BBQ hosts comparing fat content
If you are choosing ready-to-drink milkshakes for an outdoor meal, the fat figure per 100 ml lets you compare different carton and bottle sizes. You also need a way to keep drinks cool when serving.
Who is this for?
Shoppers comparing no-added-sugar drinks
A no-added-sugar label tells you nothing by itself about fat content. ASDA Groceries lists Mars No Added Sugar Chocolate Milk Shake Drink at 2.2 g fat per 100 ml, so check both details separately.
Hosts choosing individual portions
A smaller carton can make it easier to offer each guest a separate drink. ASDA Groceries lists Yazoo No Added Sugar Chocolate in a 200 ml carton with 1.4 g fat per 100 ml; check the exact variant and pack label when buying.
What should you check before buying?
Start with the nutrition panel, then choose a portion format and plan storage for the time drinks will be outdoors.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Fat per 100 ml | Read the fat line for the exact flavour and pack. The annex published by legislation.gov.uk gives 1.5 g per 100 ml as the low-fat threshold for liquids; it specifies a separate 1.8 g allowance for semi-skimmed milk. | I want to compare drinks on the same basis, even when one comes in a carton and another in a larger bottle. |
| Sugar wording | Check sugars and fat independently. ASDA Groceries lists Mars No Added Sugar Chocolate Milk Shake Drink at 2.2 g fat per 100 ml; Central Co-op lists 11.4 g sugars per 100 ml for Müller FRijj Chocolate. | If I am comparing sugar as well as fat, I do not want a front-of-pack statement about one to stand in for both. |
| Portion size | Compare nutrition per 100 ml first, then consider how much each guest is likely to drink. Check whether a carton is intended as one portion or a bottle will be shared. | Separate portions might suit my gathering better than opening a larger bottle for several guests. |
| Outdoor storage | Read the unopened and after-opening storage instructions. The Food Standards Agency advises keeping foods normally refrigerated in a cool box or cool bag with ice or frozen gel packs when eating outdoors. | I need to serve drinks cold without leaving opened milk drinks out beside the grill. |
| Ingredients | Read the current pack’s ingredients and allergy information for the exact variant. ASDA Groceries lists milk and barley in Mars Chocolate Milk Shake Drink. | Before serving guests with ingredient restrictions, I want to check the actual drinks I have bought. |
What mistakes should you avoid?
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Taking “no added sugar” to mean low fat
ASDA Groceries lists the Mars No Added Sugar drink at 2.2 g fat per 100 ml, above the 1.5 g-per-100-ml liquid threshold published in the annex on legislation.gov.uk.
Use fat per 100 ml as your first comparison if fat content is the deciding factor; assess sugar and ingredients separately.
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Comparing drinks by bottle size alone
A 200 ml carton and a larger bottle represent different amounts to drink, so whole-pack figures do not give the same comparison as per-100-ml figures.
Compare the nutrition panels per 100 ml, then consider the portion each guest will actually have.
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Leaving opened milk drinks beside the grill
Outdoor serving needs a cooling plan, and the Yazoo and Mars packs listed by ASDA Groceries instruct customers to refrigerate their drinks after opening.
Keep drinks that require chilling in a cool box or cool bag with ice or frozen gel packs, as the Food Standards Agency advises for outdoor meals, and follow the pack’s after-opening instructions.
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Assuming every flavour has the same fat content
ASDA Groceries lists 1.1 g fat per 100 ml for Yazoo Vanilla and 1.4 g per 100 ml for Yazoo No Added Sugar Chocolate. One variant’s figure cannot stand in for another’s.
Check the flavour, pack size and nutrition panel on the drink you are buying.
Which brands provide useful comparisons?
Yazoo
ASDA Groceries lists Yazoo Vanilla 400 ml at 1.1 g fat per 100 ml and No Added Sugar Chocolate 200 ml at 1.4 g per 100 ml. These are figures for the named variants, not the entire range.
- The 200 ml chocolate carton offers an individual pack size for serving guests.
