Picnic planners looking for low fat
If meeting a low-fat threshold matters, use the NHS guide of 3g total fat or less per 100g of food rather than relying on the word “light”. Check the exact flavour’s label before buying.
Who is choosing?
Groups sharing dessert outdoors
A scoopable tub offers a way to serve several people, provided you can transport and serve it according to its storage instructions. Food Standards Scotland advises using a cool box or bag with ice or frozen packs and keeping it closed.
Groups choosing individual portions
Individually wrapped desserts avoid scooping at the picnic. Compare fat per 100g for low-fat status, then check the nutrition per serving and allergens for the particular product.
What matters when choosing?
Start with the per-100g label if low fat is your main requirement; then choose a serving format you can keep cold and handle at the picnic.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Total fat | Compare the exact product’s total fat per 100g with the NHS low-fat guide for foods: 3g or less per 100g. A “reduced-fat” comparison is a different claim. | I want a dessert that meets the low-fat guide, not just one described as lighter than another product. |
| Serving format | Check the tub size or number of pieces and the nutrition per stated serving. Use per-100g values when comparing fat across different formats. | A tub works if we can scoop and serve it; individual pieces would make serving our group simpler. |
| Cold storage | Read the frozen-storage and refreezing instructions. Food Standards Scotland advises a cool box or bag with ice, frozen gel packs or frozen drinks, kept closed. | The dessert needs to stay cold on the journey and while we serve it outdoors. |
| Sugars | Read sugars alongside fat, using the same per-100g basis for product comparisons and the stated per-serving figure for portions. M&S lists 18.1g sugars per 100g for its Low Fat Birthday Cake Ice Cream. | Low fat alone does not tell me how much sugar is in the flavour we plan to share. |
| Allergens | Check the current pack’s ingredient and allergen declarations for the exact flavour, including any relevant precautionary statements. | Everyone joining the picnic needs a product that fits their own allergen requirements. |
What should you avoid overlooking?
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Taking “light” to mean low fat
Sainsbury’s lists Wall’s Soft Scoop Vanilla Light as containing 30% less fat than similar ice cream products, but its 4.3g fat per 100g exceeds the NHS low-fat guide of 3g or less per 100g.
If low fat is essential to your choice, compare total fat per 100g rather than treating a relative claim as the answer.
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Comparing a serving with 100g
Asda lists 2.1g fat per Solero Berry Bliss stick and 3.1g per 100g. The figures answer different questions: one describes a serving, while the other allows a like-for-like fat comparison.
Use per 100g to compare products against the NHS low-fat guide, then use per-serving information to plan portions.
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Leaving frozen desserts out during the picnic
Cold storage affects whether a frozen dessert can be taken and served as its pack directs. Food Standards Scotland advises keeping picnic food cold in a cool box or bag and keeping the container closed.
Pack the desserts close to departure, open the cool box only as needed and follow each product’s storage and refreezing instructions.
Allow space to carry a cool box or bag and ice, frozen gel packs or frozen drinks.
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Assuming low fat also means low sugar
M&S lists 1.1g fat and 18.1g sugars per 100g for its Low Fat Birthday Cake Ice Cream. Fat and sugars are separate entries on the label.
Compare both values and read the exact product’s allergen declaration before serving guests.
Which brands and retailers are relevant?
These are references for comparing particular products and formats, not a guarantee that every item in a range meets the NHS low-fat guide.
M&S
M&S lists low-fat ice cream and frozen-yoghurt options that can be checked against the NHS per-100g guide.
- M&S lists 1.1g fat per 100g for Low Fat Birthday Cake Ice Cream and 2.1g per 100g for Greek Style Cherry Fro-Yo.
- Its Greek Style Vanilla Fro-Yo is described as 2.9% fat; check the pack’s per-100g nutrition before comparing it on the same basis. Check sugars and allergens for each flavour.
