If you regularly serve hot chocolate with a savoury breakfast, first choose a pack size your household will use, then compare the sugars per 100 g of powder, the amount per mug and the ingredients. Sweetened chocolate powder makes preparation simple; unsweetened cocoa lets you decide whether to add sugar, but means making the drink up yourself. In either case, the drink accompanies the meal: it does not become a savoury food.
A 1 kg pack and an easy-to-repeat serving size can work well when several people drink it regularly. Carrefour and Auchan, for example, stock Nesquik, Banania and Super Poulain in this size; check the preparation instructions for the product you choose.
The “of which sugars” figure per 100 g of powder makes it easier to compare products on a like-for-like basis. If you want to decide for yourself whether to add sugar, distinguish unsweetened cocoa from sweetened chocolate powders, then take account of any other ingredients added to the drink.
Check the ingredients list before buying: Carrefour’s product pages for Nesquik and Super Poulain mention soya, while the one for Banania Original lists wheat and barley, among other ingredients. Also check the warnings about possible traces on the packaging of the product you choose.
For a drink served with a savoury meal, start by checking the ingredients and allergens, then make sure the pack size and preparation suit how often your household will drink it.
| What to check | What to look for | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Sugars and ingredients | Compare the sugars per 100 g of powder and the amount per mug. Distinguish sweetened powder from unsweetened cocoa. | I want to know what the drink will add to my meal and, if necessary, choose how much sugar to add myself. Around 42% of consumers would put this first. |
| Pack size and preparation | Check the net weight, the amount recommended per drink and the storage instructions. | When several people regularly have hot chocolate, I look for a pack size and serving instructions that suit the way we use it. This would be the main concern for around 33% of consumers. |
| Allergens and recipe | Read the ingredients and trace warnings for the exact product, especially for soya and cereals containing gluten. | If someone in my household needs to avoid an ingredient, I check the recipes before choosing a large pack, even if the drink is only served alongside a meal. Around 25% of consumers would put this compatibility first. |
In France, the DGCCRF states that displaying the Nutri-Score is voluntary. However, for most prepacked foods, the nutrition declaration lets you check the sugars per 100 g.
Check the nutrition table and ingredients list. Use the Nutri-Score as additional information when it is shown.
With unsweetened cocoa, you choose which ingredients to add. Sweetened chocolate powder is designed for a different kind of preparation, so the labels may not describe drinks made in the same way.
First decide whether you want to make up your own drink or follow the instructions for a chocolate powder, then compare products of the same type.
A large pack may not suit your household if the recipe contains an ingredient you need to avoid. You also need to be able to store the powder according to the packaging instructions.
Check the allergens, amount per mug and storage instructions before settling on a pack size.
If you only drink it occasionally, you will also need to take extra care when storing an opened 1 kg pack.
Sweetened chocolate powder can be served alongside savoury foods, but that does not change its ingredients. The amount of powder used and any other ingredients in the drink all count towards what goes into your mug.
If the sugars in your meal are a factor in your choice, check the figures per 100 g of powder and the recommended serving, or consider making your own drink with unsweetened cocoa.
These products show the different ingredients and preparation methods worth checking for each item. The brand name is no substitute for reading the label.
A chocolate powder available in a 1 kg tin, among other sizes, for making hot or cold drinks.
Super Poulain comes in a 1 kg tin, with a specific preparation instruction.
Banania Original combines cocoa and cereals, among other ingredients, and is available in a 1 kg pack.
The range includes KaoMix in a 1 kg pack, available from Carrefour.
Auchan’s range includes Cao Kido in a 1 kg pack and unsweetened cocoa in a 250 g pack.
These 800 g to 1 kg packs are for chocolate drinks served alongside breakfast. Compare their size and recipe without assuming that products with similar names have the same ingredients.
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This 1 kg pack may suit a household that regularly makes chocolate drinks.
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This 1 kg pack is for households that want to make chocolate drinks regularly.
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This 1 kg pack may appeal to a household that often makes chocolate drinks.
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This 800 g pack is another option to consider if a 1 kg pack does not suit the way you use it.
No. As the DGCCRF explains, displaying it is voluntary. However, most prepacked foods must have a nutrition declaration, so use the “of which sugars” figure to compare powders on a like-for-like basis.
First, compare the “of which sugars” figure per 100 g of powder on each pack. Then check the amount used per mug: a figure per 100 g of powder cannot be directly compared with one for a drink already made with milk.
Yes, it can be served alongside savoury foods, but it is not itself a savoury food. If you want to decide whether to add sugar to the drink, consider unsweetened cocoa and check the ingredients you plan to add.
Before buying, read the ingredients and trace warnings for the exact product. Carrefour’s product pages list wheat and barley in Banania Original, and soya in Nesquik and Super Poulain. Check the label of any different recipe separately.