If you’re serving hot chocolate, choose sweetened drinking chocolate for a recipe that’s ready to mix with milk, or unsweetened cocoa powder if you’d rather measure out the ingredients yourself. If you’re catering for several people, check the amount needed per cup before choosing a pack size. And if your planned dish calls for a block of cheese to grate, you’ll need to shop in a different category.
Flavoured drinking chocolate saves you from measuring out each ingredient separately. If you’re serving a group, compare the amount needed per cup with the pack weight. The products listed by Auchan and Carrefour include 800 g and 1 kg packs.
Unsweetened cocoa powder lets you choose how much cocoa, milk and any extras to use. E.Leclerc and Auchan list unsweetened cocoa products intended for making drinks.
First, decide whether you want a pre-sweetened recipe or cocoa powder you can customise. Then work out how much you’ll need using the amount recommended per cup.
| What to consider | What to check | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Preparation and quantity | Compare the net weight with the recommended amount of powder per cup to work out how many drinks you can make. | If I’m serving several people, I want to make the drinks without measuring out every ingredient separately. Around 40% of consumers would prioritise the convenience of preparing several servings. |
| Sugar and recipe | Check the ingredients and the sugar content per 100 g of powder. Also take the milk and any extras in the cup into account. | I’d rather choose how much sugar to add than use a recipe that’s already sweetened. Around 30% of consumers would put this personal preference first. |
| Taste and ingredients | Check the cocoa content if it’s listed, as well as the cereals and any allergen information for the product you choose. | When serving guests, I look for a recipe with ingredients and a taste that suit the occasion. Around 30% of consumers would make this their main consideration. |
Drinking chocolate may contain sugar, while unsweetened cocoa powder lets you decide how to sweeten your drink.
Decide whether you want a ready-made recipe or to customise each cup, then check the ingredients and preparation instructions.
Hot chocolate, solid chocolate for cooking and a block of cheese each serve a different purpose at an Italian evening.
Before buying, check whether you’re making a drink or a dish that needs an ingredient to be grated or melted.
Drinking chocolate to mix with milk, available in a 1 kg pack in the product listed by Auchan.
Banania Original drinking chocolate combines cocoa, cereals, banana and honey. It’s available in 250 g, 400 g and 1 kg packs.
Carrefour lists several Poulain drinking chocolate products, including Grand Arôme, a “less sugar” version and Super Poulain in a 1 kg pack.
Carrefour lists drinking chocolate in a range of recipes and pack sizes.
Auchan lists a drinking chocolate with 32% cocoa in a 500 g pack, as well as 100% pure unsweetened cocoa powder in a 250 g pack.
No. Santé publique France states that producers display Nutri-Score voluntarily. If the logo isn’t shown, check the nutritional information and ingredients list to compare recipes.
First compare the ingredients, then check the sugar per 100 g of powder and the amount used per cup. Banania states that its Original powder contains 69 g of sugar per 100 g. For a drink made with unsweetened cocoa powder, the milk and any extras also contribute to the final ingredients.
Read the ingredients list and allergen information for the product you’re planning to serve. Banania Original contains wheat and barley, among other ingredients. Don’t assume that another drinking chocolate or cocoa powder has the same ingredients.
Not necessarily. Start with the number of cups you’re planning to serve and the recommended amount of powder per drink. Then compare the total with the pack sizes available and consider how you’ll use the rest of the pack.