Hosts serving a larger group
Work out how much guests are likely to pour, then decide whether shared bottles or separate drinks will be easier to serve around the table.
Who is this for?
Shoppers using six pints as a quantity target
Check the volume on each pack. A six-pint plain-milk bottle and several smaller ready-to-drink milkshakes are different ways to reach a similar total.
Hosts checking guests' ingredients
Look at the current labels before serving dairy drinks, particularly when guests need to avoid milk or other declared allergens.
What should you check before buying?
Larger ready-to-drink bottles
Choose when: You want to pour shared servings from fewer containers; four 1L Yazoo bottles total 4L.
Bear in mind: This means four dairy-drink bottles, not one six-pint milkshake bottle.
Individual ready-to-drink bottles
Choose when: Separate servings or a choice of flavours matter more than minimising bottle count.
Bear in mind: Reaching roughly 3.4L takes eight 471ml FRijj bottles or nine 400ml Mars bottles, based on the pack sizes listed by Tesco.
Plain milk for homemade shakes
Choose when: You specifically want a six-pint bottle and are willing to prepare the drinks.
Bear in mind: Sainsbury's six-pint, 3.4L listing is plain milk; flavouring and any other ingredients need separate consideration.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Total volume | Set a serving size and multiply it by the number of guests. Check each pack's stated volume against the roughly 3.4L six-pint target. | I want enough to offer a drink without assuming that one milkshake bottle holds six pints. |
| Serving format | Compare larger bottles for pouring with separately portioned bottles or cans. Count the containers needed, not just the volume of one. | Would shared pouring work at the table, or would guests prefer their own drinks? |
| Ingredients and labels | Read the current ingredients, allergen declaration and nutrition information for the exact flavour and pack. Compare nutrition figures on the same per-100ml basis. | I need to check what each guest can have rather than treating chocolate or flavoured milk drinks as interchangeable. |
| Chilling and dates | Check the use-by date and the product's refrigeration and after-opening instructions. The Food Standards Agency identifies use-by dates as food-safety dates. | Partly used bottles may remain after the game, so I want to open only what we expect to serve. |
What could catch you out?
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Assuming six pints describes a milkshake bottle
Sainsbury's lists 3.4L as six pints for plain milk. Its 1L Yazoo drink and Tesco's 471ml FRijj and 400ml Mars drinks are smaller ready-to-drink formats.
Decide on a total volume, then calculate how many bottles of the chosen drink you need.
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Relying on a front-of-pack sugar claim
Tesco's Mars drink says 'No Added Sugar' but also says it contains naturally occurring sugars. That claim does not mean sugar-free.
Compare the ingredients and per-100ml nutrition panels on the exact drinks you are considering.
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Opening every bottle at once
The Sainsbury's Yazoo and Tesco FRijj listings say to refrigerate after opening and consume within three days. An unopened bottle's use-by date still needs checking.
Keep drinks chilled and open further bottles as they are needed.
Opening more than guests will drink may leave bottles that cannot be used within their labelled period.
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Choosing by flavour without checking guests' needs
The Yazoo, FRijj and Mars examples contain milk; the Mars product information also identifies barley. A familiar flavour does not establish allergen suitability.
Ask guests about relevant restrictions and keep the current packaging available for ingredient checks.
Brands and retailers to compare
These product and retailer examples help distinguish pack formats; check the exact listing and physical label before buying.
Yazoo
The Chocolate Milk Drink comes in a 1L bottle, a format for pouring several servings.
- Sainsbury's describes the 1L pack as containing five servings.
- It contains milk and is not a six-pint bottle; the listing says to refrigerate after opening and drink within three days.
FRijj
Tesco lists a 471ml Chocolate Fudge Brownie milkshake for individual serving.
- Its listed bottle holds more than Tesco's 400ml Mars example.
- Check the exact version: Müller also describes a separate 330ml UHT Fudge Brownie product, which should not be treated as the same format.
Mars
Tesco lists a 400ml Chocolate Flavoured Milk Drink labelled 'No Added Sugar'.
- The 400ml format provides a separately portioned drink.
- Tesco qualifies the sugar claim by stating that the drink contains naturally occurring sugars; check its milk and barley declarations.
Tesco
Its grocery listings provide the 471ml FRijj and 400ml Mars examples used for the individual-bottle comparison.
- The listings identify pack sizes and product-label information.
- Check the physical label for the current formulation and storage instructions.
Sainsbury's
Its listings show both a 3.4L six-pint plain milk and a separate 1L Yazoo Chocolate Milk Drink.
- The two listings make the distinction between a six-pint milk bottle and a ready-to-drink flavoured milk clear.
- The 1L Yazoo bottle is not itself a six-pint pack.
Asda
Its Yazoo Chocolate Milk Drink listing identifies a 1L pack.
- The stated volume can be used to plan shared servings.
- Check the listing and label for the exact product you intend to serve.
Joybuy shake options
These are separately portioned protein shakes in chocolate, strawberry and vanilla flavours, rather than the grocery milk drinks or a single six-pint bottle discussed above. Compare each pack's total volume and product cautions with your plans for the group.
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Applied Nutrition Protein Nutrition Shake, Double Chocolate, 8 × 500ml
Eight individual bottles total 4L, exceeding the roughly 3.4L planning target without shared pouring.
This is a protein nutrition shake containing milk, not a conventional shared milkshake. The product information says not to exceed two bottles per day unless advised by a healthcare professional and carries cautions for under-18s and other groups; check those instructions before serving. Once opened, refrigerate and consume within 24 hours.
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Applied Nutrition Protein Nutrition Shake, Strawberries & Cream, 8 × 330ml
Eight individual 330ml bottles total 2.64L, below the roughly 3.4L planning target.
This milk-containing protein nutrition shake carries a limit of two bottles per day unless advised by a healthcare professional, alongside cautions for under-18s and other groups. Check the product instructions before serving; once opened, refrigerate and consume within 12 hours.
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REP Protein Shakes, Vanilla, 8 × 250ml
Eight individual 250ml cans total 2L, below the roughly 3.4L planning target.
This is a milk-containing protein shake rather than a conventional flavoured milkshake. Its product information carries cautions for pregnant or nursing people and people with pre-existing medical conditions; check the label before serving. Refrigerate after opening and consume within 24 hours.
Common questions
Is six pints a ready-to-drink milkshake bottle size?
Do not assume so when planning this purchase. Sainsbury's identifies six pints as 3.4L for plain milk; the ready-to-drink Yazoo, FRijj and Mars examples listed by Sainsbury's and Tesco are 1L, 471ml and 400ml respectively. Check the volume of any milkshake you find rather than treating the plain-milk pack as a milkshake listing.
How many 200ml servings are in six pints?
A 3.4L volume allows for 17 pours of 200ml. That is a quantity calculation, not a recommended serving size; use your planned cup size and number of guests to work out how much to buy.
Does 'No Added Sugar' mean the Mars drink is sugar-free?
No. Tesco's label for the 400ml Mars Chocolate Flavoured Milk Drink says 'No Added Sugar' but explicitly states that it contains naturally occurring sugars. Read the nutrition panel and ingredients for the exact product.
Which allergens need checking?
The Yazoo and FRijj examples contain milk, while the Mars example identifies both milk and barley. Check each current physical label before serving, including the labels on any ingredients used for homemade shakes.
Can opened bottles be saved for another game night?
Follow the exact bottle's after-opening instructions and use-by date. The Sainsbury's Yazoo and Tesco FRijj listings say to refrigerate after opening and consume within three days. The Food Standards Agency identifies use-by dates as food-safety dates, so do not extend one based on smell or appearance.