Shoppers comparing fat figures
Compare drinks per 100 ml before looking at bottle size. Tesco Groceries lists 0.3 g fat per 100 ml for Optimum Nutrition Chocolate and 0.9 g for Arla Protein Vanilla; the full bottle portions are different.
Who is this for?
The useful comparison changes with the person drinking the milkshake and the journey from fridge to picnic blanket.
Adults seeking a lactose-free option
If lactose-free formulation matters, check that wording on the exact pack rather than assuming every protein milkshake has it. Check the unopened storage directions too, especially if the drink will travel for some time.
Families packing smaller drinks
Yazoo Kids Strawberry is presented as a children’s carton rather than an adult protein shake. Yazoo lists 1.2 g fat and 4.6 g sugars per 100 ml, so its no-added-sugar wording should not be mistaken for sugar-free.
What should you check?
Start with the per-100-ml panel, then consider the whole portion and how the drink needs to be handled at the picnic.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Fat and portion | Compare fat per 100 ml on the nutrition panel. UK legislation sets a limit of 1.5 g per 100 ml for a low-fat claim on liquid foods; check the bottle volume separately. | I want to compare drinks on the same basis, then decide whether the whole bottle is the portion I intend to pack. |
| Sugars and ingredients | Read the ‘of which sugars’ value per 100 ml and the ingredients list. Check for sweeteners if they affect your choice; no added sugar does not mean sugar-free. | Fat is only one part of my choice. I may prefer a particular sugar figure or want to know whether a drink contains a sweetener. |
| Picnic storage | Follow the unopened storage directions and the separate instructions for after opening. The Food Standards Agency says foods normally kept in the fridge should also be kept cool on a picnic. | My drink needs to be suitable for the journey and the time before serving, not just for the lunch itself. |
| Type of drink | Distinguish a ready-to-drink milkshake from a product with meal-replacement or preparation directions. Check lactose-free wording on the specific pack if required. | I want a picnic drink that fits the intended serving, rather than choosing a meal replacement or assuming a milk-based shake is lactose-free. |
Picnic packing pitfalls
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Reading ‘low fat’ as ‘low sugar’
The low-fat threshold concerns fat, not sugars. For example, Tesco Groceries lists 0.3 g fat and 4.0 g sugars per 100 ml for Optimum Nutrition Chocolate.
Compare both lines of the nutrition panel and check the ingredients if sweeteners matter to you.
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Packing a chilled drink without a way to keep it cool
A drink that normally needs refrigeration still needs to be kept cool between packing and serving. Unopened storage directions may differ from instructions for an opened bottle.
Check the pack before setting off. Use a cool bag with ice or frozen gel packs for drinks that need chilling, and follow the label after opening.
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Choosing a meal replacement as though it were an ordinary milkshake
A meal-replacement product can have preparation and intended-use directions that do not fit a ready-to-drink picnic choice. Tesco Groceries, for example, says its Tesco Slim Chocolate powder should be made with skimmed milk as directed.
Check the product type and preparation instructions before comparing it with bottled milkshakes.
Brand and product references
These details concern the named drinks, not every product made by each brand.
Optimum Nutrition
Its Chocolate 330 ml ready-to-drink shake is an adult protein-shake option.
- Tesco Groceries lists 0.3 g fat, 4.0 g sugars and 7.6 g protein per 100 ml, and labels this product low fat and no added sugar.
- Check the sugars value independently of the no-added-sugar statement; the product information also lists milk and sucralose.
Arla Protein
Its Vanilla 482 ml drink offers a larger bottle for shoppers considering a protein milkshake.
- Tesco Groceries lists 0.9 g fat, 4.7 g sugars and 5.7 g protein per 100 ml, with instructions to store the unopened drink in a cool, dry place.
- Check whether the 482 ml portion suits the picnic and follow the pack’s refrigeration instructions after opening. Confirm lactose-free wording on the pack if needed.
Yazoo
Kids Strawberry is a children’s flavoured milk carton rather than an adult protein shake.
- Yazoo lists 1.2 g fat, 4.6 g sugars and 3.0 g protein per 100 ml for Kids Strawberry.
- Yazoo says the drink has no added sugar but contains naturally occurring sugars. Check the pack’s storage instructions for your picnic.
Joybuy drink options
These ready-to-drink protein shakes and a yoghurt-style drink offer different flavours, bottle sizes and pack formats for a picnic. Check each current pack’s fat figure and storage directions before deciding whether it meets your low-fat and transport needs.
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Applied Nutrition Double Chocolate Protein Shake, 8 × 500 ml
Consider the 500 ml bottle size when planning picnic portions. Compare the pack’s fat and sugars figures per 100 ml, and check its unopened and after-opening storage directions.
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Applied Nutrition Strawberries & Cream Protein Shake, 8 × 330 ml
The 330 ml bottle offers a different portion from the Double Chocolate variant. Check its own nutrition panel rather than carrying figures across flavours, and follow the pack’s picnic storage and after-opening directions.
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REP Vanilla Protein Shake, 8 × 250 ml
A 250 ml can may suit a smaller planned serving. If its label gives fat for the can rather than per 100 ml, account for the can volume when comparing it with other drinks; check how to store it before and after opening.
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LIGHT UP Zero Control Avocado Kale Chia Seed Milkshake Yoghurt Drink, 3 × 220 ml
This is a yoghurt-style drink rather than a conventional milkshake. Check its current nutrition panel and storage directions; if a no-added-sugar claim matters to you, compare it with the ingredients on the pack before relying on it.
Common questions
What does ‘low fat’ mean on a bottled milkshake in the UK?
For liquid foods, UK legislation limits a low-fat claim to no more than 1.5 g fat per 100 ml. Read the per-100-ml nutrition figure to compare bottles of different sizes.
Does a low-fat milkshake also have less sugar?
Not necessarily: fat and sugars are separate nutrition values. Tesco Groceries lists 0.3 g fat and 4.0 g sugars per 100 ml for Optimum Nutrition Chocolate, while Yazoo lists 1.2 g fat and 4.6 g sugars per 100 ml for Kids Strawberry. Check both values on the drink you intend to buy.
Can an unopened milkshake travel to a picnic without a cool bag?
Follow that drink’s unopened storage directions rather than assuming all milkshakes are stored alike. Tesco Groceries directs shoppers to keep Arla Protein Vanilla unopened in a cool, dry place. For drinks normally kept in the fridge, the Food Standards Agency says to keep them cool on a picnic; follow the separate instructions once a pack is opened.
Is a meal-replacement shake the same as a picnic milkshake?
No: check the intended use and preparation directions before treating one as an ordinary ready-to-drink milkshake. Tesco Groceries says Tesco Slim Chocolate meal-replacement powder should be made with skimmed milk as directed, so it is not a like-for-like bottled drink.