National Frozen Yogurt Day is on Saturday, February 6, 2027, and it falls on February 6 every year. It celebrates froyo, the tangy soft-serve dessert you can pile with fruit, candy or granola. Some shops mark the day with free samples or buy-one-get-one deals.
When Is National Frozen Yogurt Day?
It’s always February 6. It’s an unofficial food day, and deals change every year, so check the chains’ apps the week before.
Who Started National Frozen Yogurt Day?
No founder or start year has been documented.
Background: a short history of froyo
Frozen yogurt is a fairly recent invention. The International Frozen Yogurt Association says New England dairy H.P. Hood marketed it as a soft serve called “Frogurt” in the early 1970s. Honey Hill Farms followed in 1978.
TCBY opened its first shop in Little Rock, Arkansas, in 1981. U.S. production peaked at 152.1 million gallons in 1995, then fell to 61 million gallons by 2007.
That same stretch saw Pinkberry open in West Hollywood in 2005. Its tart flavors helped start a new wave of self-serve shops.
How Is Frozen Yogurt Different From Ice Cream?
The main difference is the rules behind the name. Federal law says ice cream must have at least 10% milkfat and weigh at least 4.5 pounds per gallon. Frozen yogurt has no federal standard, so its fat and sugar vary by brand.
That means froyo isn’t automatically lighter. Compare the nutrition labels, and remember that toppings can add more sugar than the yogurt itself.
Does frozen yogurt have live cultures?
Not always. The FDA has a standard for yogurt, but not for the frozen kind. Look for the “Live & Active Cultures” seal. On frozen yogurt, it means the product had at least 10 million cultures per gram when it was made.
How to Celebrate National Frozen Yogurt Day
- Check the chains’ apps: in 2020, TCBY gave away the first 6 ounces, and Menchie’s ran a 3–7 p.m. BOGO.
- Build a balanced cup: start with plain tart, then add fresh berries and a spoon of granola.
- Make it at home: freeze Greek yogurt with honey and vanilla in an ice cream maker for about 20 minutes.
- Freeze yogurt bark: spread yogurt on a lined tray, scatter fruit on top, freeze, then snap into pieces.
- Do a flavor flight: take three small sample cups and rank the shop’s tart, chocolate and seasonal flavors.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does TCBY stand for?
It first stood for “This Can’t Be Yogurt.” After a 1984 lawsuit from rival I Can’t Believe It’s Yogurt, it became “The Country’s Best Yogurt.”
Is there a National Frozen Yogurt Month?
Yes. June has been National Frozen Yogurt Month since 1993, Mental Floss reports, right before National Ice Cream Month in July.
What was the first frozen yogurt on a stick?
Dannon launched “Danny” in 1979, a fruit-flavored frozen yogurt pop dipped in chocolate. Mental Floss says it was the first perishable frozen treat sold nationwide.