A ready-to-drink black cold brew suits a no-mixing picnic if you want a coffee-and-water drink, while a dairy or oat latte suits guests who prefer a creamy option, provided the ingredients and allergen warnings work for them. Instant coffee or concentrate gives you a drink to mix at the picnic, but you will need water and cups, and instant coffee is not automatically cold brew. Keep drinks that require refrigeration in a cool bag with ice or frozen gel packs, following Food Standards Agency picnic guidance.
The choice depends on whether you want to serve a drink immediately, accommodate particular ingredients or prepare it on site.
Choose a ready-to-drink format if you would rather open individual servings than carry water and mixing cups. Black cold brew, dairy latte and oat latte are different ingredient choices, so check the pack before serving.
Check the full ingredient and allergen information, not just a dairy-free description. M&S says its Oat Latte Cold Brew Coffee is dairy-free but is not suitable for coeliacs or people with a wheat allergy.
Plan how you will transport anything that needs refrigeration. The Food Standards Agency advises using a cool box or bag with ice or frozen gel packs for picnic food normally kept chilled.
Start with how the coffee will be served, then check its ingredients and storage directions against the needs of the group.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Serving format | Check whether the drink is ready to serve or must be mixed. For instant coffee or concentrate, follow the pack directions and bring the required water and cups. | I would rather open a drink than mix one at the picnic; alternatively, I want to prepare servings to suit different guests. |
| Milk and allergens | Read the current ingredients and allergen warnings. M&S describes its Classic Latte as containing semi-skimmed milk and warns that its dairy-free Oat Latte is not suitable for coeliacs or people with a wheat allergy. | A creamy drink appeals to me, but everyone I am serving needs an option whose ingredients and allergen information suit them. |
| Sugars and caffeine | Compare the pack’s nutrition information on the same basis, such as per 100 ml or per serving. Check the caffeine information against the amount you expect to drink. | I want to know what is in the whole portion I will serve, rather than assume that all drinks labelled cold brew have the same recipe. |
| Chilled storage | Follow the individual pack’s storage directions. The Food Standards Agency advises a cool box or bag with ice or frozen gel packs for picnic items normally kept refrigerated. | We will be outdoors for a while, so I need a practical way to carry anything that requires chilling until it is served. |
| Alcohol content | Check the product category and label: a coffee liqueur is not an ordinary cold coffee. Waitrose lists Tia Maria Cold Brew Coffee Liqueur as an alcoholic product with an age restriction. | I am shopping for a non-alcoholic coffee drink and do not want a similarly named liqueur in its place. |
A dairy-free oat drink may still be unsuitable for a guest with another dietary restriction. M&S specifically warns that its Oat Latte Cold Brew Coffee is not suitable for coeliacs or people with a wheat allergy.
Read the current pack’s complete allergen information before buying or serving it.
Outdoor serving makes storage important for drinks and food that must be kept refrigerated.
Follow the pack directions and use a cool bag or box with ice or frozen gel packs, as advised by the Food Standards Agency. Keep it closed and out of direct sun where practical.
Black coffee drinks and latte-style drinks have different ingredients. The name alone does not tell you the sugars or caffeine in the portion you will drink.
Check the current nutrition and caffeine information, paying attention to whether it is given per 100 ml or per serving.
Waitrose lists a Tia Maria Cold Brew Coffee Liqueur with an age restriction. Its cold-brew wording does not make it a substitute for a non-alcoholic picnic coffee.
Check the product category and alcohol statement on the bottle before choosing it.
These specific product lines illustrate different ways to serve cold coffee; check the current pack for the product you choose.
M&S lists individual Classic Latte and Oat Latte cold brew drinks for a ready-to-drink route.
Coffee Friend UK lists a Sandows ready-to-drink black cold brew as a coffee-led alternative to a latte.
Waitrose lists Grind Craft Instant Coffee Smooth Barista Blend as a coffee that can be mixed with cold water.
These powders and portioned coffee concentrate are options for preparing a cold drink on site. Bring water and cups, and follow each product’s mixing directions; they are not ready-to-drink bottles.
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For a flavoured coffee mixed at the picnic, this powder needs cold water, a cup and stirring. Check that the roasted sweet potato flavour suits the people you are serving; the powder is not a ready-to-drink cold brew.
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The portioned concentrate is for mixing a drink at the picnic rather than drinking straight from the pouch. Bring cold water and a cup, and follow the dilution directions on the pack.
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These instant-coffee portions offer a base for drinks mixed with cold water at the picnic. Bring a cup and check the selected pack’s flavour before buying if that affects your choice; this is not a ready-to-drink coffee.
Choose a ready-to-drink black cold brew for a coffee-and-water option without mixing, or a latte cold brew if you want a creamy drink. Coffee Friend UK describes its listed Sandows black cold brew as dairy-free; M&S lists both a semi-skimmed-milk Classic Latte and a dairy-free Oat Latte. Check the current ingredients and allergen warnings for the drink you select.
No: dairy-free does not settle other allergen questions. M&S says its Oat Latte Cold Brew Coffee is dairy-free but not suitable for coeliacs or people with a wheat allergy, so read the current pack before serving it.
Follow each drink’s storage directions. For drinks and picnic food that normally require refrigeration, the Food Standards Agency advises using a cool bag or box with ice or frozen gel packs; keep it closed and out of direct sun where practical.
No. Waitrose lists Tia Maria Cold Brew Coffee Liqueur as an alcoholic product with an age restriction. Check the category and alcohol statement if you are buying an ordinary non-alcoholic picnic coffee.