If you’re making several hot chocolates and want to avoid putting together each recipe from scratch, choose a chocolate drink powder you can measure out. If you’d rather control how much sugar goes into each mug, start with unsweetened cocoa instead. A product with a higher cocoa percentage may still contain sugar, so compare the ingredients, sugar per prepared serving, allergens and pack size for the holiday period.
If several people will be having hot chocolate during the holiday, the serving size and pack size matter. Banania lists Original in 250 g, 400 g and 1 kg packs; Poulain offers Grand Arôme in 250 g, 450 g and 800 g packs. The right size depends on how many mugs you expect to make.
Cocoa with no added sugar in the ingredients list lets you choose what goes into each mug. However, it takes more preparation than a sweetened chocolate drink powder. The product listings for E.Leclerc’s EQUADOR cocoa and Carrefour Bio cocoa illustrate this option.
To choose between a cocoa-rich recipe and one with other distinctive ingredients, check the ingredients rather than relying on the product name alone. Poulain states that Grand Arôme contains 32% cocoa; Banania lists ingredients including cereals, banana and honey in Original.
First decide whether you want a chocolate drink powder to measure out or cocoa that you can mix yourself. Then compare the recipe and the quantity you’ll need for the mugs you plan to make over the All Saints’ Day break.
| What to consider | What to check | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Preparation and pack size | Compare the pack weight and recommended serving size with the number of mugs you plan to make. | When I’m making several mugs, I want a recipe that’s easy to repeat without buying an oversized pack. Around 27% of consumers prioritise ease of serving and quantity. |
| Sugar content | Check the ingredients and sugar per 100 g, then how much powder is used per mug; take your choice of milk into account. | If everyone prefers their hot chocolate differently, I want to choose how much sugar to add. This is a priority for around 33% of consumers. |
| Allergens | Check the ingredients and any ‘may contain’ warnings for the exact product. Banania Original contains wheat and barley, among other ingredients. | If anyone in the household needs to avoid certain ingredients, I check the recipe before choosing a flavour or pack size. Around 20% of consumers prioritise this compatibility. |
| Flavour and cocoa | Check the cocoa content and other ingredients, but don’t use them to assume the sugar content. | For holiday mugs, I’m mainly looking for a cocoa-forward flavour or specific flavour ingredients. This comes first for around 20% of consumers. |
Unsweetened cocoa lets you choose what to add to your mug, but it isn’t a substitute for sweetened chocolate drink powder when you simply want to measure out a ready-made mix.
Check the ingredients list: it will tell you whether you’re buying cocoa powder or a mix that also contains sugar and other ingredients.
The cocoa percentage on its own doesn’t tell you how much sugar a product contains. Poulain’s Grand Arôme listing states that it contains 32% cocoa and 67 g of sugar per 100 g of powder.
Compare the cocoa content, sugar and recommended serving size separately.
Santé publique France explains that producers can choose whether to display it. Its presence doesn’t replace checking the ingredients, allergens and nutritional information.
Check these details for the product you’re considering, whether or not it displays a Nutri-Score.
Pack sizes vary: Banania lists Original in sizes up to 1 kg, while Poulain offers Grand Arôme in sizes up to 800 g. A large pack is only useful if it matches the number of mugs you expect to make.
Estimate how much you’ll need for your stay and check the storage instructions on the pack.
You may still have an opened pack to store after the holiday.
The powder listed by Auchan is presented as a mix for several mugs, in a 1 kg tub.
Original is a chocolate drink powder containing ingredients including cocoa, cereals, banana and honey. Banania offers it in several pack sizes.
Grand Arôme is a cocoa-based powder. Poulain states that it contains 32% cocoa and comes in 250 g, 450 g and 800 g packs.
The Carrefour listing consulted is for a 400 g pack of Classic' chocolate drink powder.
E.Leclerc’s listed unsweetened cocoa powder is for people who want to make their own hot chocolate.
These products offer several ways to make hot chocolate over the holiday: individual sachets, powders to measure out, capsules for a compatible machine and cocoa powder to mix yourself. First choose the preparation method that suits you, then check the recipe for the product you select.
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Individual sachets are handy if you prefer to make one mug at a time during your stay. To compare the sugar content with another recipe, check the ingredients and nutritional information for the prepared serving.
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This pack is a good option if you want to measure out powder for several drinks. Before comparing it with another recipe, check the pack for the cocoa percentage, sugar content and recommended amount per drink.
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This powder is worth considering if you’d rather measure out a chocolate drink mix than make each mug from cocoa. Less Sugar is part of the product name; to check how much sugar it contains, compare the nutritional information and the recommended serving size on the pack.
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Capsules save you measuring out powder for each drink, provided you have a compatible Dolce Gusto machine. Check that your machine is compatible and read the ingredients if anyone needs to avoid an allergen.
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This pack is for people who want to make several drinks using cocoa powder. Check the ingredients and recommended serving size on the pack before choosing what else to add to your mug; the 14.7% in the product name isn’t enough to determine the cocoa content.
No, you can’t determine this from the sugar content alone. The guidance published by the French Directorate General of Public Finances on 30 December 2019 applies in particular to non-alcoholic drinks that are ready to consume and contain added sugars, subject to the conditions of the tax. For a specific powder that needs to be diluted, ask for confirmation of its classification rather than assuming it is a ready-to-drink product.
No. Santé publique France says that producers can choose whether to display the Nutri-Score. Whether it appears or not, check the ingredients, allergens and nutritional information for the product you’re considering.
Start with the amount of powder and the recipe for the mug, rather than comparing only the figures per 100 g of powder. For example, Banania’s serving suggestion uses 15 g of Original powder and 200 ml of semi-skimmed milk. If you change the amount of powder or the milk, take that into account when comparing.
Before buying, read the ingredients and any ‘may contain’ warnings for the exact product and pack size. Banania Original contains wheat and barley, among other ingredients, and warns that it may contain traces of milk and soya; other recipes may carry different warnings.
Estimate how many mugs you’ll make and how much powder you’ll use for each before choosing a large pack. Then compare the available sizes and the storage instructions on the pack, especially if you’re likely to have an opened pack left over after your stay.