For an occasional treat with a group, choose enough individual ice lollies for everyone, then check the size of each portion and the flavours in the pack. A larger selection makes sharing easier, but means you’ll need to check more recipes for allergens. For a toddler, choosing a mini size doesn’t change the advice to limit sugary foods and introduce them as late as possible, as recommended by Santé publique France and Anses.
They’re looking for an ice lolly to offer as an occasional treat, rather than a regular snack. Santé publique France and Anses recommend limiting sugary foods for young children and introducing them as late as possible.
Individually wrapped ice lollies make serving easier. To work out how many to buy, compare the number of lollies and the size of each one rather than relying on the pack’s total weight.
Milk, soya, almonds and other nuts feature as ingredients or in ‘may contain traces’ statements for some selections described by Magnum, Carrefour and Auchan. Always check the label on the product you buy before serving it.
First, decide whether this ice lolly is right for the occasion and the child. Then work out how many portions you need and check every recipe in the selection before choosing a pack.
| Criteria | What to check | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Occasional treat | Child’s age and eating habits; portion size and sugars per portion, where stated. | For a toddler, I want to keep this dessert for a special occasion and not mistake ‘mini’ for an everyday snack; around 36% of consumers would put this first. |
| Allergens | Ingredients for each flavour and any ‘may contain’ statements on the pack you buy. | If a guest needs to avoid an allergen, I need to be able to check the recipe they’ll be served; this would be the top priority for around 29% of consumers. |
| Number of portions | Number of lollies, individual size and storage options after your get-together. | When I’m hosting a group, I want enough ice lollies without opening an unnecessarily large pack; around 21% of consumers would prioritise the number of portions first. |
| Choice of flavours | Flavours actually included and the ingredients in each one. | To give guests a choice, I look for a range of flavours, as long as I can serve the recipes I’ve chosen; variety would come first for around 14% of consumers. |
A smaller portion is still a sugary ice lolly. Santé publique France recommends introducing sugary foods as late as possible and in limited amounts for children; Anses also advises limiting ice lollies and ice cream for young children.
Think of an ice lolly as an occasional dessert, and take the child’s age and eating habits into account.
Products described by Magnum, Carrefour and Auchan include ingredients such as milk, soya or almonds, depending on the recipe, and some also carry ‘may contain traces’ statements. The ingredients for one flavour won’t necessarily tell you everything about the whole pack.
Read the ingredients and allergen information on the box you buy. If someone has a known allergy, don’t serve a flavour if you’re unsure whether it’s suitable.
The documented pack sizes don’t all contain the same number of lollies: Carrefour Extra offers eight 32 g sticks, while Magnum Mini Classic contains six, each 55 ml. Weight and volume aren’t interchangeable measurements.
Count how many people you’re serving, then check the amount listed for each ice lolly.
Transporting them and keeping them out before serving must comply with the storage instructions for frozen products.
The DGCCRF recommends using insulated equipment for transport and a cool box for a picnic. Check the storage instructions on the pack too.
The boxes of six Mini Classic and Mini Classic, Almond and White Chocolate ice creams are suited to sharing with a small group, with one or more flavours depending on the product.
The documented selection contains eight 32 g mini sticks, making it worth considering when eight individual portions are right for your group.
The Auchan selection described contains eight mini sticks, with a stated total weight of 258 g.
The MUCCI product featured by ALDI France contains twelve mini sticks in four flavours, making it suitable for a larger group or several planned get-togethers.
This selection includes frozen ice pops, sorbet sticks and water ice lollies in a range of pack sizes. Compare the number of lollies and the size of each portion: a large pack doesn’t necessarily mean each ice lolly is a mini size.
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The twelve individual ice pops make it easy to serve a group, with two flavours to choose from: orange and cherry.
Each one is listed as 37 g. The description states 7 g of sugars per ice pop and says it may contain traces of cereals containing gluten, peanuts, soya, milk and nuts; check the packaging before serving.
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This box of six sticks in one flavour is a good fit for a small group when you don’t need a variety of flavours.
Magnum France lists 12 g of sugars per 55 ml portion for Mini Classic. The recipe contains milk and may contain almonds, so check the label on the pack, especially if a guest has an allergy.
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The eight individually wrapped sticks come in two flavours, lemon and raspberry, making them easy to share.
Sugar information is given per 100 g, so check the weight of each stick on the pack to work out the amount per portion. The description says the product may contain traces of gluten, egg, soya, peanuts, milk and nuts.
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This pack of twelve water ice lollies offers five flavours, making it a good choice when your group wants a range to choose from.
Sugars are listed per 100 g. Before planning how many to serve, check the size of each ice lolly and the allergen information on the packaging.
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This pack of 64 water ice lollies is suited to serving a large group or keeping some for another occasion; at 105 ml each, they’re not described as mini-sized.
Sugars are listed per 100 g, not per ice lolly. Check the packaging for preparation instructions before serving.
No. Its small size doesn’t make it suitable as an everyday snack. Santé publique France recommends introducing sugary foods as late as possible and in limited amounts for children; Anses also advises limiting ice lollies and ice cream for young children. For a special occasion, take the child’s age and eating habits into account.
Yes. Ingredients and allergen information can vary between the recipes in a pack. The selections described by Carrefour and Auchan include ingredients such as milk, soya or almonds, depending on the product. Read the label on the box you buy before serving an ice lolly to someone with an allergy.
Follow the storage instructions on the packaging during transport and before serving. The DGCCRF recommends carrying frozen products in insulated equipment and taking a cool box on a picnic.