Parents keeping an eye on sugar in the cup
You want a powder that’s easy to prepare, while comparing the sugars in the drink you actually serve. The amount of powder and the type of milk both matter.
Who is this choice for?
Families looking for a gentle recipe
You want a chocolatey flavour that children will enjoy drinking. Recipes containing cereals or other flavouring ingredients are also worth checking for their composition and allergens.
Households that prefer to control the recipe
You’re considering unsweetened cocoa so you can choose the amount of cocoa and milk separately, and decide whether to add sugar. You’ll need to prepare your own recipe rather than follow the instructions for a ready-made powder.
What should you look for first?
When stocking the cupboard, start by choosing the type of recipe that best suits your needs. Then compare prepared drinks made with the same volume and type of milk.
‘Less sugar’ powder
Consider this if: you want a ready-to-mix recipe while keeping an eye on the sugars in the drink you serve.
Bear in mind: this label doesn’t mean ‘sugar-free’. The serving you prepare and the ingredients still matter.
Classic flavoured recipe
Consider this if: the recipe’s ingredients and flavour are more important to your household.
Bear in mind: cereals, other ingredients and sugar levels vary by product. A gentle flavour doesn’t tell you how much sugar it contains.
Unsweetened cocoa
Consider this if: you’d rather make the drink yourself and decide whether to add sugar.
Bear in mind: you’ll need to find the amount and flavour that work for your household.
| Criteria | What to check | Who is it for? |
|---|---|---|
| Sugars in the cup | The ‘of which sugars’ figure for the prepared serving, how much powder you use and the type of milk. | I want to limit the sugars in the drink I serve without making it complicated to prepare. Around 31% of consumers would make this their top priority. |
| Flavour and recipe | The ingredients list and recommended amount before choosing a new recipe. | If your child doesn’t like the flavour, the packet may end up sitting in the cupboard. For around 31% of consumers, finding a gentle recipe would be the top priority. |
| Ingredients and allergens | Cereals, declared allergens and any ‘may contain’ warnings on the label of the packet you buy. | I need to know exactly what’s in the drink before serving it, or I’d rather control the amount of a simple cocoa base. Around 23% of consumers would put this need first. |
| Pack size | The net weight, storage instructions and how quickly your household will use the powder. | If the recipe is new to us, I’d rather avoid a packet that will be left open for a long time. Around 15% of consumers would prioritise a pack size suited to how they use it. |
Mistakes to avoid
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Reading ‘less sugar’ as ‘sugar-free’
Auchan gives the sugar content of Nesquik Less Sugar prepared according to its instructions as 13.3 g per 210 ml. So the name alone doesn’t tell you how much sugar is in the drink you serve.
To compare two recipes, look at servings prepared with the same volume and type of milk.
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Using Nutri-Score as your only criterion
According to the European Commission, front-of-pack nutrition labelling is voluntary. The absence of a Nutri-Score isn’t enough to judge a powder, and a score on its own doesn’t tell you what’s in the drink you’ll prepare.
If there’s a score on the packet, read it alongside the nutrition information, serving size, ingredients and allergens.
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Trusting a gentle flavour without checking allergens
Banania lists wheat in Original; the Nesquik Less Sugar product featured by Auchan contains oats and soya, among other ingredients. The two recipes don’t meet the same dietary requirements.
If you have dietary requirements to consider, check the label on the exact product every time you buy it, including any warnings about possible traces.
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Choosing a large pack before trying the recipe
Banania sells Original in several pack sizes, including 250 g, 400 g and 1 kg. The right size to keep in your cupboard depends on how often your household will use the recipe.
For a first try, choose an amount you’ll be able to use, then consider a larger pack if the recipe goes down well.
Brands to compare
These product ranges can help you compare recipes. Check the nutritional information and allergens for each individual product.
Nesquik
The range includes a cocoa powder labelled ‘Less Sugar’.
