Creative Party Planning: Build Your Own Sundae Ice Cream Social

Build Your Own Sundae Ice Cream Social | Trader Joe's

Build Your Own Sundae Ice Cream Social

August 03, 2015 in Entertaining

Dating back to the 18th century, the Ice Cream Social still reigns as a leading medium to foster community. The only technology you need is a scoop. That’s why, when we think about celebrating National Ice Cream Month, as proclaimed by President Ronald Reagan in 1984:
 
Now, Therefore, I, Ronald Reagan, President of the United States of America, do hereby proclaim July 1984 as National Ice Cream Month… and I call upon the people of the United States to observe these events with appropriate ceremonies and activities. 

We think: Build Your Own Sundae Ice Cream Social. Gathering people around a shared fondness for frozen, creamy treats, this activity cultivates community while catering beautifully to individual expression.
 
For our Build Your Own Sundae Ice Cream Social, we’ve taken every flavor of “Ice Cream” Trader Joe’s offers (17!) and paired each of them with a Sauce, a Crunch, a Fruit and a Finishing Touch—the five essential elements for balanced Sundae construction. We invite you to our Sundae Bar to glean some sweet ideas, so that you can have some fun and fulfill your civic duty, alongside family and friends.

The Cookie Butter

Everything you have been waiting for... this sundae delivers on all of your Cookie Butter cravings.

Ice Cream: TJ's Cookie Butter Ice Cream
Sauce: TJ's Cookie Butter, heated
Crunch: TJ's Cypriot Pyramid Salt
Fruit: TJ's Bananas, sliced 
Finishing Touch: TJ's Dark Chocolate Cookie Butter Cups

The Chai Apple Pie

Crunchy, creamy, (deconstructed) apple pie, with a kick of sweet and spicy chai — yes, please.

Ice Cream: TJ's Light Vanilla Ice Cream
Sauce: TJ's Fleur De Sel Caramel Sauce
Crunch: TJ's Just the Clusters Maple Pecan Granola Cereal
Fruit: TJ's Freeze Dried Fuji Apple Slices
Finishing Touch: TJ's Spicy Chai Tea Latte Mix

The Huntington

A portrait of sophistication and elegance. Charmingly sweet and irresistibly tart.

Ice Cream: TJ's Frozen Vanilla Greek Fat Free Yogurt
Sauce: TJ's Lemon Curd
Crunch: TJ's Triple Ginger Snaps, crushed
Fruit: TJ's Frozen Blueberries
Finishing Touch: TJ's 12 Macarons Assortis

The Cinnamon Bread

Crunchy, buttery cinnamon bread croutons and sweet rum raisins. Add a shot of warm rum on top to take it over the top. 

Ice Cream: TJ's Super Premium French Vanilla Ice Cream
Sauce: Whipped Cream
Crunch: TJ’s Cinnamon Bread, toasted, diced & fried in butter
Fruit: TJ’s Golden Raisins, soaked in TJ's Rum of the Gods
Finishing Touch: TJ’s Ground Cinnamon

 

Cool Tip: Count on at least three half-cup (4 ounce) scoops or 1 1/2 cups total per guest. Since it's hard to predict which flavors will be popular, buy more than you think you will need (ice cream keeps well).

Le Petit Dejeuner

*Dairy-free* Breakfast for dessert? Mais oui! The waffle is key - cut it into spears for ideal dipping.

Ice Cream: TJ's Soy Creamy Vanilla Non-Dairy Frozen Dessert
Sauce: TJ's Grade A Maple Syrup
Crunch: TJ's Wheat Free Waffles, cut into wedges
Fruit: TJ's Yellow Peaches, sliced & diced
Finishing Touch: TJ's Ground Cinnamon

The Hawaii 5-0

*Dairy free* Dive into action-packed, tropical refreshment! Grilling the pineapple elicits dramatic carmelized flavors. Book 'em!

Ice Cream: TJ's Strawberry Non-Dairy Frozen Dessert
Sauce: TJ's Vanilla Cultured Coconut Milk
Crunch: TJ's Honey Roasted Macadamia Nuts, chopped
Fruit: TJ's Sliced Fresh Del Monte Gold Pineapple Spears, grilled and sliced
Finishing Touch: TJ's Chia Seeds

The Vegan Scream

*Dairy-free* Chocolate, almonds, cherries and coconut chips — a fun filled vegan treat that doesn't miss a beat.

Ice Cream: TJ's Chocolate Non-Dairy Frozen Dessert
Sauce: TJ's Raw Creamy Unsalted Almond Butter
Crunch: TJ's Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies, crushed
Fruit: TJ's Dried Pitted Tart Montmorency Cherries
Finishing Touch: TJ's Roasted Coconut Chips

 

Cool Tip: Don’t let food sensitivities get in the way of good fun; make sensible call-outs on labels “Contains Nuts!” “Dairy Free!” "Vegan!" where appropriate.

The Prodigal

Rich. Decadent. Savory. Complex. A thinky dessert.

Ice Cream: TJ's Soy Creamy Chocolate Cherry Chip Non-Dairy Frozen Dessert
Sauce: TJ's Balsamic Glaze
Crunch: TJ's Dry Roasted, Unsalted Pistachio Nutmeats, chopped
Fruit: TJ's Medjool Dates, diced
Finishing Touch: TJ's Uncured Apple Smoked Bacon, cooked and chopped

The Recess

Nut, Nut… Chocolate!!! Like playground games that never get old, chocolate-and-nuts is a timeless combo, especially tasty cold.

