Parents serving several children
Count the children before choosing a box: the products featured by Carrefour, Magnum and Auchan come in packs of four, six or twelve ice lollies, depending on the product.
Who are these pack sizes for?
Anyone catering for allergies
Check the ingredients for each product. The chocolate and vanilla ice creams featured contain milk; depending on the product, Magnum and Auchan also list other allergens or possible traces.
Families who prefer smaller portions
The Magnum Mini Classic featured by Magnum contains six 55 ml portions. To compare sizes, Auchan describes its Magnum Classic as a box of four 100 ml ice creams.
What should you look for before choosing?
Start by checking for any allergies, then count the children and compare portion sizes. Next, think about the recipe: a mini option, a larger box and a dark chocolate ice lolly won’t all satisfy the same craving.
| What to consider | What to check | Who is this important for? |
|---|---|---|
| Allergens | Read the ingredients and any ‘may contain’ warnings on the exact box you’re buying. Take account of the families’ guidance if children with allergies are attending. | If a child has an allergy, I need to know what’s in the product I’m serving them, rather than relying on the flavour alone. Around 36% of consumers would put this check first. |
| Number of portions | Compare the number of ice lollies with the number of children. The products mentioned from Carrefour, Magnum and Auchan come in packs of four, six or twelve, depending on the product. | If I’m serving the whole group at the same time, I want to be able to give every child a portion. This would be the priority for around 29% of consumers. |
| How much to store | Check the pack size and how much room you have in the freezer if you’ll need to keep any ice lollies after snack time. | For a small group, I’d rather not open a box if I’ll have lots of ice lollies left to store. Around 21% of consumers would prioritise this. |
| Recipe and portion size | Compare the volume or weight of each ice lolly, the chocolate recipe and the nutritional information given for the same quantity. | I’m looking for a particular portion size or a chocolate recipe the children will enjoy, without confusing size with ingredients. This would be the top priority for around 14% of consumers. |
Common mix-ups to avoid
-
Mistaking a box of chocolates for a box of ice lollies
Chocolate to give as a gift and keep at room temperature isn’t used or stored in the same way as ice cream served at snack time. The Tablette d’Or product featured by E.Leclerc is a milk-filled chocolate bar, not a frozen ice lolly.
Decide whether you want to give non-frozen chocolate or serve ice lollies, then compare products suited to that purpose.
-
Assuming the allergens from the flavour alone
The chocolate and vanilla recipes featured contain milk. Depending on the product, Magnum and Auchan also list other allergens or possible traces.
Check the label on the pack you’ve chosen, including any ‘may contain’ warnings, before serving children with allergies.
-
Choosing a box without counting the ice lollies
Four large ice lollies and six mini ones won’t serve the same number of children, even though both boxes contain individual portions.
Count the guests and check both the number of ice lollies and the size of each portion.
-
Forgetting how to store them before serving
Auchan’s product listings for Magnum Classic, Milka and Côte d’Or ice lollies say to store them at −18 °C. Make sure the journey and any wait before snack time are compatible with the storage instructions for the product you choose.
Plan how you’ll transport and store them before relying on ice lollies for snack time.
Brands to know
These products show a range of ice lolly formats; Tablette d’Or is included only to distinguish non-frozen chocolate from an ice lolly. Ingredients and allergen information vary from product to product.
Magnum
Magnum offers its Mini Classic in a box of 6 × 55 ml; Auchan also lists a Classic in a box of four 100 ml ice creams.
- These two pack sizes make it easy to compare the number and size of portions.
- The Classic recipes featured contain milk; Magnum also warns that the Mini Classic may contain nuts.
Carrefour Classic'
Carrefour offers a chocolate and vanilla ice lolly in a box of twelve.
- The number of ice lollies may suit a gathering with several children.
- Before serving children with allergies, check the ingredients for the exact product on its detailed listing or packaging.
Milka
Auchan offers vanilla ice lollies coated in milk chocolate in a box of four.
- The Auchan listing provides nutritional information per portion for this product.
- It lists milk and soya, as well as possible traces of other allergens, including nuts and peanuts.
Côte d'Or
Auchan describes a box of four vanilla ice lollies with a chocolate preparation and a milk chocolate coating.
- The description helps distinguish this recipe from a simple vanilla ice lolly with a chocolate coating.
- The listing mentions milk and possible traces of peanuts, nuts, cereals containing gluten and eggs.
Tablette d'Or
The product described by E.Leclerc is a filled milk chocolate bar, not an ice lolly.
- It’s a good choice if you want to give someone non-frozen chocolate rather than serve ice lollies.
- It isn’t a substitute for an ice lolly at snack time; the ingredients in this chocolate bar include milk powder.
Ice lollies on Joybuy
These boxes include mini ice lollies and other chocolate ice creams in individual portions. To choose between them, compare the number of pieces and the stated size, then check the ingredients and storage instructions for each product.
Image unavailable
Magnum Mini Classic, Almond & White Chocolate, x6, 254 g
A box of six mini ice lollies for serving individual portions. Check how the flavours are divided in the pack before deciding which ones to give each child.
If anyone has an allergy, check the label for milk and nuts in particular. Store the product frozen, following the instructions on the packaging.
Image unavailable
Magnum Mini Classic 6 × 55 ml
Six mini portions for a snack where the size of each ice lolly matters just as much as the number in the box. Magnum’s Mini Classic combines vanilla and milk chocolate.
Before serving a child with an allergy, check the box for milk and nuts, as well as the storage instructions.
Image unavailable
Snickers Chocolate Caramel and Peanut, 5 barres glacées, 204 g
A box of five ice cream bars for a group of this size, if the chocolate, caramel and peanut recipe is suitable for the children you’re serving.
Peanut is listed in the product name, so check the full ingredients and allergen information on the pack before snack time.
Image unavailable
POPELINO Intense Dark Chocolate, x4, 312 g
Four dark chocolate ice lollies for a small group who would prefer this recipe to a milk chocolate coating.
Check the allergens on the box and follow its storage instructions before serving.
Image unavailable
Magnum White Chocolate Almond 4 × 100 ml
Four 100 ml ice lollies for a small group who’d prefer a white chocolate and almond recipe to a mini format.
Almonds are listed in the name, so read all the allergen information on the box before serving the children, and follow the storage instructions.
Frequently asked questions
Is a chocolate and vanilla ice lolly suitable for a child with a milk allergy?
The Magnum Mini Classic and Classic products described by Magnum and Auchan contain milk, so don’t serve them to a child with a milk allergy. Check the exact box for other allergens and possible traces too.
What should you check on the box before serving children?
Read the ingredients, highlighted allergens, any ‘may contain’ warnings and the storage instructions for the product you’ve chosen. Anses reminds consumers that prepacked food labels include information intended in particular for people who are sensitive to certain ingredients.
Can you keep these ice lollies out of the freezer until snack time?
Plan transport and waiting time around the instructions for the product you’ve chosen, rather than leaving the ice lollies out of the cold until they’re served. Auchan says to store the Magnum Classic, Milka and Côte d’Or ice lollies featured here at −18 °C.
Can you take ice lollies to a school snack time?
First, ask the school about its rules for food brought in and handed out to children. Check with families about any allergies too, and make sure you can keep the ice lollies at the required temperature until they’re served.