If you’re making several drinks for an Easter egg hunt, choose a large pack only if your household will use the rest after the event. Compare the price per kilogram for your usual way of shopping, then choose between recipes by checking their ingredients, sugars and allergens: pack size alone isn’t enough to make the right choice.
If you’re planning several breakfasts or snacks, a large pack can be handy, provided you have a plan for using it after the Easter egg hunt. Compare pack sizes by weight rather than judging by the size of the tub.
A familiar flavour or the cocoa content of a particular product may matter more than pack size. Carrefour and Auchan list 23% low-fat cocoa for Nesquik 1 kg and 32% cocoa for Poulain Grand Arôme, respectively.
If several people will be sharing the drink, check the exact product before choosing a pack size. The nutrition declaration, ingredients list and allergen information each provide different details.
Start with how much you’ll actually use, then compare recipes that suit the people you’ll be serving.
| Criteria | What to check | Who is it for? |
|---|---|---|
| Quantity and cost per kilogram | Compare the price per kilogram for the same type of purchase, and make sure you’ll use all of the contents. | If I’m making several drinks, I want a suitable amount without leaving a large, opened pack unused. Around 42% of consumers put this need for the right quantity and cost control first. |
| Sugars and allergens | Compare sugar levels on the same basis, particularly per 100 g of powder, and check the allergens for the exact product. | If I’m serving guests whose dietary requirements I need to accommodate, the ingredients matter more than pack size. This is the main concern for around 33% of consumers. |
| Recipe and cocoa | Check the cocoa content and the ingredients that make the recipe distinctive, including any cereals. | If my household prefers a stronger cocoa flavour or a familiar recipe, a large pack is only useful if they enjoy the drink. This is the main deciding factor for around 25% of consumers. |
You can’t compare different pack sizes just by looking at how they’re presented. A pack that goes mostly unused after the event may not meet your needs either.
Compare the price per kilogram at your usual shop or for your chosen delivery option, then estimate how much of the rest you’ll use.
The DGCCRF states that Nutri-Score is voluntary. For prepacked foods, the nutrition declaration also provides nutritional values; it doesn’t replace the ingredients list or allergen information.
Compare values shown on the same basis and check the full label for each product.
Carrefour and Auchan list different cocoa proportions for different products, while the Banania recipe also includes cereals. These differences may matter if you’re looking for a particular flavour or need to avoid certain ingredients.
Decide what type of recipe you want before choosing between pack sizes.
The Nesquik Less Sugar product listed by Carrefour comes in a 350 g pack. According to the brand, its comparative claim refers to the sugar per mug compared with the average in children’s cocoa drinks; it doesn’t compare all large packs with one another.
If sugar content is a priority, check the basis of comparison and the nutrition declaration, then decide whether this pack size suits your needs.
Carrefour lists a classic powder in a 1 kg tub, as well as a separate 350 g Less Sugar product.
Auchan lists Grand Arôme in a 960 g pack, made up of 800 g plus an extra 160 g.
Auchan lists a 1 kg pouch combining cocoa, cereals, banana and honey.
Carrefour lists KaoMix in a 1 kg tub.
E.Leclerc lists a 1 kg instant chocolate drink powder under this brand.
These 800 g to 1 kg powders are suited to making drinks regularly around the Easter egg hunt. To choose between them, check the price per kilogram for your usual type of purchase, as well as the label for the variant you’re considering.
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This 1 kg pack is suitable for a household that plans to use chocolate powder regularly. ‘34%’ appears in the product name; check the packaging to see which part of the recipe this refers to. This product contains milk and may contain nuts.
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This 1 kg pack is worth considering if your household will use the powder after the event. The listed recipe contains wheat and barley: check the ingredients list before serving it to anyone who needs to avoid these cereals.
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This 1 kg instant powder is for households planning to make several hot chocolates. The title states that it contains 20% cocoa. This product contains milk and may contain soya or cereals containing gluten; check the label before sharing.
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The 800 g pack may be enough for several servings without committing to a 1 kg pack straight away. The powder comes in granule form; check the nutritional information and allergens on the packaging before serving.
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This 800 g pouch is a good choice if your household wants to enjoy this recipe in several drinks. This product contains soya. To compare its sugar content with another powder, check that the values are given on the same basis: the figures shown for this product relate to the drink as prepared.
The charge described by the French Official Bulletin of Public Finance applies to the non-alcoholic drinks covered by the scheme, not to dry powder as such. When choosing chocolate powder, check the sugar content shown on the label instead.
No. The DGCCRF describes Nutri-Score as a voluntary label. It also states that prepacked foods must carry a nutrition declaration. Use the nutritional values, shown on the same basis, to compare products.
Check the packaging for the exact product. Carrefour lists soya in Nesquik 1 kg and cereals including wheat and barley in one Banania product; Auchan’s listing for Poulain Grand Arôme notes that it may contain milk. Don’t assume these warnings apply to every product from the same brand.
Choose an 800 g to 1 kg pack if you plan to use the rest in other recipes. Once opened, follow the storage instructions on the pack: Auchan advises storing Poulain Grand Arôme away from heat and moisture.