- “No Added Sugar” applies to the named chocolate variant; check the nutrition panel on any other Yazoo drink separately.
Müller FRijj
Central Co-op lists the Müller FRijj Chocolate 330 ml milkshake at 1.3 g fat and 11.4 g sugars per 100 ml. Müller describes this variant as thick and smooth.
- The named chocolate variant provides a per-100-ml fat figure for comparison with other pack sizes.
- Its fat figure does not answer a separate question about sugar; check both lines if both matter to you.
Mars
Mars Chocolate Milk Shake Drink 400 ml is a useful comparison when considering no-added-sugar wording: ASDA Groceries lists it at 2.2 g fat per 100 ml.
- The named drink lets you compare a no-added-sugar label with a separate fat declaration.
- ASDA Groceries lists milk and barley among its ingredients; check the current pack for guests with ingredient restrictions.
Joybuy drink options
These options are ready-to-drink protein shakes and yoghurt-style drinks for an outdoor gathering, rather than the Yazoo, FRijj and Mars products compared above. Check each current pack’s fat figure per 100 ml, ingredients and storage instructions before choosing it for your BBQ.
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Applied Nutrition Protein Nutrition Shake, Strawberries & Cream, 8 × 330 ml
A ready-to-drink option if you want individual shakes for guests. It contains milk; refrigerate after opening and consume within 12 hours. Check the pack’s fat figure per 100 ml and unopened storage instructions when planning the BBQ.
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Applied Nutrition Protein Nutrition Shake, Double Chocolate, 8 × 500 ml
A ready-to-drink chocolate option in larger bottles. It contains milk; refrigerate after opening and consume within 24 hours. Compare the pack’s fat figure per 100 ml and check its unopened storage instructions before taking it outdoors.
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LIGHT UP Zero Control Avocado Kale Chia Seed Milkshake Yoghurt Drink, 3 × 220 ml
A yoghurt-style drink to consider if guests would welcome something other than a conventional flavoured milkshake. It contains milk and should be consumed immediately after opening. Check the pack’s fat figure and chilling instructions before serving.
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LIGHT UP Zero Control Avocado Kale Chia Seed Milkshake Yoghurt Drink, 220 ml
This ready-to-drink yoghurt-style option contains milk and should be consumed immediately after opening. For a BBQ, check the listing’s pack quantity, the current fat figure per 100 ml and the pack’s storage directions.
Common questions
What fat figure should I look for on a liquid milkshake?
Compare the exact product’s fat declaration per 100 ml with the 1.5 g-per-100-ml low-fat threshold for liquids in the annex published by legislation.gov.uk. The annex specifies a separate 1.8 g-per-100-ml allowance for semi-skimmed milk; do not apply one flavour’s nutrition figure to an entire brand range.
Does “no added sugar” mean a milkshake is low in fat?
No. ASDA Groceries labels Mars Chocolate Milk Shake Drink as no added sugar but lists 2.2 g fat per 100 ml. Check the fat and sugars lines independently for the drink you intend to buy.
Which named drinks can I compare with the 1.5 g-per-100-ml figure?
ASDA Groceries lists Yazoo Vanilla at 1.1 g fat per 100 ml and Yazoo No Added Sugar Chocolate at 1.4 g; Central Co-op lists Müller FRijj Chocolate at 1.3 g. Those figures apply to the named variants, so read the current pack when choosing a flavour or size.
How should I handle milkshakes at a BBQ?
Follow each drink’s storage instructions, particularly after opening. For foods normally kept refrigerated, the Food Standards Agency advises using a cool box or cool bag with ice or frozen gel packs outdoors; its picnic guidance says that in extremely hot weather, food that has been out of the fridge should be used within two hours.
What should I check before serving a guest with a food allergy?
Read the ingredients and allergy information on the current pack of every drink you plan to serve. For example, ASDA Groceries lists milk and barley in Mars Chocolate Milk Shake Drink; do not assume another flavour or product has the same ingredients.