Picnic planners avoiding added sugar
A no-added-sugar label may fit the brief, but it does not mean the drink contains no sugars. Check whether it also contains sweeteners.
Who is choosing?
Families packing individual drinks
Separate portions may be easier to serve than an opened shared bottle. Check each pack’s storage instructions and plan how to keep drinks cool when required.
Shoppers with ingredient restrictions
Check milk, cereal ingredients and sweeteners on the exact product. A lactose-reduced dairy drink still contains milk.
What should you check?
Start with the ingredient and nutrition labels, then choose a pack and preparation method that work for the journey and picnic.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Added and total sugars | Check the added-sugar claim, then compare total sugars per 100ml and per intended serving. Naturally occurring sugars can remain in a no-added-sugar milk drink. | I want to avoid added sugar without mistaking the claim for sugar-free. |
| Ingredients | Read the ingredient and allergen information for milk, cereals and named sweeteners. Check the exact flavour rather than relying on the brand name. | Sweeteners or particular ingredients may determine which drink I can choose. |
| Format and portions | Compare bottle or can size with the number of people drinking. Powder needs a chosen milk or milk alternative and preparation before serving. | I may prefer separate ready-to-drink portions, or I may want to choose the base for a mixed drink. |
| Picnic storage | Follow the pack’s unopened and opened storage directions. The Food Standards Agency advises keeping foods normally refrigerated cool on a picnic. | I need a way to carry and serve the drink at its required temperature. |
Common buying mistakes
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Reading “no added sugar” as “zero sugar”
Milk drinks can contain naturally occurring sugars even when no sugar has been added. Yazoo labels its Kids Chocolate drink no added sugar while listing 4.7g sugars per 100ml.
Check total sugars per 100ml and for the portion you intend to drink.
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Assuming no added sugar means no sweeteners
The examined Mars No Added Sugar drink lists acesulfame K and sucralose; Yazoo says its Kids Chocolate drink has no artificial sweeteners.
Read the ingredient list if particular sweeteners matter to you.
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Overlooking storage at the picnic
The Food Standards Agency advises keeping picnic foods you would normally refrigerate cool. An unopened drink’s storage directions may differ from its directions after opening.
Check the pack and, where cooling is required, use a cool bag or cool box with ice or frozen gel packs until serving.
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Assuming every flavour has the same ingredients
Yazoo’s examined Kids Chocolate drink is labelled no added sugar, while its Banana drink lists sugar as an ingredient. Formulations can also change.
Check the current label for the exact flavour and pack, including allergens and nutrition information.
Relevant brand references
These examples show why a brand name alone cannot settle a sugar or ingredient choice; check the particular product.
Yazoo
Yazoo Kids Chocolate is an individual dairy drink labelled no added sugar.
- Yazoo states that Kids Chocolate has no artificial sweeteners and lists 4.7g sugars per 100ml.
- It contains milk despite being lactose reduced. Yazoo Banana lists added sugar, so the Kids Chocolate claim does not apply across the range.
Müller FRijj
Müller describes its Chocolate Flavour product as a thick, smooth UHT milkshake in a 330ml bottle.
- The single bottle offers a conventional ready-to-drink milkshake format.
- The examined chocolate product contains sugar syrup and fructose. Tesco lists 11.4g sugars per 100ml for it.
Mars
The examined Mars No Added Sugar flavoured milk drink comes in a 400ml bottle containing two 200ml portions.
- Its no-added-sugar label offers a ready-to-drink option for shoppers checking added sugar.
- It still contains naturally occurring sugars, as well as milk, barley, acesulfame K and sucralose. Refrigerate it after opening.
Tesco
Tesco lists no-added-sugar milkshake powder, offering a format to mix with a chosen milk or milk alternative.
- The listed strawberry powder provides a mix-at-home alternative to a ready-to-drink bottle.
- Check the powder’s sweetener and allergen information. The finished drink’s ingredients and storage needs also depend on the base used.
Ready-to-drink options on Joybuy
These individual ready-to-drink protein and yoghurt-style shakes are options to consider for a picnic. Check their ingredients and storage directions against your plans; they are not substitutes for comparing conventional milkshakes or mix-at-home powder.
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REP Protein Shakes Vanilla Flavour, 8 × 250ml
The individual cans need no mixing for a picnic lunch. The listing describes the shake as having no added sugar or artificial sweeteners, but its nutrition information lists 10.8g sugars per 250ml can. It contains milk; follow the pack’s directions to refrigerate after opening.
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Applied Nutrition Protein Nutrition Shake Strawberries & Cream Flavour, 8 × 330ml
Each bottle is a ready-to-drink portion. The listing says no added sugar but lists 3.5g sugars per 100ml and 11.6g per 330ml bottle; it also identifies milk and sucralose. Refrigerate after opening and consume within 12 hours, following the pack’s storage directions during the picnic.
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LIGHT UP Zero Control Avocado Kale Chia Seed Milkshake Yoghurt Drink, 220ml
The 220ml bottle offers a ready-to-drink portion. The listing reports 0.2g sugars per 100ml, but its no-added-sugar highlight conflicts with sugar in the fruit-preparation ingredients: check the current pack before choosing it to avoid added sugar. It contains milk and sucralose, and the listing says to consume it immediately after opening.
Picnic milkshake questions
Does “no added sugar” mean a milkshake is sugar-free?
No. Yazoo Kids Chocolate is labelled no added sugar but lists 4.7g sugars per 100ml, while the examined Mars No Added Sugar drink says it contains naturally occurring sugars. Check the total-sugars line as well as the front-of-pack claim.
How should I carry a dairy milkshake to a picnic?
Follow its storage directions. For foods you would normally keep in the fridge, the Food Standards Agency advises keeping them cool at a picnic; a cool bag or cool box with ice or frozen gel packs helps you do that until serving.
Is a lactose-reduced milkshake dairy-free?
No. The examined Yazoo Kids Chocolate drink is lactose reduced but still contains milk. If you need to avoid milk, check the current ingredients and allergen information for the exact drink.
Are no-added-sugar milkshakes free from sweeteners?
Not necessarily. Yazoo states that its Kids Chocolate drink has no artificial sweeteners, whereas the examined Mars No Added Sugar drink lists acesulfame K and sucralose. Read the ingredient list if sweetener choice matters.
What changes if I take milkshake powder instead?
Powder lets you choose the milk or milk alternative, but the finished drink’s ingredients depend on both products. Check the powder and base labels, and plan storage for the prepared drink according to their directions.