- For the product featured by Auchan, the nutrition table gives 13.3 g of sugars per 210 ml prepared according to the instructions.
- Compare this serving with an equivalent preparation and check the ingredients for the pack you choose, including the oats and soya listed for this product.
Poulain
Grand Arôme is among the chocolate powders in Carrefour’s range.
- You can compare its recipe and pack size with other cocoa powders for your cupboard.
- Check the ingredients, allergens and nutritional information for the exact product before comparing it by serving.
Banania
Original combines cocoa, cereals, banana and honey. Banania describes its flavour as biscuit-like.
- The brand offers packs including 250 g, 400 g and 1 kg, and gives the sugar content as 20 g per bowl prepared with 15 g of powder and 200 ml of semi-skimmed milk.
- The recipe contains wheat. You can only compare its sugar content per bowl directly with another powder if you use the same amount of powder and type of milk.
Carrefour Classic'
Carrefour sells chocolate powders under its own brands, alongside other types of cocoa powder.
- These products let you explore different types of recipe and pack size.
- Don’t assume the ingredients or nutritional information are the same across different products: check each label.
Bio Village (Marque Repère E.Leclerc)
The product featured by E.Leclerc is a low-fat cocoa powder whose ingredients list contains cocoa only.
- E.Leclerc gives the sugar content as 0.5 g per 100 g of powder and assigns this product a Nutri-Score B.
- This isn’t a ready-sweetened hot chocolate recipe: you choose the milk, amount of powder and whether to add sugar.
Chocolate powders on Joybuy
These powders let you explore different recipes and pack sizes for your cupboard. Before choosing one for a child, check the packet’s ingredients against your requirements and compare the sugars in the servings you actually plan to make.
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BENCO Less Sugar granules, 400 g
Worth considering if you’re looking for a granulated powder labelled ‘Less Sugar’. Check the sugars per prepared serving and the ingredients: the label alone doesn’t tell you what’s in the drink you serve.
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DAMTUH Hot Chocolate Sugar Free Pokemon, 10 sachets of 20 g
Individual sachets may suit you if you prefer to make one serving at a time. Check the ingredients and allergens, as well as the sugars in the drink depending on whether you make it with water or milk. The ‘Sugar Free’ name alone doesn’t describe both preparations.
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Bananina Original, 400 g
This size could be a good way to try the recipe before choosing a larger pack. Check the ingredients, allergens and serving size; don’t assume it has the same nutritional information as another brand with a similar name.
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Bananina Original, 1 kg
The 1 kg pack is worth considering if your household already knows this recipe and uses it regularly. Check the label on the pack you buy, then look at the amount of powder and sugars in the prepared drink.
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BENCO Original granules, 400 g
Consider this if you’re looking for a granulated chocolate powder rather than a recipe labelled ‘Less Sugar’. Before choosing between the two products, check the sugar content for the preparation you have in mind and the allergens listed on the packet.
Frequently asked questions
Is Nutri-Score compulsory on hot chocolate powder in France?
No, it isn’t generally compulsory. The European Commission says front-of-pack nutrition information is voluntary; in France, Nutri-Score is a recommended additional way to present it. When comparing powders, check the nutrition information and ingredients on the packet too.
Why check the sugars in your drink rather than the amount per 100 g of powder?
Because the amount of powder and the milk you use affect what’s in the drink you serve. Auchan gives the sugar content of Nesquik Less Sugar prepared according to its instructions as 13.3 g per 210 ml. Banania gives 20 g per bowl of Original made with 15 g of powder and 200 ml of semi-skimmed milk. These figures are for two different preparations, so only compare them after matching the volume and type of milk.
How can I check the allergens in a chocolate powder?
Read the ingredients and allergen information on the exact packet you’re buying. Banania lists wheat in Original, while the Nesquik Less Sugar product featured by Auchan contains oats and soya, among other ingredients. Don’t assume the label for one recipe applies to another.