The one thing that instantly hits us when we think of Holi is a glass of Thandai. This refreshing and exotic drink is a flavorful blend of milk, saffron, nuts, fennel seeds, poppy seeds, cardamom, and rose. Thandai is served as a welcome drink to homecoming guests. Moreover, it also finds its place during the festival of Mahashivratri. We picked up two popular brands offering ready-to-drink Thandai – Paper Boat and Haldiram’s. In our Paper Boat Vs Haldiram’s Thandai face-off, we decode the taste, packaging, quality of ingredients, aroma, price, and the answer to the best tasting ready-to-drink Thandai.
Table of Contents
Paper Boat Vs Haldiram’s Thandai: Quick Comparison
Here’s a glimpse at the comparison table of Paper Boat Vs Haldiram’s Thandai :
| Parameters | Paper Boat Thandai | Haldiram’s Thandai |
| Net Weight | 180 ml | 200 ml |
| Price | INR 50 | INR 90 |
| Calories (per 100 gm) | 113 kcal | 131 kcal |
| Shelf Life | 240 days | 4 days |
| Overall Mishry Rating (on 5) | 4 | 3.5 |
Paper Boat Vs Haldiram’s Thandai: In-Depth Comparison
We compared Paper Boat Thandai and Haldiram’s Thandai across eight parameters to find the better-tasting one. This section covers further details on the parameters.
1. Packaging
The parameter holds prime importance when it comes to ready-to-consume drinks. The right packaging ensures that the contents stay fresh and the pack does not puff up.
Paper Boat –
This Thandai comes in a vibrant and attractive pouch pack. It is ideal for one time consumption.
Haldiram’s –
Haldiram’s Thandai has premium packaging. It is placed in a glass bottle and secured with a lid.
Winner:
Haldiram
2. Quality of Main Ingredients
Following are the list of main ingredients used in both these beverages:
Paper Boat –
Pasteurized double toned milk (85.5%), Sugar, Milk solids, Almonds (1.3%), Melon seeds, Fennel powder, Cardamom powder, Khuskhus, and Black pepper powder.
No added preservative and no added colors. No GMO’s and no bioengineered ingredients.
Haldiram’s –
Milk (82%), Almond, Cashewnut, Pistachio, Sugar, Cardamom, Black pepper whole, Whole coriander, Rose petal, Fennel seeds, Poppy seeds, Melon seeds, and Saffron.
No added preservative.
The list of ingredients for both these Thandai comes close to what we use to prepare a homestyle Thandai.
Winner:
Tie! The ingredient list looks decent for both of these brands. The absence of preservatives and added colors makes both of them a winner here.
3. Taste
Here we check the level of sweetness? How refreshing is the taste?
Paper Boat –
Taste-wise, this thandai has a well-rounded sweetness. A prominent flavor of almond appears in every sip. We liked it. The tiny bits of peeled almonds add a crunch to the thandai.
Haldiram’s –
Haldiram’s Thandai has an overly sweet taste. The punch of black pepper is intense and cuts through the sweetness. Nonetheless, the sweetness remains on the higher side.
Winner:
Paper Boat
4. Flavor
How bold is the flavor of spices used? Is there any particular ingredient that lends an intense flavor?
Paper Boat –
REFRESHING! The nutty flavor of almonds and the kick of pepper blend deliciously.
Haldiram’s –
Haldiram’s Thandai feels quite refreshing. It has a dominant flavor of Saffron. The kick of black pepper hits right back at the throat.
Winner:
Paper Boat! The winner is Paper Boat since it strikes a perfect balance between flavors without feeling overly sweet. Haldiram’s, on the other hand, showcased an imbalance of flavors.
5. Aroma
Paper Boat –
It has a nutty and milky aroma. The aroma is not inviting.
Haldiram’s –
We could whiff a strong aroma of Saffron. It felt refreshing.
Winner:
Haldiram’s
6. Nutritional information
Per 100 ml the nutritional information for both these brands is as follows:
Paper Boat –
This Thandai offers 113 kcal, 18 gm of carb, 2.6 gm of total fat and 4.4 gm of protein.
Haldiram’s –
Per 100 ml this Thandai contains 131 kcal, 17.6 gm total carb, 5.2 gm of fat and 3.3 gm of protein.
Winner:
Paper Boat
7. Price
Paper Boat –
A 180 ml quantity of Paper Boat Thandai is priced at Rs. 50.
Haldiram’s –
The price of the 200 ml bottle of Haldiram’s Thandai is INR 90.
Amongst the two, Paper Boat is economically priced.
Winner:
Clearly, the winner here is Paper Boat!
8. Shelf life
Did we notice any major difference in the shelf life?
Paper Boat –
The shelf life is 240 days.
Haldiram’s –
Haldiram’s Thandai has a shelf life of 4 days.
Winner:
Haldiram’s Thandai grabs the position here! Why? Generally, products having shorter shelf life tend to remain fresh.
Looking to make some delicious Thandai at home? Grab a look at our list of the Best Thandai Brands.
Paper Boat Vs Haldiram’s Thandai – Verdict
In the Paper Boat Vs Haldiram’s Thandai ultimate face-off, we present the crown to Paper Boat. It outperformed in terms of the quality of ingredients, taste, flavor, nutritional information and pricing. In this ready to drink thandai review we saw that while Haldiram’s Thandai comes in a premium glass bottle, the high sweetness and imbalance of flavors were not appreciated.
Final Words
Haldiram’s Thandai has a better shelf life and a refreshing aroma. However, Paper Boat won our hearts for how great it tastes and the price at which it comes.
Are you an ardent lover of Thandai? Let us know in the comments below.
Check out Haldiram Thandai Kesaria Review – Best Holi Dry Fruit Syrup
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some interesting FAQs on the Comparison of Paper Boat and Haldiram Thandai
1. Do these thandais have additional flavor enhancer?
On scanning the ingredient list of these Thandais, we did not find any presence of additional flavor enhancers.
2. Do we need to mix sugar in these thandais?
No. There is no need to mix sugar in these Thandais. These are ready to consume.
3. Do these thandais have preservatives?
No. There are no preservatives used in these Thandais.
4. Does thandai require refrigeration?
Yes. For an enhanced flavor, Thandai is best when chilled. Additionally, refrigerating the Thandai prevents any possible curdling of milk.
5. Which is the best thandai between these two?
Paper Boat Thandai had a better rating on most of our review parameters, including quality of ingredients, taste, flavor, nutritional information, and pricing. Hence, it was the clear winner.
