For a nursery treat, first check that the setting allows you to bring in ice lollies and can store them in a freezer until they’re served. A box of 12 makes it easier to count portions for a group, while mini lollies offer smaller servings. Whichever size you choose, check the allergens for the exact product and follow any instructions for each child.
If you’re serving a group, the number of lollies in each box helps you plan how to hand them out. Carrefour and Auchan both offer products in boxes of 12, for example. Count the children who can actually have the recipe you’ve chosen.
The pack size won’t tell you whether a product is suitable: check the exact label and the nursery’s guidance. The Ministry of National Education states that an individual care plan can include adjustments, including dietary ones, for a child who needs them.
If the size of each portion matters more than the number of lollies, compare mini versions. Carrefour offers an eight-piece selection, with each lolly weighing 32 g; Magnum also has a mini selection. Even a small portion can contain allergens.
For a nursery treat, start by checking the setting’s guidance and the children’s needs. Then make sure you can transport and store the lollies in a freezer before choosing a pack size.
| What to consider | What to check | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Guidance and allergens | Check that the nursery accepts food brought in, then read the ingredients and any ‘may contain’ warnings on the box you buy. Take account of any individual instructions. | If a child has an allergy, I need to know whether this recipe can be served to them under the nursery’s arrangements. Around 29% of consumers would make this their first concern. |
| Keeping them cold | Use an insulated bag for the journey and check that you can store the lollies in a freezer until they’re served. Also follow the storage instructions on the pack. | If the journey or wait is long, I need to be able to keep the lollies frozen until treat time. Keeping them cold would be the top priority for around 29% of consumers. |
| Number and size of portions | Count the children who will be having this recipe, then compare the number of lollies and the amount in each one, using the units shown on the pack. | To serve the group without mixing up standard and mini portions, I look for a pack that suits the children concerned. Around 24% of consumers would put this first. |
| Variety and pack size | Compare the flavours and the number of lollies per box, and check the allergens in each recipe in a selection pack. | If several flavours are wanted, I want to offer a selection where every recipe is suitable for the planned treat. Around 18% of consumers would put variety first. |
Recipes and coatings can vary within the same box. Carrefour Extra’s mini selection, for example, contains milk, soya and almonds, and may contain traces of eggs and other nuts.
Read the ingredients and any ‘may contain’ warnings on the box you choose for each child concerned. If individual arrangements are in place, follow the family’s and nursery’s guidance.
A box of 12 won’t necessarily serve 12 children: some may need a different recipe or a separate treat.
Check which children can have the lollies you’ve chosen before working out how many boxes to buy.
Choosing the right size won’t help if you can’t keep the products frozen before treat time. Anses recommends buying frozen products at the end of your shop, transporting them in an insulated bag and keeping the journey as short as possible.
Plan the journey and check that you’ll be able to put the boxes in a freezer when you arrive.
The size of a lolly tells you nothing about its ingredients. The Magnum and Carrefour Extra mini selections featured here contain milk.
Choose a mini size for the portion, then check the recipe’s suitability separately by reading its label.
These products show some of the pack sizes available for a group treat. Check the ingredients and allergens on the box you actually buy.
Chocolate-coated mini lollies, including a Classic, Almond and White Chocolate selection sold in a box of six on Joybuy.
Carrefour Classic' offers a box of 12 lollies, while Carrefour Extra has a selection of eight mini lollies weighing 32 g each.
Auchan offers a box of 12 vanilla lollies; its Pouce vanilla and chocolate product also comes with 12.
These Joybuy products range from packs of four to twelve lollies, as well as individually sold ice lollies, with different recipes and portion sizes. For a nursery treat, check each product’s recipe, the setting’s guidance and whether you can keep it frozen until it’s served.
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This pack of 12 makes it easy to serve individual ice pops in two flavours: orange and cherry.
Warnings state that it may contain traces of milk, soya, peanuts, nuts and cereals containing gluten. The label also warns that the colour E102 may affect children’s activity and attention. Check the packaging before handing any out.
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This pack of 12 lollies could suit you if the number of portions and range of flavours are your priorities.
The listing advises that this product is not suitable for people at risk of an allergic reaction. If a child is affected, check the box label and the nursery’s guidance before considering serving it.
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With eight 70 ml lollies, this pack makes it easy to serve individual melon-flavoured portions.
The listing states that it contains milk and includes a warning about the colour E102 for children. Check the label on the box you buy before treat time.
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This mini selection could be a good choice if you want to share six individual portions across the Classic, Almond and White Chocolate recipes.
The listing states that it contains milk and may contain traces of nuts, including almonds and pistachios. Check that each recipe meets the nursery’s guidance.
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This pack of four coconut-flavoured sorbet lollies is suited to a smaller number of portions.
The listing states that this product is not suitable for children under 36 months and warns that it may contain traces of several allergens, including milk, nuts, soya, peanuts and eggs. Don’t assume that a product is suitable for a child with an allergy just because it’s called a ‘sorbet’.
Ask the nursery before you buy: check that it accepts food brought in and has a freezer to store the lollies until treat time. If a child needs adjustments because of a food allergy, the individual care plan described by the Ministry of National Education can set out how their needs will be met.
A box of 12 makes it easier to count portions if enough children can have the same recipe. A mini selection is a better fit if you’re looking for smaller portions or a choice of flavours. Either way, check the allergens and how many children can have them before you decide.
Neither the word ‘sorbet’ nor a mini size guarantees that a product is suitable for someone with a milk allergy. The Magnum and Carrefour Extra mini selections mentioned here contain milk, while the POP FRUIT sorbet listing warns that it may contain traces of milk. Follow any individual instructions and check the exact label.
Check each recipe and any ‘may contain’ warnings for allergens that affect the children in your group. The Carrefour Extra selection featured here contains soya and almonds, among other ingredients, and may contain traces of eggs and other nuts. Other products have different ingredients.
Buy them at the end of your shop, carry them in an insulated bag and keep the journey as short as possible, then put them in a freezer when you arrive. These are the transport precautions recommended by Anses. Also follow the storage instructions on the box you choose.