Ice Cream: TJ's Ultra Chocolate Ice Cream
Sauce: TJ's Crunchy Salted Peanut Butter, heated
Crunch: TJ's Salty, Sweet & Nutty Trek Mix
Fruit: TJ's Unsweetened Freeze Dried Banana Slices, chopped
Finishing Touch: TJ's Mini Milk Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups

The Fixie

Coffee packed, coffee drenched, coffee coated! Single speed: Go! It’s amped, elegantly so.

Ice Cream: TJ's Coffee Bean Blast Ice Cream
Sauce: 1 shot TJ's Shade Grown Ground Espresso Blend
Crunch: TJ's Dark Chocolate Covered Espresso Beans, crushed
Fruit: TJ's Fresh Figs, sliced
Finishing Touch: TJ's Organic Mint

The Crag

Salty, sweet, with banana chip peaks. A rocky road that leads to a mountain of candy bark. Ruggedly adventurous, indeed.

Ice Cream: TJ's Peanut Butter Tracks Ice Cream
Sauce: TJ's Cocoa Almond Spread, heated
Crunch: TJ's Sliced Honey Roasted Almonds
Fruit: TJ's Organic Banana Chips
Finishing Touch: TJ's Ruggedly Adventuresome Cowboy Bark, crushed

 

Cool Tip: Estimate about 1/4 cup of each sauce and 1/4 cup of each topping per guest. Identify ice cream and toppings with labels. It’s also helpful to label each of the utensils with it’s corresponding ice cream or topping to avoid messy cross-contamination.

The Whipper-Snapper

A whimsical twist on the beloved banana split, perfect for kids of all ages. With a rainbow of chocolate sunflower seed sprinkles, all it needs is the cherry!

Ice Cream: TJ's Joe-Joe's 'n Cream
Sauce: TJ's Organic Midnight Moo Chocolate Flavored Syrup
Crunch: TJ's Chocolate Sunflower Seed Drops
Fruit: TJ's Chocolate Covered Banana Bites
Finishing Touch: Whipped Cream

The Carnival

Danish pancakes + caramel corn + strawberries… Born of funnel cakes and fun times, it will amaze!

Ice Cream: TJ's Golden Caramel Swirl in French Vanilla & Chocolate Ice Cream
Sauce: Whipped Cream
Crunch: TJ's Grand Slam Snack
Fruit: TJ's Strawberries, diced
Finishing Touch: TJ's Danish Pancakes, heated

The Grasshopper

When chocolate cream cookies meet cool mint chocolate chip ice cream — satisfaction follows.

Ice Cream: TJ's Mint Chip Ice Cream
Sauce: TJ's Fudge Sauce & Fondue, heated
Crunch: TJ's Chocolate Vanilla Bean Cream Joe-Joe's, crushed
Fruit: TJ's Dark Chocolate Covered Cherries
Finishing Touch: TJ's Whipped Cream

 

Cool Tip: Bins, buckets, roasting pans, trays… fill one of these with ice and nestle your ice cream inside to stay nice and cool while being served.

The Pucker Up

Like a first kiss – electrifying. Surprising. Zingy. Bright. It awakens the senses, and leaves your mouth watering for MORE!

Ice Cream: TJ's Raspberry Sorbet
Sauce: TJ's Organic Reduced Sugar Raspberry Preserves, heated
Crunch: TJ's Meyer Lemon Cookie Thins, crushed
Fruit: zest of a TJ's Lemon
Finishing Touch: TJ's Organic Fresh Basil, minced

The Mouthful of Mango

Mango sticky rice meets sorbet sundae in a fantastically cool fusion. A kick of chili lime crunch and coconut round out the mouthful of mango.

Ice Cream: TJ's Mango Sorbet
Sauce: TJ's Rice Pudding
Crunch: TJ's Thai Lime & Chili Cashews, chopped
Fruit: TJ's Frozen Mango Chunks
Finishing Touch: TJ's Shredded Sweetened Coconut

The Powerberry

A bed of marscapone tempers the raging tartness of the power of berries displayed in this beauty. Bursting with textures and tastes.

Ice Cream: TJ's Pomegranate Blueberry Sherbet
Sauce: TJ's Mascarpone
Crunch: TJ's Lowfat Granola Cereal with Almond
Fruit: TJ's Pomegranate Seeds
Finishing Touch: TJ's Chocolate Covered Powerberries

 

Ice Cream Social Party-Supply Checklist

(Note: Not all items are available at Trader Joe’s)

SET UP

Large, countertop, table or space to set out ice cream and toppings
A cooler with ice, for keeping ice cream and drinks cold
Buckets, deep trays, roasting pans or other bins (to be filled with ice to keep ice cream cold)
Ice cream scoops
Bowls or pitchers of water (to hold the scoops between servings)
Bowls, jars, or other containers for each topping
Spoons, ladles, and tongs for each topping (be sure to designate—and label—a serving utensil for each, to avoid cross-contamination)
Plates for sauce ladles to rest on between servings
Labels for ice creams, toppings, etc.

SERVE

Ice cream bowls, cups or other receptacles
Spoons
Napkins, Napkins and Napkins!
Water and cups for drinking

CLEAN

Paper towels and/or moist toilettes
Extra trash cans and bags
Basin of water and sponge for spills

 

 

NOTE: Since posting, the details of this item may have changed due to fluctuating market prices, federal regulations, currency rates, drought, pestilence, bandits, rush hour traffic, filibusters, clowns, zombie apocalypse, punctilious product developers... Contact our Crew for current price and availability.