MISSOURI, USA – Sarah Maune, a mother, social media influencer, photographer and registered nurse from Washington, Missouri, recently shared her perspective on snow ice, catching the attention of millions of people.

In the post, Maune, widely known on social media as Sarah Kraffty, shared her snow cream recipe, which included one crucial ingredient: the flawless top layer of freshly fallen snow. As much as Muane enjoys making this nostalgic dish, she learned her knowledge from her grandmother.

“We made snow ice cream every year growing up, and I was like, wow, I haven’t done that in a while,” Muane said. “My grandma showed us how to do it. We either set up bowls or scraped off the top layer of snow.”

Maune’s snow ice cream recipe:

• The untouched top layer of snow
• A generous amount of sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Half and half evaporated milk or whatever milk

“Snow ice is superior. It was the best children’s ice cream ever,” Maune said in the video, happily taking a bite of her homemade ice cream.

This isn’t the first time Maune has cooked something from her childhood that she can’t find a recipe for online. She once baked monkey bread, which was also a nod to her past. That post received 11 million views on TikTok, Maune said.

Her snow ice video went viral on Instagram, TikTok and Facebook. While Maune was careful to use the freshest snow, some commenters expressed concerns about possible contaminants in the snow.

“People are very enthusiastic about what they think of snow ice,” she said of the comments. “I kind of think of it as cookie dough. I ate cookie dough as a child. Have I ever gotten sick or died from eating raw cookie dough? No. Could I probably do that? Yes. I feel like you need to live a little.”

When it comes to eating snow, the layer furthest from the ground on a calm, windless day is the safest option, said children’s expert Dr. Laura Martin, as discussed in a Nationwide Children’s Hospital blog post. This top layer, untouched by dirt and pollutants, offers the best chance of enjoying the snow safely.

Martin said snow is generally safe to eat. The main risk comes from snow’s direct contact with pollutants such as dirt, animal waste, fertilizers and pesticides.

“I’m in rural Missouri. Like a small town and that’s where I’ve lived my whole life in Washington,” Maune said. “We always managed it. No one ever ended up in the hospital.

Maune plans to pass the recipe on to her children one day. As an influencer, she decided to ignore the negative comments with a laugh.

“I once made a watery macaroni and cheese and to quote this video, someone said throw away the crock pot, the wife and the whole house,” Muane said, laughing hysterically. “The more negative comments boost your video, the more money you get for it.”

If you’re planning on making your own snow ice cream this winter, Dr. Martin simple: On a calm day, choose snow from the top layer and enjoy this treat at your leisure – and like everyone else, keep in mind indulgences, moderation is the key.