One or two evening snackers
If you plan to take a few scoops and return the tub to the freezer, compare its volume with the serving information on the exact pack.
Who is choosing a tub?
Texture-led dessert shoppers
A smooth vanilla scoop, cookie-dough pieces and chocolate shards offer different textures. Decide which you want before comparing tubs of similar sizes.
Shoppers checking ingredients and allergens
Check the current label for the exact flavour, including its ingredients and precautionary allergen statements, rather than relying on the brand name.
What matters when choosing?
Start with flavour and texture, then check how the tub’s size, label and storage instructions fit the way you will use it.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Flavour and texture | Tesco describes Häagen-Dazs Vanilla as vanilla dairy ice cream and lists Ben & Jerry’s Cookie Dough. Magnum UK describes chocolate shards and a shell in its tub range. Check the exact flavour for its mix-ins. | I’d prefer a plain scoop alongside another dessert, or pieces and swirls that are part of the snack itself. |
| Tub and serving size | Compare the stated volume with the serving information. Magnum UK gives a 100ml/70g serving for its 440ml Double Salted Caramel tub; Tesco lists 460ml Häagen-Dazs Vanilla and 465ml Ben & Jerry’s Cookie Dough tubs. | If I’m eating a few scoops or sharing, I want to decide the portion rather than assume the tub is one serving. |
| Ingredients and allergens | Read the current pack’s ingredient list, highlighted allergens and precautionary statements for the specific flavour. Recipes differ, even within a brand. | When an ingredient matters to me, I need to check this tub’s label before eating, including on repeat purchases. |
| Freezer instructions | Check the exact pack for its storage temperature and instructions after opening. Magnum UK states −18°C for Double Salted Caramel; M&S says to keep its Heather Honey tub frozen at −18°C and not to refreeze it. | I’m likely to return the tub to the freezer, so I want to follow its own storage directions. |
What is easy to overlook?
-
Choosing by brand rather than flavour
Allergen statements can differ between recipes. Magnum UK lists milk and soya for Double Salted Caramel, while M&S lists milk and egg for its Heather Honey tub and says it is unsuitable for people with nut or peanut allergy.
Read the ingredients and precautionary statements on the current pack of the flavour you are buying.
-
Taking tub volume as a portion size
A volume in millilitres describes the tub, not what you intend to scoop. Magnum UK gives a separate 100ml/70g serving for its 440ml Double Salted Caramel tub.
Use the exact product’s labelled serving when comparing nutrition information, and decide how much to serve before eating from the tub.
Brand and range references
These examples illustrate different tub styles; a brand name alone does not establish the ingredients or texture of every flavour.
Häagen-Dazs
For shoppers considering a straightforward vanilla dairy ice cream in a 460ml tub.
- Tesco describes the Vanilla tub as vanilla dairy ice cream.
- Check the individual flavour if you want mix-ins rather than a plain vanilla scoop.
Ben & Jerry’s
For shoppers interested in named mix-in flavours in 465ml tubs.
- Tesco lists Cookie Dough and Chocolate Fudge Brownie tubs, including a non-dairy Chocolate Fudge Brownie variant.
- Check ingredients and allergens for the specific recipe; a non-dairy description is not an allergen statement.
Magnum
For shoppers seeking chocolate pieces and a shell in a scoopable tub.
- Magnum UK describes chocolate shards and a shell in its tub range.
- For Double Salted Caramel, check the flavour-specific allergen statement and use its declared serving when comparing label values.
M&S
For shoppers comparing ice cream with other frozen-dessert formats or looking at a particular ingredient list.
- M&S lists ice-cream tubs alongside frozen yoghurt and sorbet; its Heather Honey ice cream comes in a 500ml tub.
- The Heather Honey recipe contains milk and egg, and M&S says it is unsuitable for people with nut or peanut allergy.
Joybuy tubs to consider
These tubs offer different named flavours in sizes from 427ml to 500ml. Use the product title to narrow your choice, then check the current pack for the recipe, allergens and serving information.
No image available
Ben & Jerry’s Caramel Chew-Chew Ice Cream 465ml
Consider this 465ml tub if caramel is the flavour you want for a few scoops or to share. Check the current pack for its mix-ins, serving information and allergens.
No image available
McVitie’s Hobnob Ice Cream 500ml
The 500ml volume is worth comparing if more than one person will be scooping from the tub. Check the pack for the exact recipe, allergens and serving information.
No image available
Nutella Ice Cream Tub 470ml
Choose this 470ml option if you want a Nutella-flavoured tub. Read the current pack for its ingredient and allergen statements before serving.
No image available
Ben & Jerry’s Phish Food Ice Cream 465ml
At 465ml, this is another tub to compare if you plan to serve several scoops. Check the exact flavour’s mix-ins, allergens and labelled serving before choosing it.
No image available
Ben & Jerry’s Sundae Oh My Banoffee Pie 427ml
The stated 427ml volume is smaller than the other tubs shown here, so compare sizes if you are serving several people. Check the current pack for the flavour components, allergens and serving information.
Common questions
Is a 440–500ml ice-cream tub one serving?
Do not assume that the tub volume is a serving. Magnum UK gives a 100ml/70g serving for its 440ml Double Salted Caramel tub; check the serving information on whichever product you choose.
How should I store a tub after opening it?
Follow the instructions on the exact pack and return the tub to the freezer as directed. Magnum UK states −18°C for Double Salted Caramel, while M&S says to keep its Heather Honey tub frozen at −18°C and not to refreeze it.
Can I use an online listing to check allergens?
Use the current physical pack before eating, rather than relying on an online listing alone. Check the exact flavour’s ingredients and precautionary statements, particularly when buying a familiar product again.