Without a suitable way to keep it cold, a frozen ice lolly is generally not a good snack for a long hike. You could take one if you plan to eat it straight away or make a short trip to a freezer, using an insulated bag. Choose a pack size that suits the number of people, and check the recipe for allergens.
If you’re walking for several hours or days without a suitable way to keep frozen food cold, the key question is whether an ice lolly will stay frozen until you eat it. The French Ministry of Agriculture gives −18 °C as the reference temperature for frozen food.
If you’ll eat the ice lollies soon after buying them or carry them a short distance to a freezer, the number of lollies, their size and the box volume can help you choose the right pack.
Ingredients vary from one recipe to another. Before buying or sharing ice lollies, check the label for the exact product, including the ingredients and any warnings about possible allergens.
If you’re taking an ice lolly on an outing, first check how you’ll keep it cold until you eat it. Pack size and recipe are also important if you can transport it safely.
| Criterion | What to check | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Keeping them cold | How long they’ll be without a freezer and the conditions during transport; an insulated bag alone won’t keep them frozen throughout a hike. | For a long walk without access to somewhere cold, I need to keep my ice lollies frozen until I’m ready to eat them. Around 50% of consumers would put this need first. |
| Pack size for sharing | The number of ice lollies, their individual weight and how much room the box will take up in your bag. | If I’m sharing a box near a freezer, I want enough portions for the group without taking more than we need. This would be the main consideration for around 20% of consumers. |
| Ingredients and allergens | The ingredients list and any ‘may contain’ warnings on the packaging for the exact product. | Before offering an ice lolly to someone with an allergy, I need to check the exact recipe. Around 30% of consumers would put this check ahead of the other criteria. |
A box containing lots of ice lollies takes up space, and any uneaten portions still need to be kept under the right storage conditions.
Check how many ice lollies are in the box, their size and whether you can keep them frozen until you eat them.
France’s food safety agency, Anses, recommends using an insulated bag and keeping transport time to a minimum for frozen food. This won’t guarantee that it stays frozen during a long walk.
Save ice lollies for eating straight away or for a short trip to a freezer. If you don’t have a suitable way to keep them cold, choose a different snack that can be stored safely during your outing.
Ingredients vary between products. Ice lollies may contain milk, soya or nuts, and may carry other warnings about possible allergens.
Read the ingredients and allergen information on the packaging of the product you’ve chosen, even if you’ve bought a different recipe from the same brand before.
Carrefour’s vanilla and chocolate ice lolly product comes in a pack of 16, with each lolly weighing 33.5 g.
Magnum’s Double Caramel x4 product comes in portions listed as 88 ml and 73 g.
Carrefour’s salted caramel and macadamia nut product contains four ice lollies, with a total weight of 272 g.
You can’t rely on an ordinary rucksack to keep frozen ice lollies in the right condition during a long walk. Anses recommends using an insulated bag and keeping transport time to a minimum after purchase. If you don’t have a suitable way to keep them cold until you eat them, choose a different snack.
The French Ministry of Agriculture gives −18 °C as the reference temperature for frozen food. Also check the storage instructions on the packaging of the product you’ve chosen.
Compare the number of ice lollies, their individual weight and the total weight with the number of people who’ll be eating them. Also make sure you can keep every portion frozen until it’s eaten: a large pack is only useful if you can store it under the right conditions.
No: ingredients and allergen information vary depending on the exact product. Carrefour’s NUII salted caramel and macadamia nut recipe contains milk, macadamia nuts and soya, among other ingredients, while Magnum states that not all its products are necessarily gluten-free. Check the packaging before buying or sharing.