For an office snack box without access to a freezer, choose chocolates or biscuits whose packaging says they can be stored without freezing, rather than ice lollies. Frozen ice lollies are suitable for a planned break if you can keep them chilled in transit, store them in a freezer and serve them at the right time. In either case, check the allergens before sharing.
If colleagues will help themselves at different times and there’s no freezer available, look for chocolates or biscuits with storage instructions suited to the place where the box will be kept. A frozen ice lolly isn’t suitable for this.
If you have access to a freezer and a set time for serving, you could consider ice lollies. Plan how to keep them chilled in transit: the DGCCRF recommends using an insulated bag for frozen products.
Keep the packaging for each product handy so you can let colleagues know what’s in it before sharing. Ingredients and ‘may contain’ warnings vary between chocolates, biscuits and ice lollies.
First, decide whether the treat needs to be available in a snack box or served frozen at a set time. Then check the storage instructions and allergens for the product you choose.
| What to consider | What to check | Who is it for? |
|---|---|---|
| Storage without a freezer | If you’re putting out a shared snack box, read the storage instructions for the chocolates or biscuits you’re considering. An ice lolly is still a frozen product, even with a chocolate coating. | If I leave a snack box at the office during the day, I want to be able to store its contents there in line with the packaging; around 56% of consumers would put this need first. |
| A group ice-lolly break | Check the number of items, access to a freezer, and how you’ll organise transport and serving. Auchan says its POUCE ice lollies should be stored at −18 °C. | To serve frozen treats at an agreed time, I need the group to be able to enjoy them while they’re kept cold; around 22% of consumers would make this their top priority. |
| Allergens before sharing | Read the ingredients list and ‘may contain’ warnings on the pack you buy. Carrefour’s product details for Mikado dark chocolate biscuits, for example, mention wheat, milk and soya. | Before offering the snack box to colleagues, I need to be able to tell them about the ingredients and any possible traces; around 22% of consumers would prioritise this information. |
The chocolate coating on an ice lolly doesn’t change the fact that it’s a frozen product. A snack box left on a desk won’t keep it stored as instructed.
Save ice lollies for a break where you can store them in a freezer. For the snack box, check the storage instructions for a non-frozen alternative.
A multipack makes it easier to plan portions, but the ice lollies must stay frozen until it’s time to enjoy them. Auchan’s product details for POUCE ice lollies say that a defrosted product must never be refrozen.
Before buying, check there’s room in the freezer and plan the journey, the number of colleagues and the time of the break.
Recipes and allergen warnings vary, including between biscuits and frozen treats. Simply calling something ‘chocolate’ isn’t enough to inform anyone who needs to check.
Keep the packaging handy and check the ingredients and ‘may contain’ warnings for each product you buy.
The range includes chocolate-coated ice creams on sticks, which are better suited to a planned treat break than a snack box left at the office.
Auchan offers a 12-pack of vanilla and chocolate ice lollies, weighing 402 g, for a planned group treat.
ALDI offers MUCCI mini ice lollies in a 12-pack, as well as ice lollies with a double coating.
These chocolates and biscuits are options for a snack box without a freezer. For a help-yourself box, check the storage instructions and whether the pieces are individually wrapped; also check the allergens before offering them to colleagues.
Image unavailable
A gift box to consider if you’d rather offer chocolates than ice cream. Check the storage instructions on the pack and, before sharing, look for warnings about hazelnuts, milk, almonds, soya and barley, as well as any possible traces. Also check whether each piece is wrapped if the box will be left out for people to help themselves.
Image unavailable
Biscuits to consider for a shared snack box without a freezer. Check the storage instructions and look for warnings about wheat, milk and soya on the pack you buy. If colleagues will be helping themselves from the box, check whether the biscuits are individually wrapped.
Image unavailable
A chocolate biscuit option to consider for a snack box kept without a freezer. Read the storage instructions and check for warnings about wheat, milk, eggs and soya, and possible traces of sesame. If the biscuits will be available for people to help themselves, check how they’re packaged.
Image unavailable
Biscuits to consider if you’d prefer a snack box of non-frozen treats. Check the storage instructions, particularly after opening, and look for warnings about hazelnuts, milk, soya, wheat and barley on the pack. Check how they’re packaged before offering them for people to help themselves.
Image unavailable
Chocolate biscuits to consider for a snack box without a freezer. Check the storage instructions and look for warnings about wheat, milk and soya on the pack you buy. If everyone needs to be able to take a biscuit from the box, check how they’re packaged.
No, not if the tin will be kept at room temperature: an ice lolly is a frozen product. Auchan says its POUCE ice lollies should be stored in a freezer at −18 °C. For the snack box, choose a product whose storage instructions suit the conditions you can provide.
Offer them during a planned break if you can keep them chilled in transit and store them in a freezer until serving. The DGCCRF recommends using an insulated bag to transport frozen products; ALDI’s 12-pack of MUCCI mini ice lollies is also a frozen product.
Check the ingredients list and any ‘may contain’ warnings on the packaging of each product you buy. Depending on the product, the product details checked at Carrefour and Auchan mention wheat, milk, soya, nuts or possible traces of other allergens.
No. The fact that it doesn’t need to be frozen doesn’t tell you anything about its allergens. Carrefour’s product details for Mikado dark chocolate biscuits mention wheat, milk and soya; always check the label on the product you’re sharing.