For a bike ride, pack portable fuel rather than an ice lolly: keeping it frozen makes it impractical to take along. Save your ice lolly for when you get back, then choose the recipe and pack size to suit the portions you need, checking the nutritional information and allergens on the packaging.
If you’re looking for something to take with you while you ride, keeping an ice lolly frozen makes it difficult to use. FFVélo Indre-et-Loire’s guide to long rides recommends an energy drink and portable foods such as fruit purée, dried fruit or bread instead.
If you’re planning to eat your ice lolly after your ride, compare the number of lollies, net weight and portion size. A box of lots of mini lollies and one with a few larger portions won’t suit the same needs.
If sugar, fat or allergens matter to you, check the exact product. The fruit ice lollies and chocolate-coated ice creams featured by Auchan have different nutritional values, so flavour alone isn’t enough to compare them.
First, decide whether you’ll eat your ice lolly during your ride or once you’re back. For a post-ride dessert, you can then compare recipes by checking the pack size and label.
| Criterion | What to check | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Fuel for your ride | Whether you can keep the product frozen while carrying it; if not, pack a drink and portable food separately. | When I’m out for a long ride, I want to take fuel with me and eat or drink it while I’m cycling. Around 42% of consumers prioritise this use. |
| Pack size for after your ride | Number of lollies, net weight and amount per portion. | When I get back, I want portions that suit everyone having dessert, without opening more lollies than necessary; pack size is a priority for around 33% of consumers. |
| Recipe and allergens | Nutritional information per 100 g or per portion, ingredients and allergen statements on the packaging you buy. | If I’m comparing a fruit ice lolly with a chocolate-coated ice cream, I want to know what they contain before choosing. Around 25% of consumers prioritise checking the label. |
Even if it contains carbohydrates, that doesn’t solve the problem of carrying it: the DGCCRF stresses the importance of maintaining the cold chain. An ice lolly also isn’t a substitute for the drink you need on a long ride.
Pack your ride fuel separately and save the ice lolly for when you get back, unless you have a suitable way to keep it cold.
For the Auchan products featured, the fruit ice lolly contains less than 0.5 g of fat per 100 g, compared with 22 g for the chocolate-coated vanilla lolly. This difference applies to these two recipes, not to every product in either category.
Compare the fat, sugar and portion size using the nutritional information on each box.
A fruit recipe or a product described as plant-based may still contain ingredients or traces you need to take into account. For example, the Magnum Vegan Amande product information states that it contains almonds.
If you have an allergy or intolerance, check the ingredients and any trace warnings on the packaging of the product you buy.
These examples highlight differences between specific recipes and pack sizes; they don’t represent every product from each brand.
Two products make it easy to compare a fruit ice lolly with a chocolate-coated vanilla lolly.
The E.Leclerc catalogue features several Marque Repère ice lolly products, including the Trium range.
The range includes a mint chocolate ice lolly for anyone looking for this flavour combination.
Magnum’s product information includes Vegan Amande and Mini Double Chocolat, two recipes with different characteristics.
These sorbets and ice lollies are best kept frozen for a post-ride dessert. Pack sizes vary, so choose the quantity you need and check the label of the recipe you’re interested in.
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A sorbet on a stick to enjoy as a dessert when you get back, provided you have access to a freezer.
The box contains 4 lollies weighing 70 g each, or 280 g in total. Check the ingredients and allergen statements on the packaging you buy.
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A multi-pack for an iced dessert after your ride. Keep it frozen.
The box contains 8 lollies of 70 ml each. Read the ingredients list and nutritional information for the product you buy.
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A pack of orange and cherry ice lollies for dessert when you get back. Store them according to the instructions on the packaging.
The box contains 12 lollies with a total weight of 444 g. Check the allergen statements on the box you buy.
Not unless you have a suitable way to keep it cold during your ride. The DGCCRF stresses the importance of maintaining the cold chain. For a long ride, FFVélo Indre-et-Loire’s guide recommends an energy drink and portable foods instead.
No, it depends on the recipe. The fruit ice lolly featured by Auchan contains less than 0.5 g of fat and 18 g of sugar per 100 g, but these figures don’t apply to all fruit ice lollies.
Read the ingredients and any trace warnings on the packaging of each product you buy. Don’t assume an allergen is absent based on the flavour, range name or a plant-based label.
Follow the storage temperature shown on the packaging and keep the cold chain intact between the shop and your freezer. Don’t refreeze a product once it has thawed.