Ice Cream Overrun: How Much Air Is in Your Ice Cream?

Learning Objectives

Students will:

  • Understand what overrun is in ice cream (the amount of air mixed into it).

  • Compare volume vs. mass by weighing ice cream containers of the same size.

  • Observe how melting separates air from liquid in ice cream.

  • Explore how air affects texture, weight, melting, and even the price of ice cream.

  • Practice scientific inquiry: predicting, observing, measuring, recording data, and explaining results.

Materials

  • A grocery store that sells ice cream and has a scale

  • At least one small container of ice cream (any brand)

  • Optional: multiple brands (cheap and expensive) for comparison

  • Refrigerator & freezer

  • Spoon (preferably strong metal one)

Part 1: At the Grocery Store — Weight Comparison

1. Explore the Ice Cream Section

Have students (or the teacher) observe:

  • Cheapest brands

  • Most expensive brands

  • “Premium” vs. “economy” ice cream

  • Check labels for volume (usually 1.5 quarts or 48 oz)

2. Predict

Ask:

  • “Do you think the heavier ice cream will cost more?”

  • “Do you think cheaper ice cream has more or less air?”

3. Compare by Lifting

Pick up two same-sized containers:

  • One cheap

  • One premium

You will often feel a difference in weight immediately.

4. Use a Scale

Weigh each container.
Record the data.

Observation:
Cheaper brands usually weigh less because they contain more air.

Key Concept: What Is Overrun?

  • Ice cream contains air bubbles whipped in during freezing.

  • The air makes it soft, scoopable, and fun to eat.

  • Without air, it would freeze into a hard block, like flavored ice.

  • Overrun = the amount of air added to the ice cream.

  • U.S. standards allow up to 50% air in a container.

Premium ice creams often have low overrun = heavier, richer, creamier.
Budget ice creams often have high overrun = lighter, fluffier, melts fast.

Part 2: At Home or in the Classroom — Melting Experiment

1. Melt the Ice Cream Slowly

Place the container in the refrigerator, not on the counter.
Let it melt overnight.

2. Break Up the Foam

Stir several times so air escapes.
When fully melted, the container will look only partly filled.

Why?
Because the air has separated from the liquid mixture.

3. Observe

Ask:

  • “Where did the ice cream go?”

  • “Why is there less liquid than ice cream?”

Answer:
Nothing is missing — you are just seeing liquid + air separately.

Part 3: Refreezing — What Air Does to Texture

1. Freeze the Melted Ice Cream

Place it in the freezer overnight.

2. Try to Scoop It

It will be:

  • Extremely hard

  • Difficult to scoop

  • More like an ice block than ice cream

3. Taste Test

If you can break off a piece, taste it.
It will be:

  • Dense

  • Less creamy

  • Not pleasant

  • Harder to chew

This shows why air is necessary for the ice cream texture we love.

Optional: Taste Comparison (Fun & Educational!)

Buy:

  • One cheap/high-overrun ice cream

  • One expensive/low-overrun ice cream

Compare:

  • Texture

  • Creaminess

  • Melt rate

  • Flavor intensity

  • Weight

Premium ice cream is usually:

  • Heavier

  • Richer

  • Darker in color (less air to lighten it)

  • Slower to melt

Data Collection Ideas (By Grade Level)

Grades 1–2

  • Drawing comparison (“full container” vs “melted liquid level”)

  • Simple predictions: “Which one is heavier?”

  • Taste graph: Which ice cream do you like?

Grades 3–5

  • Weight chart

  • Percentage difference (simple subtraction)

  • Temperature readings before and after melting

  • Journal entry: “What happened to the air?”

Grades 6–8

  • Calculate overrun percentage:
    Overrun % = Original Volume−Melted VolumeMelted Volume×100\frac{\text{Original Volume} – \text{Melted Volume}}{\text{Melted Volume}} \times 100Melted VolumeOriginal Volume−Melted Volume​×100

  • Density comparison (mass ÷ volume)

  • Research FDA ice cream standards

  • Investigate whipping and crystallization in frozen mixtures

Vocabulary

  • Overrun — the amount of air whipped into ice cream

  • Density — how much mass is packed into a certain amount of space

  • Volume — the amount of space something takes up

  • Mass — how much matter is inside an object

  • Texture — how something feels in your mouth

  • Foam — mixture of gas bubbles in liquid

️ Safety Notes

  • Only adults should scoop, melt, or refreeze ice cream.

  • Avoid leaving ice cream at room temperature (bacteria risk).

  • Use a strong spoon to avoid bending or breaking metal.

Final Questions for Students

  • Why does cheaper ice cream weigh less?

  • What does melting show us about air in ice cream?

  • Why doesn’t ice cream taste good after refreezing without air?

  • What would ice cream be like if it had zero overrun?

  • Why do you think companies add more air to cheaper brands?

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