For a premium plain-croissant picnic, choose an all-butter pack sized for your group and suited to how you will serve it. Waitrose No.1 is a two-pack with 33% butter stated on its product page, while M&S, Tesco Finest, Sainsbury’s Taste the Difference and Exceptional by Asda offer four-pack options with 25–29% butter declared; check allergens and whether warming or freezer preparation is practical before buying.
A small pack can make sense when serving one or two people and warming the pastries before leaving is practical. Waitrose No.1 lists a two-pack with 33% butter, while M&S lists a 160 g all-butter pack with 29% butter, according to the retailers’ product pages.
A four-pack is easier to share when a plain croissant is part of a wider picnic spread. Tesco Finest, Sainsbury’s Taste the Difference and Exceptional by Asda list four-pack all-butter options; Asda states that its pack can be served hot or cold.
Choose a specifically labelled gluten-free or made-without-wheat croissant rather than assuming that all-butter means wheat-free. The M&S and Sainsbury’s alternatives identified for this purpose still contain milk and egg, according to their product pages.
Start with the serving plan, then compare the exact pack’s recipe details and allergen information rather than relying on the premium range name alone.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| All-butter recipe | Compare the stated butter percentage for the exact pack. Treat French butter or flour wording as recipe provenance, not as an independent taste result. Check warming instructions if serving warm matters. | I want a plain all-butter croissant rather than choosing only by a premium range label. |
| Serving format | Match the pack count to the group. Check whether it is ambient and ready to eat, or frozen and dependent on freezer storage and baking before travel. | I need enough pastries for the picnic without depending on equipment that will not be available outdoors. |
| Allergens | Check wheat or gluten, milk and egg on the physical pack. Read precautionary allergen statements separately, especially where nuts, sesame or soya are a concern. | I need a pastry that fits the requirements of everyone sharing the food, not simply an all-butter option. |
Conventional all-butter croissants in this selection contain wheat or gluten-containing cereals, milk and egg. Waitrose No.1 may contain nuts, while Lidl’s in-store croissant lists several possible trace allergens.
Ask guests about allergies before shopping, then check the physical pack for the exact product. A gluten-free product is not automatically free from milk, egg or nuts.
Member promotions can have an end date or require a retailer loyalty account, so the offer shown while browsing may not apply when you shop.
Check the promotion dates and membership conditions alongside the standard product details before deciding between packs.
Frozen croissants need freezer storage and time in the oven before they can be served. Joybuy’s Pret A Manger Butter Croissants are stored at -18°C or below and baked from frozen for 20 minutes.
Choose a frozen format only when you can bake it at home shortly before travelling. For a no-oven picnic, look for an ambient product that is ready to eat and follow its storage guidance.
Declared butter content describes the recipe for a specific product; it does not independently establish that one croissant will taste better than another.
Use recipe details alongside portion count, allergens and serving plans, rather than treating a higher percentage as a universal choice.
An all-butter plain-croissant route for shoppers looking for a premium-style pack that can be frozen and warmed before serving.
A four-pack all-butter option for a shareable picnic spread, with heating guidance for ambient or frozen pastries.
A four-pack premium own-label route for shoppers who may warm pastries in an oven or air fryer before setting off.
A small-pack premium route through the No.1 two-croissant line, with a larger all-butter pack also listed in the wider pastry range.
A four-pack all-butter option for an outdoor meal where serving pastries cold may be more practical than warming them.
An in-store all-butter croissant option for shoppers who prefer to check the bakery offering in person.
Joybuy product options for a picnic where pastries can be stored frozen and baked at home before travel.
No image available
A plain all-butter option for preparing at home before a picnic.
330 g frozen pack; stated 24% French-sourced butter; bake from frozen for 20 minutes.
Store at -18°C or below before preparation. Contains wheat or gluten, milk and egg; may contain nuts, sesame and soya.
No image available
A six-croissant option for a larger picnic spread where chocolate-filled pastries are wanted alongside other food.
Frozen six-pack with stated 19% butter and a 22-minute bake-from-frozen instruction.
This is a chocolate-filled and topped pastry rather than a classic plain croissant. Store at -18°C or below; it contains wheat or gluten, milk, egg and soya and is not suitable for nut- and sesame-allergy sufferers.
No. Conventional all-butter croissants in this selection list wheat or gluten-containing cereals. Choose a specifically labelled gluten-free or made-without-wheat product instead, then check for milk and egg: the M&S and Sainsbury’s alternatives identified here both contain them.
Warm them only if you can do so shortly before serving and can follow the exact pack instructions. M&S, Tesco, Sainsbury’s and Waitrose provide warming guidance for their plain all-butter products, while Exceptional by Asda states that its croissants are ready to eat hot or cold.
No. Use online information to shortlist products, then check the physical pack immediately before serving because recipes and allergen information can change. For loose or bakery-counter food, ask the retailer for current allergen information; GOV.UK guidance states that food businesses in England, Northern Ireland and Wales must provide allergen information for prepacked and non-prepacked food and drink.
They are practical when you have freezer storage before baking and enough time to cook them at home. Joybuy’s Pret A Manger Butter Croissants need baking from frozen for 20 minutes and storage at -18°C or below, so they suit planned preparation before leaving rather than spontaneous outdoor serving.