For cyclists, a dark chocolate ice lolly is best enjoyed after a ride, or somewhere it can be kept frozen, rather than as a snack to take along while riding. To choose one to suit your taste, distinguish between the proportion of chocolate in the lolly and the cocoa percentage of the chocolate itself: the words “dark chocolate” alone don’t tell you whether it has a high cocoa content. Also check the ingredients, allergens and portion size of the product you’re buying.
An ice lolly can be a welcome treat when you get back from a ride or during a break somewhere with access to a freezer. You’ll need to keep it stored correctly while travelling and until you’re ready to eat it. The DGCCRF recommends limiting the time frozen food is transported and using an insulated bag where possible.
If you’re looking for a strong cocoa flavour, check what each percentage refers to. Carrefour France lists the proportion of dark chocolate or chocolate coating in some ice lollies, but these figures don’t indicate the cocoa percentage of the chocolate used.
There’s more to a chocolate ice lolly than its coating. Check the ingredients list and allergen information on the box you choose, as well as the nutritional information per portion if that matters to you.
First decide where you’ll be able to store and eat the lolly, then compare the ingredients of products suited to that occasion. A percentage referring to the coating or the finished product isn’t a substitute for the cocoa content of the chocolate.
| What to consider | What to check | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Cocoa flavour | Look for the proportion of chocolate in the finished product and, if stated, the cocoa percentage of the chocolate used. | I want a strong dark chocolate flavour, but won’t mistake the word “dark” for a cocoa percentage. Around 40% of consumers prioritise this distinction. |
| When you’ll eat it | Check the storage instructions on the box and plan how you’ll keep it cold while travelling. | I’m planning to eat the lolly after a ride and need to keep it frozen until then. This comes before other considerations for around 30% of consumers. |
| Ingredients | Read the ingredients and allergen information; compare the nutritional values per 100 g and per portion, if shown. | Before choosing a recipe, I need to know what it contains and how much one lolly weighs. For around 30% of consumers, ingredients are the top priority. |
On Carrefour France’s product pages, the 29% dark chocolate in the Carrefour Extra Menthe Chocolat lolly and the 24.6% dark chocolate coating in the Carrefour Sensation Double Chocolat lolly are proportions of the finished product. Neither figure on its own tells you the cocoa content of the chocolate.
If this percentage will determine your choice, look for information specifically stating the cocoa content of the chocolate in the exact product you’re considering.
A frozen lolly needs to be kept at a temperature that can be difficult to maintain during a ride without suitable equipment. Its individual portion size doesn’t remove this constraint.
Save it for somewhere you can keep it cold. For the journey home from the shop, the DGCCRF recommends limiting transport time and using an insulated bag where possible.
Transporting it may therefore require insulated equipment and different planning from that needed for food that isn’t frozen.
The ingredients and potential trace allergen information for Carrefour Extra Menthe Chocolat and Carrefour Sensation Double Chocolat differ from one recipe to another.
If you have an allergy or avoid certain foods, check the ingredients and trace allergen information on the packaging of the product you’re buying.
These examples can help you compare recipes and formats. They’re not a ranking of the brands or an indication of their availability on Joybuy.
Carrefour France describes a Menthe Chocolat lolly combining mint ice cream and dark chocolate.
The Double Chocolat lolly featured by Carrefour France combines chocolate ice cream, chocolate sauce and a dark chocolate coating.
The range featured by Magnum in France includes ice creams described as dark chocolate, in several formats.
In France, Aldi’s MUCCI range includes a tub of dark chocolate ice cream and coffee and dark chocolate ice lollies.
This dark chocolate ice lolly is suited to enjoying after a ride, provided you can keep it cold. Its name alone doesn’t tell you the cocoa content of the whole lolly.
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Worth considering as a post-ride treat, as long as you can keep these ice lollies cold until you’re ready to eat them.
The pack contains 4 ice lollies and has a stated weight of 312 g. If cocoa content is important to you, check what any percentage shown on the packaging refers to.
It’s not a practical choice if you can’t keep it cold during your ride. Frozen ice lollies are best enjoyed after cycling or during a break where suitable storage is available. This is about transporting them and doesn’t imply any effect on sporting performance.
No. On its own, the phrase doesn’t tell you the cocoa percentage of the chocolate used. On Carrefour France’s product pages, the stated proportions for the Carrefour Extra Menthe Chocolat and Carrefour Sensation Double Chocolat lollies refer to the chocolate or coating in the finished product. If cocoa content is important to you, look for a separate figure specifically relating to cocoa.
Read the ingredients list and the allergen and trace allergen information on the box you’ve chosen, rather than relying on the recipe name. Information for the Carrefour ice lollies covered here shouldn’t be assumed to apply to all dark chocolate ice creams.
Limit the time they’re in transit and, as the DGCCRF recommends, use an insulated bag where possible to help maintain the cold chain. Then follow the storage instructions on the product packaging.