Hosts serving a group
If several guests will have ice cream, compare tub volumes and consider how much frozen food your cool box can hold. The Tesco Groceries listings include 900ml and 2-litre own-label tubs as examples of different sharing sizes.
Who is choosing?
Small groups choosing a particular dessert
A smaller tub may suit two people sharing or a group that wants a specific flavour. M&S describes pints in its range as suitable for two to share; Ben & Jerry's and Häagen-Dazs also list multiple tub flavours.
Hosts checking ingredients and transport
Choose the exact flavour with guests’ ingredient and allergen needs in mind, then plan how to keep it cold until serving. The Food Standards Agency advises keeping food that is normally refrigerated cool at a picnic; frozen ice cream also needs to be handled according to its pack instructions.
What matters for a picnic?
Work out how many people you expect to serve, then check whether the tub size, flavour and storage instructions fit the trip.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Sharing size | Compare volumes in ml or litres. Check that the tub fits your cool box and can be served while still frozen. | I’m serving several people, so a larger tub is useful only if I can transport and portion it. |
| Flavour and format | Check the exact flavour and pack size. Sticks or mini sticks are individual portions, not a direct substitute for a sharing tub. | A particular dessert flavour matters more to our group than having the largest tub. |
| Ingredients and allergens | Read the current label for the exact variant, including any mix-ins and allergen statements. A range designation does not establish the suitability of every flavour. | Someone joining us needs ingredient or allergen information before we choose a tub. |
| Cold transport | Read the pack’s frozen-storage instructions. Allow room for the tub in a suitable cool box and plan when it will be served. | The picnic involves a journey, so I need a way to keep the ice cream cold until we eat it. |
Picnic buying pitfalls
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Taking a large tub without a serving plan
A large pack takes up more cool-box space and may be difficult to serve promptly at an outdoor gathering.
Check the pack’s storage instructions, leave space for it in the cool box and bring it out when guests are ready for portions. The Food Standards Agency advises keeping normally refrigerated food cool at picnics.
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Assuming every flavour in a range has the same ingredients
Ben & Jerry's describes dairy, non-dairy and gluten-free variants in its range, but that does not establish the ingredients or allergen status of another flavour.
Read the current label of each exact tub, particularly when choosing flavours with nuts, biscuits, sauces or other mix-ins.
Brand and format references
These ranges illustrate different tub sizes and dessert formats; they are not a list of the products available in the Joybuy section below.
Tesco
Tesco Groceries lists own-label sharing tubs, including Cornish Ice Cream 2 Litres and Vanilla Ice Cream 900ml.
- The two listed sizes give group hosts different amounts to transport and serve.
- Check the exact flavour’s label and whether its size fits your cold-storage plan.
Sainsbury's
Sainsbury's lists smaller Taste the Difference tubs, including a 480ml vanilla ice cream.
- The 480ml format is an option when a smaller tub suits the gathering.
- Check the chosen flavour and volume rather than assuming every tub in the range is the same.
M&S
M&S describes pints in its tub range as suitable for two to share and says its Collection ice creams use West Country milk and cream.
- A pint may fit a smaller sharing occasion.
- Check the exact product’s size and ingredients for your guests.
Ben & Jerry's
Ben & Jerry's describes dairy, non-dairy and gluten-free flavour variants across its range.
- Different variant types give shoppers a reason to look for a specifically labelled flavour.
- The range description does not establish the ingredient or allergen status of an individual tub.
Häagen-Dazs
Häagen-Dazs UK lists a range of tub flavours; Tesco Groceries lists a 460ml vanilla tub.
- A named flavour may suit a picnic centred on a particular dessert.
- Check the chosen tub’s volume against the number of people sharing it.
Magnum
The cited Tesco Groceries Magnum examples are sticks and mini sticks rather than sharing tubs.
- Individual sticks offer a different way to hand out portions.
- A multipack of sticks is not an equivalent format to a tub for scooping and sharing.
Ice cream tubs on Joybuy
These Joybuy options are tubs or tub multipacks in sizes from 900ml to 2 litres. Compare their volumes and exact flavours with the number of guests, and check each pack’s label and storage instructions before taking it to a picnic.
No image availableMackie's of Scotland Traditional Real Dairy Ice Cream, 2 × 1 litre
The two 1-litre tubs offer separate packs for serving a group, provided both fit your cold-storage plan. The product information identifies milk and egg allergens and a possible presence of nuts and peanuts; check the current pack label for guests’ needs.
No image availableKulfi Ice Original Malai Tub, 1L
This 1-litre kulfi tub is a different dessert flavour from the vanilla and chocolate options here. Its product information identifies milk; check the current label and keep the tub frozen until serving.
No image availableWindy Bank Strawberries & Cream Tub, 900ml
A 900ml strawberry-and-cream option for a group wanting that flavour rather than a larger pack. The product information identifies milk and a possible presence of nuts and peanuts. It also flags E124 and E102 with a warning that they may adversely affect activity and attention in children; check the current pack label.
No image availableWindy Bank Vanilla Gelato Ice Cream, 900ml
This 900ml vanilla tub gives a group a smaller sharing size than the 1-litre and 2-litre options above. The product information identifies milk and a possible presence of nuts and peanuts; read the current label and plan to keep it frozen during transport.
No image availableCarte D'Or Indulgent Chocolate Ice Cream Dessert, 900ml
This 900ml chocolate dessert tub suits a group choosing that flavour over a larger pack. The product information identifies milk and a possible presence of soya, gluten and nuts; check the current label for guests’ needs and follow its frozen-storage instructions.
Common questions
How do I choose a tub size for a picnic?
Match the volume to the number of people sharing it and the space available to keep it frozen. A larger tub is useful for a group only if you can transport it cold and serve it before it melts.
Can I take an ice cream tub on a picnic?
Yes, if you can keep it frozen until serving and follow the exact pack’s storage instructions. Food Standards Agency picnic guidance for England, Northern Ireland and Wales says food normally kept in the fridge must be kept cool; plan suitable cold transport for frozen ice cream too.
Are all Ben & Jerry's tubs dairy-free or gluten-free?
No. Ben & Jerry's describes dairy, non-dairy and gluten-free variants across its range, so check the current ingredient and allergen information for the exact flavour you intend to serve.
Should I check allergens on packaged ice cream?
Yes. Read the current label on each exact tub, especially where flavours contain mix-ins or differ by formulation. The Food Standards Agency says UK food businesses must provide allergen information and follow labelling rules.