MINI MILK

Nutrition Info: Vanilla 35ml, Cals 35, Sugar 4.5g, Fat .7g
The Low Down: Isn’t this where it all starts? With a mini milk? Small, cute and somehow because it’s milky appropriate for tiny tots and beyond. Low in calories (35 per lolly), lower still when one bears in mind most of those will be consumed by a T-shirt. A lovely little treat for little ones.

FAB

Nutrition Info: 58ml Cals 79, Sugar 12.5g, Fat 2.7g
The Low Down: These are so gratifyingly retro it’s almost worth ignoring the nutritional content so we can hark back guilt free to a 70s’ childhood when it was always sunny. Not that the carb or fat content is so awful, and at 80 calories a lolly it’s nothing that a few swings on the monkey bars won’t fix (you, not the kids).

MAGNUM

Nutrition Info: (Classic) 120ml Cals 260, Sugar 25g, Fat 16g. Mini magnum (Classic) 60ml Cals 170, Sugar 15g, Fat 11g. ALTERNATIVE:
Mars 51ml  Cals 143, Sugar 15.4g, Fat 8.3g
The Low Down: Think of a dessert on a stick and you’ll have captured the essence of a Magnum. It’s a whopping 260 calories and 16 grams of fat – that’s almost a quarter of a child’s allowance.  25g of sugar is pretty horrific too. That’s the equivalent of approximately 6 teaspoons and must surely turn the stomach of the most sweet-toothed amongst us. The Mini Magnums are obviously better but still contain double the calorie
content of most fruit lollies. Why not try an ice cold Mars Bar if you need that big kick.   

CORNETTO

Nutrition Info: 90ml Cals 150, Sugar 18g, Fat 5g
The Low Down: Delicious ice cream from Italy it certainly is. Tempting as they are a Cornetto will deliver 25g of sugar, approximately a third of the daily recommended amount for a child. The calorie count is similar to that of a mini magnum, at 150 per cone. Be warned, having it too close to tea will spoil it.

ROWNTREES FRUIT PASTILLES

Nutrition Info: 65ml Cals 61, Sugar 14.6g. ALTERNATIVES: Waitrose Cloudy Lemonade 73ml Cals 69, Sugar 15.5g. Sainsbury’s Rocket Lollies 58ml Cals 45, Sugar 10.4g. Del Monte 100% Juice 75ml Cals 73, Sugar, 17.3g. M&S Valencia Orange Juice Lollies 73ml Cals 70, Sugar 16g. Smooze Fruit ice 65ml Cals 70 Sugar 12g Fat 2g.
The Low Down: All the ice fruit lollies have the advantage of a negligible fat content, and the disadvantage of a high sugar
content.  However, some have a more natural ingredients list than others, and personally I’d choose calories over chemicals any day. Those which impressed were Del Monte 100% Juice, Waitrose Fruit Juice, and M&S freshly squeezed Valencia Orange Juice and the unlikely sounding Smooze (which with the addition of coconut added some fat to its ingredients list – good fat though).  Waitrose Cloudy Lemonade with water, freshly squeezed lemon juice and sugar sounded as if it might have been made at home, and you know how happy that makes me.

CALIPPO

Nutrition Info: Orange 80ml Cals 75, Sugar 15g. ALTERNATIVES: Bensons Chilly Billy 110ml Cals 47 Sugar 11g. Ribena 110ml Cals 75, Sugar 17.4g
The Low Down: Compared to some, Calippo and its Ribena equivalent would be a relatively innocuous choice were it not for the introduction of Bensons Chilly Billy which is a Calippo but without the added sugar. Chilly Billy is pure fruit juice, half the calories and half the carbohydrates. If you can get them they are my star choice.

TESCO'S REAL FRUIT SPLITS

Nutrition Info: 73ml Cals 75, Sugar 12.3g,
Fat 2.1g. ALTERNATIVES: Sainsbury’s Real Fruit Splits 73ml Cals 84, Sugar 13.4g, Fat 2.6g.
Solero Orange 90ml Cals 99, Sugar 17g, Fat 2.5g. Solero Berry Berry 90ml Cals 99, Sugar 17g, Fat 1g
The Low Down: Of those that combine a fruit and ice cream component, Tesco Fruit Splits were the least offensive of those tested. They were relatively low in sugars (12.3g) compared with a Solero (17g) and Sainsbury’s Real Fruit Splits (13.4g). However, there’s always a price to pay, and what you lose in sugar you gain in fat because of the ice cream content. The sorbet inside the Berry Berry Solero stands out therefore.