If you want to serve a small individual portion with a clearly stated weight, Carrefour Extra mini ice lollies, listed at 32 g each, and Auchan’s 258 g assortment of eight give you two useful points of reference. If you’d rather try different recipes or choose a Magnum Mini, check the portion stated on the pack too: a volume in mL cannot be compared directly with a weight in g. In all cases, the size of the ice lolly is no substitute for checking the ingredients, allergens and nutritional information.
An individual ice lolly lets you serve one at a time during a coffee break. Carrefour France lists each ice lolly in its Carrefour Extra assortment at 32 g; the 258 g in Auchan’s eight-piece assortment works out at an average of around 32.25 g per lolly.
Carrefour France’s listing for Magnum Mini Chocolate gives a portion size of 55 mL and 160 kcal per portion. These details are useful for assessing this specific product, but don’t assume that every “mini” ice lolly has the same ingredients.
Depending on the product, the recipes reviewed list milk, soya or almonds, as well as possible traces of other allergens. Check each variety and the pack you buy, particularly with an assorted box.
For a coffee break, start with the portion you want to serve, then decide whether you’d prefer one recipe or a choice of flavours. Finally, check the ingredients and nutritional values of the product you’ve chosen.
| Criterion | What to check | Who is this for? |
|---|---|---|
| Individual portion | Check the number of lollies and the weight per lolly, where stated. An average weight calculated from the box doesn’t necessarily tell you the weight of each individual lolly in an assortment. | If I want to serve one small lolly with my coffee, I look for a clearly stated portion size. This would be a priority for around 42% of consumers. |
| Choice of recipes | Check which flavours are included and the ingredients in each variety. The Carrefour Extra and Auchan assortments featured by the retailers bring together several different coatings. | When several people are sharing the box, I’d rather offer different flavours without opening several packs. This would be the main criterion for around 25% of consumers. |
| Ingredients and nutrition | Read the allergen information and compare values per 100 g or 100 mL on the same basis before looking at the portion you’ll eat. | If a recipe needs to suit my dietary requirements, or I want to compare its nutritional values, flavour alone isn’t enough. Around 33% of consumers would make these checks a priority. |
The format describes the size of the ice lolly, not its ingredients. Carrefour France’s listing for Magnum Mini Chocolate gives 160 kcal per 55 mL portion.
To compare two recipes, use their values per 100 g or 100 mL on a like-for-like basis, then consider the portion you plan to eat.
Ingredients vary from one flavour to another. The Carrefour Extra and Auchan assortments include recipes listing ingredients such as milk, soya or almonds.
If an allergen is relevant to you, read the ingredients for each ice lolly and check the “may contain” information on the exact pack.
A brand name and the word “mini” aren’t enough to identify the same recipe: Magnum Mini Chocolate, featured by Carrefour France, is a box of six weighing 285 g, while the classic, almond and white chocolate Magnum Mini assortment featured on Joybuy contains six pieces weighing 254 g.
Before comparing portions or ingredients, check the full names of the varieties and the pack size.
The assortment described by Carrefour France contains eight 32 g mini ice lollies, with several different coatings.
The Magnum Mini Chocolate featured by Carrefour France comes in a pack of six ice lollies weighing 285 g; its nutritional portion is given as 55 mL.
The assortment described by Auchan France contains eight mini ice lollies with a total weight of 258 g, in several vanilla and chocolate varieties.
The coconut-rocky-road-style mini ice lolly by Trium, featured by E.Leclerc, comes in a pack of four with a total weight of 202 g.
This selection includes individual ice lollies, sorbets and a Magnum Mini assortment. The number of pieces, total weight or stated volume can help you choose a format for a coffee break, but the recipes and portions aren’t directly equivalent.
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The twelve pieces let you serve the ice lollies individually and choose between orange and cherry. The box states a total weight of 444 g; to compare values per portion, check the unit used on the packaging rather than treating g and mL as equivalent.
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This pack of four coconut sorbets is a good choice if you want to serve individual portions. The box states a total weight of 280 g; compare your preferred portion with that of other ice lollies before choosing, and check the allergen information on the pack.
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The four melon sorbets let you serve one piece at a time. The box states a total weight of 280 g. Before putting the product away, check the storage instructions on the packaging: the guidance given for this product isn’t consistent.
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The assortment offers three varieties in one box of six. Its total weight is 254 g: dividing that by six would give you an average only, not the confirmed weight of each flavour. If an allergen is relevant to you, check the ingredients for each variety too.
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This pack contains eight melon ice lollies, with a volume of 70 mL per piece. This helps you see the size of each serving, but doesn’t tell you its weight in g. Check the ingredients and the information on the packaging before sharing.
First, check whether the weight of each ice lolly is stated. Carrefour France lists each lolly in the Carrefour Extra assortment at 32 g; for Auchan’s 258 g assortment of eight, you can calculate an average of around 32.25 g, but that doesn’t guarantee the weight of each variety. A volume given in mL shouldn’t be treated as a weight in g.
Compare values per 100 g or per 100 mL on a like-for-like basis, then take the portion you’ll eat into account. France’s Directorate-General for Competition Policy, Consumer Affairs and Fraud Control says that presenting values this way makes it easier to compare prepacked foods; a portion given in mL cannot automatically be converted into g.
Read the ingredients list and any “may contain” information on the exact packaging, for each recipe in the assortment. In France, the Directorate-General for Competition Policy, Consumer Affairs and Fraud Control states that allergenic ingredients must be highlighted in the ingredients list on prepacked foods. Don’t assume one ice lolly has the same ingredients as the one next to it.
Follow the instructions on the packaging of the product you buy. The Joybuy listing for the classic, almond and white chocolate Magnum Mini assortment says to store at −18 °C or below and not to refreeze after thawing; check the instructions separately for other products.