The Old-School Ice Cream Flavor That You Rarely See Anymore

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Often difficult to find in U.S. grocery stores, Grape-Nuts ice cream is exactly what it sounds like: Grape-Nuts cereal mixed with vanilla ice cream. While using cereal in ice cream-based products has been trendy since the 2010s, this particular variety dates back to the early 1900s. So you could say that this sweet treat was something of a trendsetter. 

In a world where cereals have become increasingly sugary, some may prefer more tempered desserts with milder flavor profiles. Made from wheat and barely, Grape-Nuts cereal is often described as nutty or malty, which pairs well with classic vanilla ice cream. 

Considering the untold story of Grape-Nuts, one might consider them an odd ingredient for cereal given that they were originally marketed as a health food. However, in the early 1900s, companies sometimes advertised ice cream itself as a nutritious option. The once popular bisque ice cream used nourishing foods like almond crumbs as mix-ins, a trend that may have helped inspire Grape-Nuts ice cream. While the flavor's precise origins are unknown, in 1919, an ice cream trade journal ran an ad praising the cereal as a cost-effective nut alternative. 

While Grape-Nuts ice cream is rare in the U.S., the dessert has something of an international appeal. In Nova Scotia, Grape-Nuts ice cream remains a popular sweet treat. In fact, one local even claimed in a post on the blog Hants Border that his grandmother invented the flavor in 1919, although mentions of Grape-Nuts ice cream in cookbooks pre-date this claim.

However, perhaps the best-known international lover of Grape-Nuts cereal is Jamaica, where Grape-Nuts ice cream is as prevalent as U.S. standards like mint chocolate chip and cookies 'n cream. Jamaican ice cream juggernaut Kremi Ice Cream sells its own version of the flavor.

You can get Grape-Nuts ice cream stateside, albeit it's a bit trickier. Grape-Nut ice cream remains popular in New England, with Maine especially serving as a haven for Grape-Nuts fans. Depending on your area, you may be able to find Grape-Nuts ice cream in grocery stores or ice cream parlors. Gifford's Ice Cream distributes its version across the country, but you're still most likely to encounter a pint of Gifford's Grape-Nuts along the East Coast. In other areas, Grape-Nuts ice cream remains a rarity.

If you really want to try Grape-Nuts ice cream, it's not hard to make. You simply need to mix vanilla ice cream with some Grape-Nuts cereal. Or, if you've got an ice cream maker, there are plenty of online recipes to help you make Grape-Nuts ice cream from scratch.