Internet Freaks Out Over Ice Cream Sandwich That Just Won’t Melt

Whether it’s a cookie, taco, or ice cream sandwich, it’s always disappointing when a snack falls apart on you. For Mary Salter, disappointment turned to concern when an ice cream sandwich was left outside for a few days and the sugary treat didn’t melt, which led to an online meltdown.

It all started when her grandson opened the wrapper to his ice cream sandwich, only to have it crumble in two in his hands. He was so annoyed, he did what any rational person would do, and chucked both pieces on the lawn. Mary decided to leave the frozen dairy treat on the grass as she thought that cats, dogs, and ants would appreciate it more than her grandson did.

She became concerned about what goes into making the ice cream sandwiches that she bought from local Australian supermarket Coles, when she discovered that the snack was still intact after being left outside for four days in 78-degree weather. Not only that, but the still-frozen “ice cream” was left beside an ant hill, and the swarm of bugs had completely ignored the free food. They must be filled with all kinds of toxic chemicals and vile genetically modified organisms to keep the ice cream from melting, right?

Image via Facebook/MarySalter

Coles responded to the ice cream incident with their clear-cut explanation:

Our ice cream sandwiches make use of very simple, commonly-used food techniques that help slow the melting process, and allows you to consume it without it falling apart in your hands…This technique includes adding thickener to the cream, creating a honeycomb-like structure which helps to slow the melting process. When the product starts to melt and liquid evaporates, you are left with what appears as foam.

The fact that your run of the mill ice cream sandwich doesn’t actually contain much cream at all seems to be an industry standard these days, and even Walmart has admitted it when a Cincinnati news report noted that their Great Value ice cream sandwiches wouldn’t melt either. If you were to put regular ice cream between two cookies, you’d have a melty mess far before the rectangular mass-produced version, but no matter what dessert you prefer, if you’re letting your ice cream melt before you can eat it, you’re doing it wrong.