Waitrose
Waitrose lists sorbet alongside reduced-fat ice cream and other frozen-dessert formats.
- Its listing includes a 900ml Carte D’Or Vanilla Light tub, described as having 30% less fat than similar ice cream products.
- That relative claim does not establish whether the tub meets the NHS low-fat guide; check its total fat per 100g.
Tesco
Tesco lists mango and raspberry sorbets for shoppers considering fruit-led frozen desserts.
- The Tesco sorbet range includes Tesco Mango Sorbet and Tesco Raspberry Sorbet in 500ml tubs.
- Sorbet is a format, not a low-fat classification; compare each product’s nutrition and allergens.
Sainsbury’s
Sainsbury’s lists Wall’s Soft Scoop Vanilla Light in a 1.8L sharing tub.
- The 1.8L format offers a scoopable option for a group.
- Sainsbury’s lists 4.3g fat per 100g. Although the product is described as reduced-fat, it exceeds the NHS low-fat guide.
Asda
Asda lists both a sharing tub and individually portioned sticks with nutrition information for comparison.
- Asda lists Solero Berry Bliss as three 90ml sticks, with 97 kcal and 12g sugars per stick.
- Asda lists 3.1g fat per 100g for those sticks and 4.3g per 100g for Wall’s Soft Scoop Vanilla Light; neither figure meets the NHS low-fat guide.
Häagen-Dazs
Häagen-Dazs UK offers tubs, stickbars and mini-cup formats for shoppers choosing by serving style.
- The range includes both tubs and individual formats.
- A smaller format does not establish low-fat status. Check the current pack for nutrition and allergens before choosing a particular flavour.
Joybuy frozen-dessert options
These options include individually portioned mango mochi and two scoopable gelato tubs. Compare each pack’s per-100g fat, sugars, allergens and storage instructions before deciding what to take to a picnic.
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ETE Mango Ice Dessert Sorbet Mochi, 30g × 6
Six pieces offer individual picnic portions without scooping. Check the pack’s fat and sugars per 100g, its coconut allergen information and its frozen-storage instructions.
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XO ICE Musang King Durian Plant-Based Gelato 473ml
This 473ml tub is a scoop-and-serve option. Check its per-100g fat and sugars, the pack’s coconut and milk allergen information, and the storage directions before taking it outdoors.
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XO ICE Protein Alphonso Mango Gelato 473ml
This 473ml mango gelato comes in a tub for scooping. Compare its per-100g fat and sugars with your other choices, and check the pack for milk, sesame, egg and peanut allergen information and frozen-storage directions.
Common questions
What counts as low-fat for a frozen dessert?
The NHS guide defines a low-fat food as having 3g total fat or less per 100g. Read the total-fat figure for the exact dessert rather than relying on a serving-size figure or the word “light”.
Does “30% less fat” mean a dessert is low-fat?
No. It compares a product with similar products; it does not say whether it meets the NHS low-fat guide. Sainsbury’s lists Wall’s Soft Scoop Vanilla Light as 30% less fat than similar ice cream products, but its total fat is 4.3g per 100g.
How should I carry frozen desserts to a picnic?
Use a cool box or bag with ice, frozen gel packs or frozen drinks and keep it closed, as Food Standards Scotland advises for picnic food. Follow each dessert’s storage instructions too: M&S says to keep its Low Fat Birthday Cake Ice Cream frozen at −18°C and not to refreeze it.
Should I check sugars if a dessert is low-fat?
Yes. Fat and sugars are separate label values. M&S lists 1.1g fat and 18.1g sugars per 100g for its Low Fat Birthday Cake Ice Cream, so compare both figures for the product you intend to serve.
What if a picnic guest has a food allergy?
Check the exact current pack’s ingredient and allergen declarations before serving it. M&S lists milk, wheat and gluten for its Low Fat Birthday Cake Ice Cream, while Asda lists milk for Solero Berry Bliss; do not assume another flavour or format has the same ingredients.