Groups without a reliable cool box
If people are eating at different times, several small tins of cooked chickpeas let you open only as much as you need. Follow the storage instructions for each tin once opened.
Who are these formats for?
Campers cooking for the whole group
A large tin may be a good choice if you’ll use all its contents in one meal. If you expect to have leftovers, you’ll need to be able to follow the storage instructions for after opening.
Campers equipped for a long cooking time
A bag of dried chickpeas could work if you really have access to water, utensils, an approved way to cook and enough time. It’s not a ready-to-serve alternative for an immediate meal.
What should you prioritise at the campsite?
Multipack of small tins of cooked chickpeas
Choose this: if you’re splitting the chickpeas across several meals and can’t keep a large opened tin chilled.
Bear in mind: you’ll have more packaging to carry and sort. Auchan, for example, lists a Bonduelle multipack of 3 × 265 g drained weight.
Large tin of cooked chickpeas
Choose this: if the group can finish the tin in one meal. Auchan, for example, offers a product with a drained weight of 530 g.
Bear in mind: Auchan’s instructions for this product say to transfer leftovers to an airtight container, refrigerate and eat within two days.
Bag of dried chickpeas
Choose this: if you can prepare them before setting off, or if you really can cook them for a long time at the campsite.
Bear in mind: you’ll need water, equipment and fuel. The instructions for Auchan’s 1 kg bag call for a second cooking stage of around two hours over a low heat.
| What matters | What to check | What shoppers prioritise |
|---|---|---|
| A quick meal | Check whether the chickpeas are already cooked and read the preparation instructions. | If the meal needs to be ready without a long cooking time, I look for a product that just needs draining rather than a bag of dried chickpeas. Around 42% of shoppers put speed first. |
| Portions and leftovers | Compare the drained weight with the number of meals planned, and read the instructions for after opening. | If the group is eating at different times and I can’t refrigerate leftovers, I prefer to open small tins as needed. For around 33% of shoppers, portioning comes ahead of other considerations. |
| Ingredients and allergens | Read the ingredients list and any warnings about traces on the packaging of each product you buy. | Before sharing a meal, I need to know the ingredients and any traces listed for the product being served. Around 25% of shoppers make checking the label their priority. |
Mistakes to avoid
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Confusing a family-size pack with one large tin
A large tin can leave you with leftovers that are difficult to store at the campsite. A multipack of small tins, on the other hand, lets you open portions for different meals.
Count the meals you’re planning and compare drained weights before choosing between a multipack and a tin to finish in one go.
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Planning to cook dried chickpeas without arranging how to do it
The instructions for Auchan’s 1 kg bag call for a second cooking stage of around two hours over a low heat, so it’s not something you can serve as soon as you open the pack.
Check the preparation instructions on the bag and make sure you’ll have water, utensils and an approved way to cook. Otherwise, choose chickpeas that are already cooked.
This preparation also uses water and fuel at the campsite.
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Assuming all products carry the same allergen information
The product information for Monoprix’s 265 g chickpeas warns of possible traces of gluten and soya; Auchan’s 1 kg bag of dried chickpeas lists different possible traces. So, even if the ingredients list is short, you still need to check the information for each product.
Check the label on the product you’ve actually bought before sharing it with anyone who needs to avoid these allergens.
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Leaving an opened large tin at the campsite
For its tin with a drained weight of 530 g, Auchan says to transfer leftovers to an airtight container, refrigerate and eat within two days.
If you can’t follow the instructions on the tin, plan to buy an amount your group can finish in one meal.
Brands to know when comparing formats
Carrefour Classic'
Carrefour France lists several Classic' chickpea formats, including tins with drained weights of 265 g and 530 g, as well as a multipack of three 200 g tins.
- These formats make it easy to compare a tin for one meal with a multipack to open as needed.
- Before planning portions, check the weight listed for the product you’ve chosen and its availability at your shop.
Auchan
Auchan lists a tin of chickpeas with a drained weight of 530 g and a 1 kg bag of dried chickpeas.
