The Reason Why Walmart Ice Cream Sandwiches Just Won’t Melt

It’s no secret that the sun has been turning up the heat in recent years, and with that, our ice creams have become victims of the summer blaze. Whether you're savoring a classic cone or a creamy bar, odds are you've found yourself in a race against time, trying to finish your treat before it dribbles down your hand in a sticky, sugary mess. But there's one ice cream sandwich that seems to laugh in the face of the sun’s fury: Walmart’s Great Value Ice Cream Sandwich.

It almost sounds like the stuff of urban legends—a tall tale for campfire discussions—except it’s 100% real. Back in 2014, a viral video showed a Great Value sandwich sitting in the heat for hours without so much as a drip, sparking endless experiments and curiosity. Is this witchcraft? A glitch in the matrix? Or, perhaps, is it just science that you're not really familiar with?

Is It True? Walmart Ice Cream Doesn't Melt?

Let’s cut straight to the chase: Yes, it’s true. Great Value ice cream sandwiches can withstand the heat far longer than most of their frozen cousins. People have tested it in their backyards, driveways, and under the blazing sun, and the results have been consistent. But how is this even possible? It's all about the ingredients and their interactions. While your average scoop of vanilla might turn into a puddle after mere minutes in the sun, Walmart’s sandwiches have a unique formula that keeps them from liquefying as quickly. The secret lies in the stabilizers and emulsifiers—fancy terms for ingredients that help maintain the texture and structure of the ice cream. These compounds ensure that even as the temperature rises, the sandwich stays firm, maintaining its form like a stoic frozen warrior. But does this mean it’s some kind of plastic mutant? Not quite. There’s a lot more to this ice-cold phenomenon.

Why Do Ice Creams Melt

To understand the enigma of Walmart’s ice cream sandwiches, let’s break down how ice cream works. Regular ice cream is usually contains cream, sugar, air, and water. Frozen together, these elements give you back the ice cream everyone loves. But leave it in the sun too long, and the ice crystals start to melt, the air escapes, and suddenly you’ve got a drippy disaster on your hands. Now, add stabilizers like guar gum or cellulose gum.

These two elements are often used in processed foods. Their addition makes sure that the ice cream becomes more resistant to melting: they slow the movement of water within the ice cream, which delays the melting process. Combined with emulsifiers, which bind the ingredients together more tightly, the magic is done! In other words, it's not magic—just some clever food chemistry. It’s the same reason why certain ice creams feel creamier or why some are softer straight out of the freezer.

There Are Other Ice Cream Sandwiches That Won't Melt

Before we single out Walmart, let's not forget some other brands that seem to take their sweet time under the sun. Brands like Klondike and Nestlé also produce ice cream sandwiches with similar anti-melt properties. These brands use similar stabilizers and emulsifiers in their recipes. If you don't believe us, try replicating the heat experiment with their ice cream sandwiches as well! It’s like there’s an unofficial competition between brands to see whose sandwich can outlast the others in the summer heat. If you're thinking of conducting your own backyard science experiment, you might want to grab a few varieties and pit them against each other in an ice cream endurance challenge. But be warned: you might end up with a full freezer and a lot of half-melted evidence on your hands.

Should You Be Worried About Non-Melting Ice Cream?

So, does this mean we should panic and swear off ice cream sandwiches for good? Not quite. The ingredients used to make these sandwiches heat-resistant are actually quite common in processed foods: they can be found in everything from yogurt to salad dressings. Sure, the idea of a non-melting ice cream sandwich might seem a little unnatural, so if you’re looking for something with a more “natural” ingredient list, it might be best to pick artisanal brands that use fewer additives (though you’ll have to eat them faster). Great Value ice cream sandwich may not melt like the others, but it’s still ice cream at heart—just one that’s better equipped for battle with the sun.