Parents with a cool box
You’d like to take pots of fruit yoghurt, perhaps as a multipack to share, and can keep them at the recommended temperature during the journey and picnic.
Who are these options for?
Parents without a way to keep food cool on the go
You’re looking for a format that’s easy to hold or drink in the park. In that case, only choose an option that can be kept out of the fridge if the manufacturer says so for that exact product.
Shoppers who check the ingredients
You choose based on whether there are pieces, the sugar content, sweeteners or allergens. Check these details on the label for the flavour and format you’re buying.
What should you check before buying?
For a picnic, first check how the product needs to be stored until you’re ready to eat it. Then compare the texture and ingredients that suit your child, as well as how many portions you’ll need to carry.
| What to check | Check for | Who is it for? |
|---|---|---|
| Storage | The stated temperature, use-by date and any product-specific guidance on how long it can be kept out of the fridge. | If you’re taking a chilled product to the park, you need to be able to keep it under the stated conditions until it’s eaten; around 31% of shoppers put this first. |
| Texture and format | Descriptions such as ‘blended’, ‘with pieces’, ‘flavoured’, ‘drinkable’ or ‘pouch’; and a format your child can hold easily. | If your child doesn’t like pieces or prefers to drink their yoghurt without a spoon, look first for a format they’ll enjoy; around 25% of shoppers prioritise this. |
| Ingredients | Ingredients, allergens, sugars per 100 g and whether sweeteners are included. | If a known allergy or a preference about the recipe guides your choice, check the label for the exact product; around 25% of shoppers put ingredients first. |
| Number of portions | Number of units, quantity per unit, flavours in the multipack and available space in your cool box if the product needs to stay chilled. | If you’re sharing between several children, you’ll want enough portions without overloading your bag; around 19% of shoppers prioritise multipack size. |
Common pitfalls to avoid
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Assuming all yoghurts can stay in a bag for several hours
Anses highlights the importance of keeping food chilled to limit the growth of micro-organisms. Guidance from Danone and Yoplait on how long a product can be kept out of the fridge applies to specific drinkable formats, not all their yoghurts.
For a pot that needs to be kept chilled, use a cool box or insulated bag. For a drinkable format, follow the instructions on its own packaging.
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Confusing ‘flavoured’, ‘blended’ and ‘with pieces’
These descriptions don’t mean the same recipe or texture. Yoplait notes, for example, that a flavoured yoghurt may contain flavouring but no fruit.
If your child doesn’t like pieces, look for a blended texture and check the ingredients for the flavour you’ve chosen rather than relying on the picture on the pack.
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Assuming ‘0%’ means less sugar
The claim refers to fat. Auchan’s product information for one Panier de Yoplait 0% option lists 5.5 g of sugars per 100 g and says it contains sweeteners.
Compare the nutritional values per 100 g and the ingredients lists for the products you’re considering.
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Relying on the appearance of the yoghurt to check for allergens
Ingredients vary between recipes. For some of its Yaourts Pâtissiers, La Laitière warns that traces of nuts, soya or mustard may be present, depending on the flavour.
If you have a known allergy, check the ingredients and allergen information on the packaging of the product you actually buy.
Brands to know
Danone
Velouté includes blended fruit yoghurts, while Danonino offers formats aimed at children, including drinkable options.
- According to Danone France, Danonino drinkable yoghurt can be kept out of the fridge for up to 8 hours, subject to the conditions for that product.
- This guidance doesn’t apply to Velouté pots: Danone France says the cited Velouté blended strawberry fruit yoghurt must be kept at between +1 °C and +6 °C.
Yoplait
Yop, Frulos and Panier de Yoplait offer drinkable formats and a range of fruit recipes.
- Yoplait says its 180 g Yop format featured on its product page can be kept out of the fridge for up to 8 hours.
- Recipes aren’t interchangeable: Yoplait distinguishes between flavoured yoghurts, and Auchan’s product information for one Panier de Yoplait 0% option lists sweeteners.
Carrefour Classic'
The range includes multipacks of stirred fruit yoghurts, which may suit a group with a way to keep chilled products cold.
- Carrefour offers, among other options, a multipack of 16 × 125 g pots.
- Before heading out, check the flavours, ingredients and storage instructions for the multipack you choose.
Auchan
The brand offers, among other options, a creamy fruit yoghurt with pieces.
- Auchan’s product information for this option clearly states that it contains pieces.
- Auchan says it must be kept at between 0 °C and +6 °C. ‘Creamy’ doesn’t mean you can skip keeping it chilled in transit.
Delisse / Marque Repère E.Leclerc
The range lets you compare blended fruit yoghurts with recipes containing pieces, depending on the texture you’re after.
- E.Leclerc offers, among other options, a Delisse multipack of stirred, blended fruit yoghurts: 16 × 125 g.
- Before choosing a multipack of chilled yoghurts, check the storage instructions and product information for the option available in your local store.
La Laitière
The brand offers fruit yoghurts as well as dessert-style recipes that differ from classic fruit yoghurts.
- La Laitière offers several recipes, so you can choose according to the ingredients and texture listed for each one.
- For some Yaourts Pâtissiers, the brand warns that traces of nuts, soya or mustard may be present, depending on the flavour.
A drinkable option on Joybuy
For a break in the park, this is a strawberry-flavoured fermented drink in small individual portions, not a pot of fruit yoghurt. Its format alone doesn’t tell you how long it can be kept out of the fridge, so follow the instructions on the packaging you receive.
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WANT WANT Wantzai strawberry-flavoured yoghurt drink, 4 × 125 ml
The pack of four small drinks may suit you if you’re looking for individual portions to drink rather than a pot to eat with a spoon.
Before your picnic, check the storage instructions on the packaging, along with the ingredients and allergens if these matter to your choice.
Frequently asked questions
Can you take pots of fruit yoghurt without a cool box?
Not if the label says they must be kept in the fridge. Anses and the DGCCRF highlight the importance of maintaining the cold chain during transport. Any guidance allowing a product to be kept out of the fridge applies only to the specific format it refers to.
Does 0% fruit yoghurt always contain less sugar?
No: ‘0%’ refers to fat, not sugar content. Auchan’s product information for one Panier de Yoplait 0% option lists 5.5 g of sugars per 100 g and sweeteners. Compare the nutritional information and ingredients for the exact products you’re considering.
Where can you check the allergens in fruit yoghurt?
Read the ingredients list on the packaging you buy: the DGCCRF says allergenic ingredients must be clearly highlighted there. If you have a known allergy, also check for any product-specific warnings about possible traces.
Why check the use-by date before a picnic?
The use-by date must cover the day you plan to eat the product. The DGCCRF notes that a use-by date is a strict limit for the foods it applies to; it doesn’t replace the need to follow the storage instructions on the label.