some half and half to the root beer. Taste is very much the same but of course you don't have ice cream to dig a spoon into.

Go to the grocery store, in the ice cream freezer section they sell single size servings of ice cream in mini sized containers. Vanilla is of course one of the choices. Sometimes 7-11 stores have them as well.