First, choose a product whose ingredients and storage requirements are suitable for your child and meet the nursery’s rules. Then compare the number of pots, the weight of each pot and the sugars per 100 g. A large pack makes it easier to prepare several snacks, but it doesn’t guarantee a suitable portion size or a recipe that meets your child’s needs. If your child has a specific dietary requirement, follow its guidance before considering pack size.
If your child needs to avoid milk or another ingredient, check the label and the guidance agreed with the nursery before choosing a pack. The French Ministry of National Education states that an Individualised Welcome Plan (PAI) can be put in place to support a child with a food allergy.
A pack of individual pots can provide several snacks planned in advance. However, the number of pots isn’t enough to go on: check their weight, use-by date and storage requirements before buying a larger pack.
If the ingredients guide your choice, compare the sugars per 100 g, the product description and the ingredients list. Claims such as ‘with fruit’, ‘for children’ or ‘0%’ don’t replace checking the nutritional information for the specific product you’re considering.
For a snack brought to nursery, first make sure the product can be served and stored as required. Consider the recipe and pack size next.
| Criteria | What to check | Who this matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Ingredients and nursery arrangements | Check the allergens listed on the packaging and ask whether the nursery accepts this product. Follow the PAI where applicable. | If my child needs to avoid an ingredient or follow specific guidance, I need to know what the nursery can serve. Around 42% of consumers would put this compatibility first. |
| Recipe | Compare the product description, ingredients and sugars per 100 g; also check the ingredients in a ‘0%’ recipe. | When choosing between fruit recipes, I want to know what each pot contains rather than rely on the front of the pack. Around 33% of consumers would prioritise this. |
| Portions and storage | Check the number of pots, the weight of each one, the use-by date and the temperature stated on the product. | When preparing several snacks, I need portions that can be used before their use-by date, and a way to keep them chilled. Pack logistics would be the top criterion for around 25% of consumers. |
The dairy products described here contain milk. A larger pack doesn’t make a product suitable for someone who needs to avoid a particular food, or mean it will meet the nursery’s arrangements.
Check the label on the product you buy and ask the nursery what you can bring in. If your child has a medically confirmed allergy or intolerance, follow the individual arrangements in place for them.
A Carrefour Classic’ 0% product described by Carrefour contains sucralose and acesulfame K. So the claim on the front of the pack doesn’t tell you everything about its ingredients.
Read the ingredients list and compare the nutritional information per 100 g against the criteria that matter to your household.
A pack of 24 × 50 g pots and a pack of 16 × 125 g pots don’t offer the same individual portion size. The product description may also differ.
Check the weight of each pot and the exact product description before deciding which size suits the snacks you have planned.
Auchan’s listings for the fruit products mentioned here specify chilled storage, but you’ll need to check the nursery’s arrangements for receiving and storing them.
Ask how the snack will be received and stored, then follow the temperature and use-by date shown on the packaging.
A pack that’s too large for the snacks you can realistically provide may leave you with unused pots before their use-by date.
These ranges offer examples of different pack sizes and recipes. Always check the label for the flavour and pack you choose.
The Danonino pack described by Auchan contains 24 × 50 g pots, a different format from packs of 125 g pots.
Yoplait’s Panier de Yoplait range includes fruit yoghurts with pieces. Some products are available in multipacks with assorted pots.
Carrefour lists, among other products, blended fruit yoghurts in packs of 16 × 125 g, as well as another fruit yoghurt with pieces labelled ‘0%’.
E.Leclerc lists blended fruit yoghurts and products with pieces, including multipacks of several 125 g pots.
Auchan lists assorted fruit yoghurts with pieces in packs of 16 × 125 g.
No, not if your child’s diet requires them to avoid milk. Read the ingredients and allergen information for the product you’re considering, then follow the dietary guidance agreed with the nursery, including the PAI where applicable.
Compare the number of pots and the weight of each one, then check the nutritional information per 100 g. This gives you a consistent basis for comparing products, even when the individual portions are different sizes. Also check the product descriptions of the items you’re comparing.
No: it doesn’t tell you everything about the recipe. A Carrefour Classic’ 0% product described by Carrefour contains sweeteners. Read its ingredients list and check that the product meets the nursery’s requirements.
Follow the temperature instructions on the packaging and ask the nursery how it receives and stores food brought in from home. The Auchan products described specify different chilled storage ranges, depending on the product. Check the instructions on the pot you plan to bring.