To finish your Christmas drinks party on a sweet note, choose individual mini ice lollies if one flavour will suit your guests, or an assortment if you’d like to give them a choice. Check the allergens for each recipe and make sure you have enough room in the freezer. These treats are best served at the last minute, rather than as a replacement for savoury nibbles.
If you’d like to serve something sweet after savoury nibbles, individual ice lollies save you the trouble of cutting and serving dessert. The ranges featured by Carrefour and ALDI include boxes of 6 to 12, for example.
Milk is listed as an allergen for the Magnum products with documented ingredients. Depending on the recipe, they may also contain almonds, pistachios or other nuts. Check the label on the box you choose before serving.
An assortment gives guests a choice when you’re not sure what everyone likes. Auchan and ALDI both feature boxes containing several mini ice lolly flavours.
First, decide whether the ice lollies will be a small sweet treat or a more substantial dessert. Then compare the number of portions, flavours, allergens and storage requirements.
| What to consider | What to check | Who is this for? |
|---|---|---|
| Individual portions | Count the ice lollies and check the volume or weight listed per portion. Carrefour, for example, features a box of six Magnum Mini ice creams, each measuring 55 mL. | After a filling drinks party, I’d like to offer a small treat that doesn’t need cutting up. Around 33% of consumers prioritise individual portions. |
| Choice of flavours | Check the flavours in the assortment and, if listed, how many of each are included. | If I don’t know what all my guests like, I’d rather give them a choice. Variety is the priority for around 20% of consumers. |
| Allergens and ingredients | For each recipe on offer, read the ‘contains’ and ‘may contain’ statements on the box you buy. | If a guest has a known allergy, I need to rule out unsuitable recipes before choosing the flavours. Ingredients come first for around 27% of consumers. |
| Storage and serving | Make room in the freezer and follow the storage temperature shown on the packaging. Take the portions out when you’re ready to serve. | I need to be able to transport and keep the ice lollies frozen until the end of the drinks party. Around 20% of consumers prioritise these serving arrangements. |
The size doesn’t tell you anything about allergens. The Magnum products with documented ingredients contain milk and, depending on the flavour, nuts or a warning that they may be present.
Read the label on the box you actually buy, and have another option ready for any guests it isn’t suitable for.
A varied box may contain several recipes, and their ingredients aren’t necessarily the same.
Check every flavour before buying. If an assortment contains ingredients that aren’t suitable for your group, consider a single-flavour box whose label you can check instead.
Ice lollies need to stay frozen until you serve them. The DGCCRF reminds consumers that they play a part in maintaining the cold chain.
Hand them out when you’re ready and follow the instructions on the packaging. The Joybuy listing for the Magnum Mini assortment says to store it at −18 °C or below and not to refreeze after defrosting.
The range includes chocolate-coated ice creams in mini and classic sizes, as well as assortments. For smaller portions, compare the flavours and ingredients of the box you choose.
The ice cream brand featured by ALDI offers an assortment of mini ice lollies for groups who would like a choice of flavours.
Auchan lists a box of six Bio Fruity Mix ice lollies, worth considering if you’d like something other than chocolate flavours.
Auchan lists a box of eight PILPA Sun mini ice lollies in red berry and exotic fruit flavours for hosts looking for these options.
These products can be served individually after your drinks party, but they’re not all chocolate-coated ice creams. The selection also includes fruity ice lollies and an ice lolly made with sorbet. Choose the type, flavour and pack size to suit your plans, then check the food information on each product’s packaging.
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An assortment to consider if you’d like to offer a choice of three flavours. The box contains six ice creams and weighs 254 g. This product contains milk and may contain nuts, so check the label if anyone has an allergy.
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A melon flavour to consider if you’re looking for individual portions rather than an assortment. The pack contains eight 70 ml ice lollies. Check the packaging for allergen and ingredient information before serving.
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These individual orange and cherry ice lollies make it easy to hand one to each guest, with no cutting required. The pack contains twelve portions and weighs 444 g. If any guests have allergies, check the packaging for warnings about possible traces.
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A sorbet ice lolly to consider if you’re looking for individual coconut-flavoured portions. The box contains four ice lollies and weighs 280 g. Check the packaging for ingredients and warnings about possible traces, as well as age guidance before serving to young children.
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A pack of coconut-flavoured ice lollies that’s easy to serve without cutting. It contains eight 70 ml portions. Don’t choose it based on a food claim alone: check the ingredients, allergens and nutritional information on the packaging.
If you’re planning a small sweet treat after drinks and nibbles, you could start by allowing one ice lolly per person, then adjust to suit your guests. The boxes listed by Carrefour, Auchan and ALDI include 6, 10 or 12 mini ice lollies, for example. Check the number of portions, not just the number of boxes.
No, not if your drinks party is going to last a while. Keep them frozen until you’re ready to serve them. The DGCCRF reminds consumers that they play a part in maintaining the cold chain. For the Magnum Mini assortment featured on Joybuy, the instructions say to store it at −18 °C or below and not to refreeze after defrosting.
You can’t tell from the mini size. Check the label for the exact product. The documented Magnum products contain almonds or pistachios, depending on the flavour, and some chocolate varieties warn that they may contain other nuts.