For a Christmas meal, first choose a number of pots that suits your guests and a use-by date that covers the day you plan to serve them. Then compare recipes based on the texture you’re looking for, and check the ingredients and nutritional information for the specific product, especially if you’re considering a 0% option or a dessert-style recipe.
If yoghurts are among the desserts you’re serving at Christmas, the number and weight of the pots can help you plan portions without ending up with too many leftovers. E.Leclerc, for example, lists Delisse products in packs of 16 x 125 g pots.
A yoghurt with pieces of fruit may be more appealing than one with a completely smooth texture. Yoplait describes Panier l’Original as a yoghurt with pieces of fruit, while Auchan’s range also distinguishes between blended and stirred recipes.
To compare a classic recipe, a 0% version and a dessert-style yoghurt, check the fat, sugar and sweetener content, as well as the ingredients and allergens for each flavour.
Start with portions and storage, then choose the texture and recipe that suit the dessert you have in mind.
| Criteria | What to check | Who is this for? |
|---|---|---|
| Portions and storage | Number of pots, weight per pot, use-by date and space in the fridge. | If I’m serving several guests, I want enough portions without having too many pots left over after the meal. Around 40% of consumers make this their top priority. |
| Texture and recipe | Fruit pieces, blended fruit, a fruit layer or a dessert-style recipe; check the fruit content stated for the product you choose. | For a dessert where texture matters, I prefer to be able to pick out pieces of fruit or choose a recipe with biscuit. Around 30% of consumers put this first. |
| Ingredients and allergens | Ingredients list, allergens, fat, sugar and sweeteners for the specific flavour. | If the ingredients determine my choice, I need to be able to check the recipe before choosing a pack. For almost 30% of consumers, this is their top priority. |
The product name alone isn’t enough to compare recipes. Carrefour’s listing for a Yoplait Panier assortment shows that fruit content varies by flavour.
Check the ingredients list and the fruit percentage shown on the specific product you plan to serve.
According to Yoplait, its Panier 0% range contains sweeteners. So the claim on the front of the pack doesn’t replace checking the other information on the pot.
Check the fat, sugar and sweetener content separately in the nutritional information and ingredients list.
Any pots left over could pass their use-by date. The Ministry of the Economy reminds consumers that use-by dates are strict deadlines for the products concerned, while the DGCCRF recommends keeping chilled products cold.
Choose a number of pots that suits your guests, follow the storage temperature on the packaging and keep the yoghurts chilled until you serve them.
A dessert-style recipe may include ingredients that aren’t found in another flavour. La Laitière, for example, describes its Yaourts Pâtissiers as recipes containing pieces of biscuit.
If a guest needs to avoid an ingredient, check the highlighted allergens and any ‘may contain’ statements on the packaging of the flavour you buy.
The Panier range lets you compare yoghurts with pieces of fruit with a 0% version.
Auchan’s range includes a Danone fruit yoghurt pack of 16 x 125 g pots.
The brand’s Yaourts Pâtissiers offer a dessert option with pieces of biscuit, in a pack of 12 pots.
Auchan’s range distinguishes between yoghurts with pieces of fruit, blended or stirred yoghurts, fruit-on-the-bottom options and lighter varieties.
The Delisse products featured by E.Leclerc include blended fruit yoghurts and yoghurts with pieces of fruit, including larger packs.
Check the product name, ingredients, highlighted allergens, net quantity, nutritional information and date. The DGCCRF sets out the labelling rules that apply to pre-packed foods in France. Always compare flavours using the information on their individual packaging.
Yes, as long as the use-by date covers the day of your meal and you can maintain the stated storage temperature until you serve them. The Ministry of the Economy reminds consumers that use-by dates are strict deadlines for the products concerned, while the DGCCRF recommends keeping chilled products in the fridge.
No: “0%” on its own doesn’t tell you about the sugar or sweetener content. According to Yoplait, its Panier 0% range contains sweeteners, so check the ingredients and nutritional values for your chosen flavour.