For a mid-morning treat, start by considering the portion size and recipe you’re after: a mini selection lets you try different flavours, while a box of chocolate-coated sticks or a fruity recipe may suit other tastes. If you’re thinking of giving ice cream sticks as a gift, first check that the recipient can put them in the freezer straight away. Unlike a box of chocolates, they need to stay frozen.
If you want to enjoy just one stick mid-morning, compare the size of each one rather than looking only at how many ice creams are in the box. Carrefour France, for example, lists a selection of eight mini sticks weighing 32 g each.
Recipes and allergen information vary from one flavour to another. If you need to avoid an ingredient, check the ingredients list and any ‘may contain’ warnings on the packaging of the product you’re buying.
A selection of ice cream sticks is easy to share if the recipient has access to a freezer as soon as you give them the gift. Remember to plan for the journey, too: the Directorate General for Competition Policy, Consumer Affairs and Fraud Control recommends keeping transport time to a minimum and preferably using an insulated bag.
First decide on the portion size and type of recipe, then check the label on the exact product. If you’re buying a box as a gift, being able to transport it and get it into a freezer straight away matters more than the choice of flavours.
| Criteria | What to check | Who is it for? |
|---|---|---|
| Portion and format | The number of sticks, followed by the weight or volume of each one; compare the nutrition information per portion if it’s provided. | For a quick break, I want to know how much one stick is without relying on the size of the box. Around 33% of consumers put portion size first. |
| Nutritional information | Sugars, fat and energy per portion and per 100 g; if a Nutri-Score is shown, treat it as an additional guide. | If I’m choosing between several recipes, I’d rather check their nutrition information before deciding. This is the top priority for around 25% of consumers. |
| Ingredients and allergens | The ingredients list and any ‘may contain’ warnings for the flavour and batch you’re buying. | If there’s an ingredient I need to avoid, the flavour name alone isn’t enough to help me decide. Checking ingredient suitability comes first for around 25% of consumers. |
| Gifting and keeping food frozen | How long the journey will take and whether the box can go straight into a freezer when it’s handed over. | If I’m giving someone a box, I need to be able to hand it over promptly to someone who can store it properly. Around 17% of consumers put this consideration first. |
A box of frozen ice creams can’t be left at room temperature until it’s time to give it as a gift. The product information checked states that they should be stored at −18 °C and not refrozen after defrosting.
Make sure the recipient has access to a freezer as soon as you hand the box over. For the journey, keep the trip short and preferably use an insulated bag, as recommended by the Directorate General for Competition Policy, Consumer Affairs and Fraud Control.
For the products listed by Carrefour France, ingredients and the risk of traces vary by recipe, even between chocolate selections.
Before buying for someone with an allergy or intolerance, check the packaging of the exact product, especially its ingredients list and any ‘may contain’ warnings.
‘Mini’ describes the portion size, not the nutritional values. Similarly, the Solero Fruits Exotiques product listed by Carrefour France includes dairy ingredients despite its fruity name.
Compare the nutrition information per portion and per 100 g, as well as the ingredients in the recipe you’ve chosen. If a Nutri-Score is shown, consider it alongside this information rather than as a substitute for it.
The range includes ice cream sticks and mini selections. The Mini Classic, Almond and White Chocolate selection listed by Magnum France brings together three recipes.
The range includes assorted mini sticks as well as boxes of chocolate-coated sticks in a different format.
The product listed by Carrefour France pairs vanilla ice cream with Côte d’Or milk chocolate.
Fruits Exotiques is one to consider if you’d prefer a recipe with a fruity focus rather than a selection centred on chocolate.
The chocolate, caramel and milk product listed by Carrefour France comes in a box of four.
These boxes include mini sticks and other chocolate-flavoured ice cream sticks, for an individual treat or sharing. To compare them, check the number of sticks, the quantity shown and the label on the product you plan to serve.
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Worth considering if you’d like a selection of chocolate flavours in a box of mini sticks.
The title lists six sticks and 254 g for the box. Check the label on the product you buy to compare the amount you’ll be eating and the ingredients.
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This mini format could suit you if you’re after a box of caramel ice cream sticks and don’t necessarily need a selection of flavours.
The title lists six sticks and 330 g in total. Check the packaging for the ingredients and nutrition information per portion.
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One to consider if you’d prefer a chocolate recipe rather than a selection of different flavours.
The title lists four sticks and 284 g for the box, but doesn’t specify the size of each portion. Check the label for the ingredients and nutrition information per stick.
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This box gives you four individual portions of a chocolate and biscuit recipe.
Each stick is listed as 62 ml. To compare its nutrition information with a box listed in grams, use the values on the packaging and don’t treat millilitres and grams as equivalent.
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Worth considering for a mini treat if you’re after this chocolate and caramel recipe rather than a selection of different flavours.
The title lists six sticks and 282 g for the box. Check the packaging for the quantity per stick, ingredients and storage instructions.
No: ‘mini’ refers first and foremost to the portion size, not the nutritional profile. Compare the sugars, fat and energy per portion and per 100 g on the packaging of both recipes. For example, Carrefour France lists its Mini Assortment as 32 g per stick.
Yes, as long as the box stays frozen during the journey and can go into the recipient’s freezer promptly. For transport, the Directorate General for Competition Policy, Consumer Affairs and Fraud Control recommends keeping the journey short and preferably using an insulated bag. Ice cream sticks need to be stored differently from chocolates.
Check the packaging of the specific selection you’re buying. The chocolate products listed by Carrefour France may contain milk, soya or almonds, depending on the recipe, and some products may carry a risk of traces. The range name alone doesn’t tell you what’s in each flavour.
No: if shown, the Nutri-Score is an additional guide. When choosing between two products, also check the nutrition information per portion and per 100 g, the size of the stick, the ingredients and the allergens. Public Health France presents the Nutri-Score as a way to help you understand nutrition information.