Beat your New Year’s hangover with ice cream floats! Discover how this refreshing treat can ease symptoms, plus science-backed tips and delicious recipes to try.
New Year’s Eve is all about celebration—fireworks, laughter, and maybe a few too many glasses of bubbly. But come the morning after, the fun can take a backseat to a pounding headache, a desert-dry mouth, and the regret of every drink consumed.
Sound familiar? You’re not alone. Studies suggest that nearly half of us will face the dreaded New Year’s hangover.
New Year’s Morning Hangover – The Struggle is Real!
New Year’s morning and you’re wondering whether you’ve been hit by a 10-tonne truck! Your head is banging, and the rooms still spinning – a lot! The last thing you can even think of is eating a thing, but you know you really should!
The classic cures – greasy breakfasts, cold showers, or brisk walks – might offer comfort, but they often fall short of true relief.
However, an unexpected hero has emerged – the humble ice cream float. This sweet, frothy treat could be the answer to starting your new year off right.
Why Do Hangovers Happen?
Hangovers are your body’s not-so-gentle way of saying, “You overdid it, like you got really smashed!”
Alcohol causes dehydration by acting as a diuretic, lowers blood sugar levels, irritates the stomach lining, and dilates blood vessels, leading to that familiar pounding headache. Add in disrupted sleep, and your body is left struggling to recover.
Symptoms can include fatigue, nausea, headaches, dizziness, and sensitivity to light and sound. With your body out of balance, finding a remedy that’s easy on the stomach and replenishes lost fluids and nutrients is key. That’s where ice cream floats come in.
The Science Behind Ice Cream Floats as Hangover Helpers
At first glance, ice cream floats might seem like an indulgence rather than a cure. But let’s break down why they work:
- Rehydration: The liquid base of a float, whether it’s soda, sparkling water, or juice, replenishes lost fluids.
- Sugar Boost: Alcohol can cause blood sugar levels to plummet, leading to fatigue. The sugars in both ice cream and soda provide a quick energy boost.
- Stomach Soothing: The fats and proteins in ice cream can help calm an irritated stomach lining.
- Caffeine Kick: If your float includes a caffeinated soda like cola, the caffeine can narrow blood vessels and provide mild headache relief.
- Carbonation: The fizz in soda or sparkling water helps settle the stomach, making it easier to sip on when other foods feel too heavy.
Scientific evidence supporting ice cream floats as a hangover remedy is anecdotal, but the individual components—hydration, sugars, and soothing ingredients—align with what experts recommend for easing symptoms.
How to Make the Perfect Hangover-Busting Ice Cream Float
Creating an ice cream float isn’t just about tossing a scoop of ice cream into a glass, in order to get the best relief, here are some recipes tailored to kickstart your recovery:
1. Classic Cola Float
- Ingredients: Vanilla ice cream, Coca-Cola
- Why It Works: The caffeine and sugar in cola offer a quick pick-me-up, while the ice cream soothes your stomach.
2. Ginger Ale & Lemon Sorbet Float
- Ingredients: Lemon sorbet, ginger ale
- Why It Works: Ginger is known for its anti-nausea properties, while lemon provides a refreshing vitamin C boost.
3. Coffee Float
- Ingredients: Coffee ice cream, cold brew coffee, a splash of milk
- Why It Works: Packed with caffeine and creamy comfort, this float wakes you up and helps with headaches.
4. Sparkling Berry Float
- Ingredients: Berry sorbet, sparkling water
- Why It Works: Light and hydrating, this low-sugar option is perfect for those looking for a gentler remedy.
5. Orange Cream Float
- Ingredients: Vanilla ice cream, fizzy orange drink (such as Fanta or Tango).
- Why It Works: The fizzy orange drink provides a refreshing citrus kick, and the creamy sweetness of the ice cream soothes and lifts your spirits after a late night
These ice cream float recipes are designed to help rehydrate your body and restore your blood sugar levels, making recovery a little easier and more enjoyable.
Feel free to experiment with flavour combinations that suit your taste—whether it’s swapping cola for sparkling water or adding a splash of fruit juice for an extra vitamin boost. The key is to keep it simple, refreshing, and tailored to what makes you feel good.