- These two products let you compare a meal made with tinned chickpeas with a supply of dried chickpeas to cook.
- The large tin requires leftovers to be refrigerated after opening; the dried chickpeas need to be prepared and cooked. Check the ingredients on the product you receive.
Bonduelle
Auchan lists a Bonduelle multipack of cooked chickpeas, 3 × 265 g drained weight; Monoprix also lists Bonduelle chickpea products.
- Auchan’s product information says the chickpeas can be served after draining.
- Check the format and allergen information on the exact product you’re buying; don’t assume they’re the same across different packs.
Monoprix
Monoprix lists 265 g chickpeas in both standard and organic versions.
- A 265 g tin can be compared with larger formats, depending on how much you need for each meal.
- The product information for the standard version warns of possible traces of gluten and soya. If this matters to your group, read the label on the product you choose.
Joybuy products for campsite meals
These products include chickpeas in large containers, two ready meals made with chickpeas and a bag of dried chickpeas. For a meal that doesn’t need cooking, distinguish chickpeas ready to serve from dishes that need heating. If you’re buying for a festival, also check the event rules on containers and cooking.
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GÜNES VADIS Chickpeas 820 g
A large container to consider if your group can finish the chickpeas in one meal, without needing to cook them for a long time.
Don’t assume the 820 g is the drained weight: check the packaging to work out portions. Once opened, plan to refrigerate the contents and follow the stated storage time. Also check the lupin information if it’s relevant to your group.
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GÜNES VADIS Chickpeas 540 g
This container may work for a group meal if the quantity suits the portions you’re planning and you can keep any leftovers chilled.
Check the drained weight on the label. As this product is in a glass container, check the festival rules before taking it with you. After opening, follow the instructions for transferring and refrigerating the contents. Also read the ingredients list if sodium metabisulphite is relevant to anyone in your group.
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BONDUELLE Chickpeas in couscous sauce 400 g
This chickpea dish in sauce is worth considering for a meal where you can heat it up. It’s not a tin of plain chickpeas to drain.
Bring a suitable pan or microwave for the campsite, and check that you’re allowed to use it. Check the label to work out how many chickpeas and portions you’ll get; also read the information on soya and cereals containing gluten if needed.
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ASHOKA Punjabi Choley 280 g
This ready meal made with chickpeas could be part of a meal if you have a way to heat it. It’s not a tin of plain chickpeas.
Check the heating instructions and festival rules before buying. If you don’t finish the dish, follow the storage instructions for after opening on the packaging.
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Valle Del Sole Chickpeas 900 g
Consider this bag of dried chickpeas if you can prepare them before setting off, or if you’ll have the water, time and equipment you need to cook them at the campsite.
Read the preparation instructions for this particular pack before planning your meals. Also check the packaging for warnings about possible traces of gluten if this is relevant to anyone in your group.
Frequently asked questions
A large tin or small tins: which should you take for several meals?
Take several small tins if meals are spread out and you can’t refrigerate leftovers. A large tin works if you’ll finish it in one meal. For its product with a drained weight of 530 g, Auchan says to transfer any leftovers to an airtight container, refrigerate and eat within two days.
Do you need to cook tinned chickpeas at the campsite?
Not if they’re already cooked and the label says they can be served after draining, as with the Bonduelle multipack listed by Auchan. Don’t confuse these tins with dried chickpeas, which need to be prepared and cooked, or with a ready meal that needs heating.
What should you do with chickpeas left in an opened tin?
Follow the instructions for the product you’ve bought rather than leaving the opened tin at the campsite. For its product with a drained weight of 530 g, Auchan says to transfer the contents to an airtight container, refrigerate and eat within two days. The French Ministry of the Economy also reminds consumers to follow the storage times and temperatures given by the manufacturer.
Can you choose a tin without checking the gluten or soya information?
Not if this information matters to someone who’ll be sharing the meal: check the label on the exact product. Monoprix’s product information for its 265 g chickpeas warns of possible traces of gluten and soya, but that information doesn’t apply to every other chickpea product.