Parents mindful of allergens
You’re preparing dessert for several children and need to check before you buy whether each recipe meets their dietary requirements, particularly when it comes to milk and nuts.
Who are these portions for?
Anyone organising a frozen dessert for a group
You want to plan for one ice lolly per person and serve dessert without having to cut up a larger ice cream to share.
Families looking for a choice of flavours
You’re looking for a box with several flavours, while making sure each variety is suitable before letting the children choose.
What should you check before buying?
For a frozen dessert for a group, start with dietary requirements, then count the portions and choose flavours based on which recipes are suitable for everyone.
| What to check | What to look for when buying | Who this matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Allergens | Read the ingredients and any ‘may contain’ statements for each variety in the pack; check the group’s dietary requirements. | If a child needs to avoid milk or nuts, I need to be able to identify a suitable recipe before preparing dessert. Around 36% of consumers would make this their top priority. |
| Number of portions | Count the number of pieces in the box and allow one portion for each person. | To serve the whole group without cutting anything up or running short of ice lollies, I need a suitable number of pieces. This would be the priority for around 29% of consumers. |
| Flavours and recipes | Compare the flavours on offer and check the ingredients of each variety separately. | I’d like to give the children a choice of flavours, as long as the recipes we choose are suitable for the group. Around 21% of consumers would put variety first. |
| Storage | Plan how to transport the frozen products and check the storage instructions on the box. | If dessert needs to wait before being served, I need to be able to keep the ice lollies frozen until then. For around 14% of consumers, keeping everything cold would be the main concern. |
Mistakes to avoid
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Assuming a mini ice lolly is suitable for every child
Recipes listed by Magnum, Carrefour Extra and Auchan include dairy ingredients and, depending on the variety, almonds or ‘may contain nuts’ statements.
Check dietary requirements before buying, then read the information for each variety on the packaging you plan to serve.
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Comparing boxes by the number of pieces alone
Boxes of six, eight and twelve do not necessarily contain portions of the same weight or volume. The Magnum assortment listed by Auchan contains six 55 ml ice creams, while the Carrefour Extra box contains eight 32 g ice lollies.
Check both the number of ice lollies and the quantity in each one, without directly converting millilitres into grams.
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Guessing the ingredients from the colour or flavour
The fruity TRIUM mini ice lolly listed by E.Leclerc contains dairy ingredients. The flavour alone is therefore not enough to tell you whether a recipe is suitable for a child who needs to avoid milk.
Check the ingredients list and allergen information for the exact product, including fruity and dark chocolate varieties.
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Taking all the ice lollies out at the start of the activity
Frozen desserts can melt while you’re getting things ready. ANSES recommends buying frozen products at the end of your shop to help maintain the cold chain.
Plan how to transport them and keep the boxes in the freezer until it’s time to serve; take out portions as you need them.
Brands to compare
Magnum
Magnum offers, among other products, Classic mini ice lollies and assortments in boxes of six. One format listed by Auchan contains six 55 ml portions.
- The mini format makes it easy to plan individual portions.
- The recipes checked contain milk; some also carry a ‘may contain nuts’ statement. Check the box you choose.
Carrefour Extra
Carrefour offers an assortment of eight 32 g mini ice lollies.
- The number of pieces is clearly stated, making it easier to plan servings for a group.
- The assortment described includes milk, soya and almonds, among other ingredients; check the ingredients for each variety.
Auchan
The Auchan assortment shown online contains eight mini ice lollies with different coatings.
- Several varieties come together in one box.
- Ingredients vary between ice lollies, including milk, soya and almonds. Read the information for each recipe.
TRIUM
E.Leclerc offers mini ice lollies under the TRIUM brand, including a vanilla recipe with a fruity coating and a rocher-style recipe.
- The recipes let you compare a fruity coating with a hazelnut variety.
- The fruity recipe described contains dairy ingredients; the rocher-style recipe contains milk and hazelnuts.
MUCCI
ALDI France offers a box of twelve MUCCI mini ice lollies in milk chocolate, white chocolate, almond and Classic varieties.
- Twelve pieces can make it easier to count out portions for a group.
- If serving these varieties to children with allergies, check the ingredients on the packaging first.
Ice lollies and water ices on Joybuy
These products are individual frozen portions to consider for a dessert shared with a group: ice lollies, mini sorbets and water ices. Check the number of pieces, flavours and allergen information for each product individually.
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CAPRI-SUN Orange & Cherry Ice Pops, 12 × 37 g (444 g)
Ideal for handing out individually wrapped portions with a choice of orange or cherry. The product description states that it may contain gluten, peanuts, soya, milk and nuts. Check the pack for any child with an allergy.
Store at −18 °C or below; do not refreeze after thawing.
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Pop Fruit Mini, Sicilian lemon and blood orange, 8 × 35 g (280 g)
A way to offer two citrus flavours in mini sorbet lollies, with no need to cut anything up at serving time. Possible traces of allergens, including milk and nuts, are stated on the packaging. Check it before serving.
Store at −18 °C or below; do not refreeze after thawing.
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Pop Fruit Mini, pineapple and passion fruit and coconut, 8 pieces (280 g)
A choice of two sorbet flavours in mini portions. The coconut variety contains coconut milk; the product is also made in a facility that handles milk, nuts, soya and peanuts. Check the information on the pack in light of the group’s allergies.
Store at −18 °C or below; do not refreeze after thawing.
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PEPPA PIG, strawberry and vanilla ice lollies, 6 × 60 ml
Serve six individual portions combining strawberry and vanilla. This ice cream contains milk and may contain nuts and peanuts. Check the label against the children’s dietary requirements.
Store at −18 °C or below; do not refreeze after thawing.
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Maison de la Glace, water ices, 5 flavours, 12 pieces (1,200 g)
Individual lollies in anise, lemon, raspberry, cola and mint flavours. If any children have allergies, check the ingredients and any ‘may contain’ statements on the pack before choosing this assortment.
Store at −18 °C or below; do not refreeze after thawing.
Frequently asked questions
Are these ice lollies suitable for a child with a milk allergy?
Don’t choose a recipe based on its name alone: the Magnum, Carrefour Extra, Auchan and TRIUM products described here contain milk or dairy ingredients. Check the ingredients and allergen information on the specific pack before serving it to a child with an allergy.
Is a dark chocolate ice lolly necessarily dairy-free?
No. The Auchan assortment shown includes a dark chocolate variety whose recipe lists dairy ingredients. Check the ingredients list rather than judging by the colour of the coating.
How many ice lollies should I plan for a children’s activity?
Allow one portion per person, then compare the total with the number of pieces in each box. The formats mentioned here include boxes of six, eight or twelve; check the weight or volume of each portion too when comparing them.
How should I transport ice lollies after shopping?
Buy them at the end of your shop and get them back into the freezer as soon as possible, following ANSES’s advice on maintaining the cold chain. Use suitable transport for frozen food and follow the instructions on the box.
Can I rely on the ingredients shown online when buying for a group of children?
Use them to shortlist a recipe, then check the ingredients and allergens on the packaging you actually buy, variety by variety. This is particularly important if a child needs to avoid an ingredient or a substance listed as a possible trace.