Other Hangover Solutions
If ice cream floats aren’t your thing, try these science-backed foods to recover from a hangover:
Bananas
- Bananas are an excellent source of potassium, a key electrolyte lost during alcohol consumption. They’re also easy to digest, so they’re gentle on an upset stomach. So a banana ice cream would be very helpful/
👉🏽 Check out our recipe and method here – Homemade Banana Ice Cream Recipe
Peanut Butter Ice Cream
This creamy treat combines the natural protein and fats of peanut butter with a touch of sweetness, making it a comforting choice for stabilizing blood sugar and providing slow-releasing energy.
👉🏽 Click here to see our article – A Homemade Peanut Butter Ice Cream
PB&J Ice Cream
Takes it up a notch by adding a swirl of fruit preserves or fresh berries for a burst of natural sugars and antioxidants, giving you a nostalgic and energizing hangover fix.
👉🏽 Click here to see our article – A Curiously Delicious Homemade Peanut Butter and Jelly Ice Cream
Smoothies
- Smoothies are perfect for hydration and nutrient replenishment. Blend in berries (rich in antioxidants), bananas (for potassium), and coconut water (for electrolytes). Add flax or chia seeds for an extra boost of omega-3s.
👉🏽 Check out a selection of our smoothies – Category: Smoothies
Prevention Tips for Your Next Celebrations
While ice cream floats can help with the aftermath, prevention is always better than cure.
Aside from – don’t drink in the first place – lol, here are some tips to avoid waking up with a hangover:
- Eat Before Drinking: Focus on protein and healthy fats to slow alcohol absorption.
- Hydrate: Alternate alcoholic drinks with water to stay ahead of dehydration.
- Pace Yourself: Stick to drinks with lower alcohol content or mix in mocktails.
- Prepare for the Morning: Stock your kitchen with hydrating snacks like bananas, coconut water, and electrolyte drinks.
The Final Scoop
Hangovers might be an inevitable part of New Year’s celebrations, but they don’t have to ruin your day. By embracing the magic of ice cream floats, you can turn a groggy morning into a sweet and soothing recovery.
Whether you stick to a classic cola float or experiment with sparkling water and sorbet, this treat combines hydration, sugar, and comfort in one glass.
👉🏽 Are you ready to give ice cream floats a try this New Year’s morning? Or do you have your own go-to hangover hack? Let’s raise a frothy float to start the new year off right—cheers!
We hope that you have enjoyed our article – Hangover Hacks – How Ice Cream Floats Can Save Your New Year’s! – and we really hope that our ice cream float suggestions help you with your hangover symptoms! If you have any questions, please drop us a comment below and we will be happy to get back to you.
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This is such a fun and creative take on tackling the dreaded New Year’s hangover! I’ve definitely experienced those rough mornings where traditional remedies like greasy breakfasts just didn’t cut it. Ice cream floats are such a refreshing idea—I love the balance of hydration, a sugar boost, and stomach-soothing comfort.
Personally, I’ve found ginger ale and sorbet to be my go-to when I’m feeling queasy, so the Ginger Ale & Lemon Sorbet Float sounds like a perfect fit for me. I also appreciate how the recipes are adaptable, making it easy to customize them based on what’s on hand.
In my opinion, this approach adds a bit of indulgence to recovery and might even lift your spirits after a rough night. I’m definitely bookmarking this for the next New Year’s morning (or any time a hangover strikes)! Thanks for sharing these tips!
Hey Herman,
Thank you for your kind and encouraging comment! 😊 Glad to hear that you enjoyed the idea of ice cream floats as a hangover remedy—it’s such a refreshing and fun twist on the usual approaches. I’m glad the balance of hydration, a sugar boost, and stomach-soothing ingredients struck a chord with you.
The Ginger Ale & Lemon Sorbet Float is a fantastic choice—it’s light, zesty, and wonderfully calming for queasy mornings. I love that you already use ginger ale and sorbet as your go-to remedy; it sounds like this recipe is a natural fit for you.
You’re absolutely right about the importance of adaptability. Recovery mornings are often about making do with what’s on hand, and I wanted to make sure these recipes could flex to suit any pantry. Adding a touch of indulgence to recovery can definitely make those rough mornings a bit brighter!
Thank you for bookmarking the recipe—I hope it comes to your rescue after a big night out (or even just as a tasty treat)!
Wishing you a happy New Year ahead, and perhaps one with less pain! lol.
Happy New Year to you!
Cherie