For a sit-down party tea, individual pots work well if you can provide spoons and keep the yoghurts chilled until serving. A small drinkable format makes serving easier without spoons, but you’ll need to check its storage instructions separately. Whichever format you choose, check the ingredients, milk allergen information, sugars per portion and use-by date for each product.
Parents or organisers of a group party tea who need to know about children’s dietary exclusions before handing out dairy products. France’s Directorate-General for Competition Policy, Consumer Affairs and Fraud Control reminds shoppers that allergenic ingredients in pre-packed foods must be highlighted on the label.
Anyone who wants to hand out individual portions while taking into account the need for spoons, serving time and storage instructions. A drinkable yoghurt means you don’t need spoons, but you should still read the instructions for that product range.
Anyone choosing between fruit pieces, a flavoured recipe and different flavours. Checking the ingredients list and nutritional information for each product lets you compare recipes rather than assume that every product from a brand has the same ingredients.
For a birthday party, first choose a format that suits the way you plan to serve it, then check each recipe before buying. A pot with fruit pieces, a flavoured yoghurt and a drinkable format won’t all meet the same needs.
| Criterion | What to check | Who is it for? |
|---|---|---|
| Allergens | Read the ingredients and allergen information for every flavour you buy; have a separate suitable option for children who need to avoid milk. | If a child at the party needs to avoid milk, I want to be able to identify their product without any risk of confusion when serving. Around 42% of consumers put this check first. |
| Serving and storage | Compare pots with drinkable formats, the number of portions, the use-by date and the storage instructions for each product. | If the party tea is standing-room-only or portions are being handed out gradually, I want a format that’s easy to serve while keeping the yoghurt chilled. This is a priority for around 33% of consumers. |
| Texture and ingredients | Check whether it contains fruit pieces, read the ingredients and look at the ‘of which sugars’ figure per 100 g, then per portion. | To cater for different texture and flavour preferences, I want to know what’s in each recipe before choosing a selection. Around 25% of consumers make this their priority. |
Whether a yoghurt contains fruit pieces and which ingredients it includes vary from product to product. For example, Yoplait lists 16.7 g of sugars per 100 g for Frulos Goût panaché, a flavoured yoghurt. This figure doesn’t apply to the brand’s other products.
Compare the ingredients list and the ‘of which sugars’ figure for each product, first per 100 g and then per portion served.
The storage instructions on the pack matter just as much as the number of pots. Auchan, for example, says its selection of fruit yoghurts with pieces should be kept between 0 °C and +6 °C.
Check the use-by dates on the packs and store the products according to the instructions until you’re ready to serve them.
The Carrefour Bio fruit yoghurt recipe featured by the retailer contains milk. The production method doesn’t replace the need to check allergen information.
Check the label on the specific product you buy, and arrange a separate alternative if a child needs to avoid milk.
The brand offers several distinct ranges, including Panier de Yoplait with fruit pieces, flavoured Frulos and drinkable Yop.
The brand lists fruit yoghurts and dessert-style yoghurts separately.
Carrefour offers a fruit yoghurt with pieces in a pack of eight 125 g pots.
Auchan offers a mixed selection of fruit yoghurts with pieces in a pack of 16 125 g pots.
No. A yoghurt containing milk isn’t suitable for a child who needs to avoid it. Ask families about any dietary exclusions before the party tea, then check the allergen information for every product you buy. If needed, provide a separate suitable alternative.
Check both: the figure per 100 g lets you compare recipes on the same basis, while the figure per pot reflects the portion being served. Check the information for the specific flavour and format you’ve chosen.
Follow the instructions for the specific product rather than assuming the same time limit applies to all drinkable yoghurts. Yoplait says its small Yop formats can be kept out of the fridge for up to 8 hours. This guidance applies to that range only, not to other products.
Check the ingredients and allergen information, nutritional details, use-by date and storage instructions for each product. France’s Directorate-General for Competition Policy, Consumer Affairs and Fraud Control reminds shoppers that allergenic ingredients in pre-packed foods must be highlighted on the label.