If you buy couscous in bulk and want to control the added salt, start by comparing plain couscous on the basis of its salt content per 100 g. Seasoned couscous and tinned couscous meals serve a different purpose: check the recipe and compare them with products of the same type. Don’t assume that a product labelled ‘couscous’ is lower in salt.
If you make your own stock and toppings, dry couscous lets you choose how to season your meal. Before buying several packs or opting for a 5 kg sack, check the salt content, best-before date and how much storage space you’ll need.
A tin of couscous saves you from preparing the couscous and its topping separately. However, it contains a recipe that’s already seasoned, so read the ingredients and check the salt content per 100 g of product.
Salt content doesn’t tell you everything about a recipe. The durum wheat couscous products featured by Carrefour, E.Leclerc and Tipiak contain wheat; also check each pack for any other allergens listed.
First, distinguish between plain couscous, seasoned couscous and a ready-made couscous meal in a tin: their recipes and uses differ. Then check the salt content and packaging within the format that suits your needs.
Choose this if: you make your own topping and want to decide how to season it.
Bear in mind: dry couscous on its own isn’t a complete meal.
Choose this if: you want a ready-seasoned base to prepare.
Bear in mind: the seasoning is fixed by the recipe. Carrefour’s spiced couscous, for example, lists salt among its ingredients.
Choose this if: your priority is a meal that already combines couscous and a topping.
Bear in mind: you’re also choosing the ingredients and seasoning in the recipe, rather than a simple couscous base.
| Factor | What to check | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Salt content | Compare the ‘salt’ figures per 100 g for products of the same type and in the same state; check the ingredients too. | If I want to season the meal myself, a recipe that’s already salted doesn’t meet my main need. Around 39% of consumers put checking salt content first. |
| Quantity and storage | Check the net weight, best-before date and storage instructions before deciding how many packs to buy. | If I often cook in large quantities, I want to buy a stock that I can realistically use and store. This is a priority for around 31% of consumers. |
| A quick, complete meal | Distinguish couscous that needs preparing from a meal with a topping; check the recipe and its stated salt content. | When I need a complete meal, I might prefer a tin, even if I have less choice over each ingredient. This would be the main priority for around 15% of consumers. |
| Type of couscous | Check whether it’s labelled ‘wholemeal’ or ‘white’, along with the ingredients and allergens for the product you’re considering. | I might look for wholemeal couscous or a plain recipe before weighing up the other factors. Around 15% of consumers would prioritise this choice of ingredients. |
Dry couscous and a ready-made meal in a tin have different ingredients and are sold in different states. E.Leclerc lists 0.0 g of salt per 100 g for its Eco+ dry couscous, compared with 0.7 g per 100 g of unprepared product for its Côté Table chicken and merguez couscous. These figures aren’t representative of every product in these categories.
Compare plain couscous, seasoned mixes and complete meals separately.
Tipiak Restauration offers its organic wholemeal couscous in a 5 kg sack, with a stated best-before period of 24 months. You’ll need to use the product at a suitable rate for the quantity you buy.
Before ordering, check the date on the sack being offered and the storage instructions.
Once opened, you’ll also need space for a suitable container and to organise your storage.
A nutritional value and a comparative claim don’t mean the same thing. The latter requires a relevant comparison with other products in the category.
When choosing, check the figure on the pack. If it says ‘reduced salt’, find out which products it’s being compared with.
The durum wheat couscous products mentioned by Carrefour, E.Leclerc and Tipiak contain wheat. Other allergens listed may vary by product.
Read the label on the product you’re ordering, even if it’s plain couscous.
The Tipiak Restauration range includes organic wholemeal couscous intended, among other uses, for catering.
The retailer offers both plain couscous sold loose and spiced couscous.
The products listed by E.Leclerc include dry couscous and a ready-made meal in a tin.
Aldi offers a 1 kg pack of medium couscous under the Les Jardins de Laylah brand, as well as a separate ready-made couscous meal from Les Légendaires.
These 900 g or 1 kg packs are plain couscous, so you can choose your own topping and seasoning. If you’re buying in bulk, check how many packs you can order and the salt and nutritional information on each product’s packaging. None of these formats is a ready-made meal in a tin.
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A dry couscous base for preparing your own toppings for several meals.
If you’d like to order several packs, check the pack size offered and the salt and allergen information on the packaging.
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This fine couscous is a good choice if you want to season it yourself.
To compare its salt content with another dry couscous, check the figures per 100 g on the packaging. Also check how many packs you can order.
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A 1 kg pack for cooking several meals with your choice of topping.
Before buying several packs, check the salt content, any listed allergens and the pack size actually offered.
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If you’re making the recipe yourself, you can compare this medium couscous with other plain, dry varieties.
Before stocking up, check the best-before date, salt content and storage instructions on the pack.
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Pearl couscous is different from medium couscous, which may matter if the shape of the grains is important for your recipe.
If you’re buying in bulk, check how many packs are available, then compare the salt content of products of the same type.
Compare their ‘salt’ figures per 100 g if they’re the same type of product and shown in the same state. Start by comparing dry couscous with other dry couscous, and check the ingredients too if one product is seasoned.
No. Check it alongside the nutritional information and the products it’s being compared with. Before ordering, also make sure the product is the type you’re looking for: plain couscous, a seasoned mix or a ready-made meal.
The plain durum wheat couscous products mentioned by Carrefour, E.Leclerc and Tipiak contain wheat. Any low salt content doesn’t change that. Check the ingredients and allergens for each product rather than relying on the word ‘plain’.
Not if you’re simply looking for a base to season yourself: a tin of ready-made couscous already contains a topping and a complete recipe. It’s better suited to when you want a prepared meal. Check its salt content and ingredients separately from those of dry couscous.
Check the total quantity you’re ordering, the best-before date and the storage instructions for the couscous you’ve chosen. For pre-packed products, also read the ingredients, allergen and nutritional information before deciding how many packs to buy.