For a savoury meal around Candlemas, choose plain lentils if you want to season them yourself, or a prepared recipe if speed is your priority. In either case, compare the sugars and salt per 100 g, as well as the ingredients. A low sugar value alone isn’t enough to establish that a product can claim to have « reduced sugar ».
The « of which sugars » line lets you compare products per 100 g without confusing it with a nutrition claim. E.Leclerc’s product listings for Notre Jardin and Bio Village show 0.0 g and 0.5 g of sugars per 100 g respectively, while Auchan’s listing for D’aucy shows 0.1 g.
Plain canned lentils let you choose the sauce and other ingredients for your meal. The ingredient lists published by E.Leclerc for Notre Jardin and by Auchan for its plain lentils include lentils, water and salt. Also check the other ingredients and any precautionary « may contain » statements on the product you choose.
A ready-made recipe can save you from having to do much seasoning at serving time. ALDI describes its Fleurs des Champs lentils as ready to eat. However, ingredients can vary by recipe: one cooked lentil product described by Auchan contains pork, wheat and celery, among other ingredients.
Choose these if: you want to season a savoury dish yourself.
Bear in mind: you’ll still need to season them, and a short ingredient list doesn’t guarantee a low salt value.
Choose these if: you’d rather serve a recipe that’s already seasoned.
Bear in mind: you’ll have less control over the recipe, so check its ingredients and allergens.
To compare canned lentils for this meal, first check the nutritional information on the same per-100 g basis, then compare the ingredients and drained weight with the portions you plan to serve.
| Criteria | What to check | Who is it for? |
|---|---|---|
| Declared sugars | Compare the « of which sugars » line per 100 g. Check any claims on the product separately. | If I’m mainly looking for a specific sugar value, I want to be able to read it on the label rather than rely on vague wording; around 44% of consumers would put this criterion first. |
| Salt and ingredients | Check the salt value per 100 g, the ingredients list and the allergens stated for the recipe you choose. | When I’m putting together a savoury dish myself, I need to know how it’s already seasoned; around 33% of consumers would prioritise having this control over the recipe. |
| Serving and pack size | Check whether the lentils are plain or prepared, then look for the drained weight if it’s stated and follow the storage instructions after opening. | When I’m short on preparation time, I look for an easy-to-serve recipe in a pack size that suits the portions I plan to serve; around 23% of consumers would prioritise this need. |
The « of which sugars » value is nutritional information for that specific product. On its own, it doesn’t prove that the product can make a nutrition claim; the DGCCRF notes that such claims are governed by European Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006.
Compare the values per 100 g and check the exact wording of any claim on the product separately.
E.Leclerc’s listings for Notre Jardin and Bio Village each show 0.8 g of salt per 100 g, compared with 0.62 g per 100 g on Auchan’s listing for D’aucy. The sugar value doesn’t tell you how much salt the product contains.
Check both nutritional values on the same per-100 g basis, especially if your meal includes other salty ingredients.
Ingredients vary by recipe. Auchan’s listing for Raynal et Roquelaure’s lentils cooked in the Auvergnat style includes pork, wheat and celery, among other ingredients.
For every prepared product, check the full ingredients list and allergen information.
The total weight of a can includes its covering liquid, so it doesn’t tell you how many lentils you’ll have once they’re drained.
Compare the drained weight if it’s stated, and choose a pack size suited to the portions you plan to serve.
Bonduelle presents its lentils, cooked in very little juice, as a base for a salad or a cooked lentil dish.
Auchan’s listing describes a 530 g pack of prepared D’aucy lentils.
Notre Jardin, an E.Leclerc own brand, offers a 265 g can of plain lentils.
E.Leclerc’s listing describes Bio Village organic lentils, with both the lentils’ origin and the place of manufacture stated as France.
ALDI describes its prepared Fleurs des Champs lentils in a 530 g pack as ready to eat.
No. A declared sugar value isn’t enough to establish that claim. The DGCCRF notes that nutrition claims are governed by European Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006. Check the wording on the product rather than inferring a claim from the nutrition table alone.
Compare the salt per 100 g, ingredients, allergen information and drained weight if stated. A cooked recipe may contain ingredients that aren’t found in plain canned lentils: Auchan’s listing for a Raynal et Roquelaure recipe includes pork, wheat and celery, among other ingredients.
Follow the instructions for the product you buy. For the prepared D’aucy lentils described by Auchan, leftovers should be put in a suitable airtight container, kept in the fridge and eaten within 2 days of opening.
Prepared lentils are a good choice if you want to keep seasoning to a minimum; ALDI describes its Fleurs des Champs lentils as ready to eat. If you’d rather choose the sauce and other ingredients yourself, start with plain canned lentils and check the stated preparation time.