For an easy-to-chew meal for one, start by choosing fillets that you can flake, then pick a tin size to suit your appetite and side dishes. Plain, oil-packed and sauced varieties offer different recipes and formats. Compare their ingredients, allergens and nutritional values, and don’t assume that a sauce guarantees a suitable texture. Manufacturers’ descriptions of tenderness are not enough to determine whether a texture is suitable for someone with a swallowing difficulty.
You’d like to add mackerel to a soft meal. Petit Navire and Saupiquet describe some of their products as “meltingly tender” or “soft”, but these terms don’t confirm that the texture is suitable for someone with a swallowing difficulty.
You want to choose the right amount and avoid leftovers. The products mentioned by Auchan, E.Leclerc, Petit Navire and Saupiquet include 85 g, 95 g, 110 g and 120 g tins. You should also consider the weight in relation to the rest of the meal.
You compare ingredients, allergens and salt content before choosing. Plain and sauced varieties don’t necessarily have the same composition, so check the label on the specific tin you’re considering.
For an easy-to-chew meal for one, start with the texture you’re looking for, then check the quantity, recipe and nutritional information for the product you’ve chosen.
| What to consider | What to check | Who might find this useful? |
|---|---|---|
| Texture | Choose fillets and check whether you can flake them for the meal you have planned. Words such as “meltingly tender” and “soft” are still manufacturers’ descriptions. | If I want to mix the fish into a soft dish, I look for fillets that I can flake easily; around 36% of consumers would put texture first. |
| Quantity and leftovers | Compare the net weight and, where there’s a covering liquid, the drained net weight. Take your side dishes into account. | To eat alone without having a large amount left in the tin, I choose an amount that suits my appetite; portion size would be the priority for around 29% of consumers. |
| Recipe and allergens | Read the ingredients and allergen information for each variety, especially for mustard-based or sauced recipes. | A sauce might suit me for its flavour or to moisten my meal, as long as I’m happy with its ingredients; around 21% of consumers would prioritise whether the recipe suits them. |
| Ingredients and nutrition | Compare the ingredients list and nutritional values, including salt and fat, per 100 g. | If I want to limit certain added ingredients or compare salt content, I check the label on each product; this would be the first consideration for around 14% of consumers. |
A tin sold on its own isn’t necessarily the right size for your meal. Products mentioned by manufacturers and retailers come in different weights, including 95 g from E.Leclerc and 169 g for some sauced varieties.
Compare the net weight and, where applicable, the drained net weight with your appetite and planned side dishes.
When Petit Navire or Saupiquet uses “meltingly tender”, it’s describing a characteristic claimed by the manufacturer, not confirming that the texture is suitable for someone who has difficulty swallowing.
For an everyday meal, check whether the fillets flake the way you want them to. If you need a modified texture, speak to a health professional about which textures are suitable.
The mustard recipes mentioned by Auchan contain mustard; one of them also warns that it may contain traces of milk. The name of the sauce doesn’t tell you everything about its allergens.
Before buying, read the ingredients list and allergen information for the specific product.
The Saupiquet product information mentioned here says to refrigerate the product after opening and eat it within two days.
If you’re planning to eat small amounts, choose a suitable size or plan how to use the rest, following the instructions on the tin you buy.
The brand offers plain mackerel fillets in a 110 g tin and extra virgin olive oil fillets in a 145 g tin, among other products.
The range mentioned includes 120 g plain grilled fillets and 176 g plain fillets.
Carrefour offers 169 g tins of mackerel fillets in escabeche sauce, among other products.
E.Leclerc offers 95 g plain fillets and a 169 g tomato and basil recipe, among other products.
The products mentioned include 85 g Auchan olive oil fillets and 169 g Pouce mustard fillets.
Choose an amount to suit your appetite and the rest of your meal, rather than basing your choice on the number of tins alone. Products mentioned from Auchan, E.Leclerc, Petit Navire and Saupiquet include 85 g, 95 g, 110 g and 120 g sizes; some varieties are as large as 169 g. Also compare the drained net weight where it’s shown.
No. Oil or sauce doesn’t guarantee a suitable texture. Petit Navire describes its olive oil fillets as more tender, but that’s the manufacturer’s description. Check the texture of the fillets and the recipe’s ingredients against the meal you have planned.
Follow the storage instructions on the tin you’ve bought. The Saupiquet product information mentioned here says to refrigerate the product after opening and eat it within two days. If you have a small appetite, bear this time limit in mind when choosing a tin size.
Check the allergen information for the specific product, including fish and any ingredients added in the sauce. The mustard recipes mentioned by Auchan contain mustard, and one product warns that it may contain traces of milk. France’s DGCCRF (Directorate General for Competition Policy, Consumer Affairs and Fraud Control) reminds consumers that allergenic ingredients must be highlighted on the labels of prepacked foods.
Compare the ingredients list, allergen information, net quantity and nutritional details on each tin. If there’s a covering liquid, also check the drained net weight to see how much fish you’re getting. France’s DGCCRF sets out the labelling rules that apply to prepacked foods in France.