If you’re cooking for one, first decide what “free from” needs to exclude: a specific ingredient, lactose and additives are different considerations. Check the label of the product you’re buying, then choose a volume that suits your recipe and compare the ingredients and storage instructions after opening. A small carton isn’t necessarily a single portion.
If you need to avoid an ingredient, start by checking the label of the product you’re buying. The DGCCRF reminds shoppers that allergens must be highlighted on prepacked foods. A short ingredients list doesn’t guarantee that all allergens are absent.
For a curry, sauce or dessert, compare the amount your recipe needs with the container size. The 200 ml cartons sold by E.Leclerc and Auchan are examples of smaller formats, but storage instructions after opening vary by product.
The proportion of coconut extract and whether a declared gum is included can help you choose between two products for a particular recipe. Also compare nutritional information on the same basis, and don’t assume that one figure alone tells you how the dish will turn out.
Decide which ingredient you need to avoid before comparing volumes. The ingredients and nutritional values can then help you choose between products suited to your recipe.
| What to consider | What to check | Who is it for? |
|---|---|---|
| Food exclusions | Read the ingredients list, check which allergens are highlighted and look for any precautionary statements on the exact packaging. | If I need to avoid a specific ingredient, the word “coconut” alone or a “no additives” claim doesn’t answer my question. For around 31% of consumers, checking whether a product meets these requirements would be the top priority. |
| Volume and storage | Compare the container size with the amount you need, then check the storage instructions for after opening. | I’m cooking one portion and may not use the rest straight away. Around 25% of consumers would put minimising leftovers first. |
| Ingredients for your recipe | Compare the declared coconut extract, fat content on the same basis and whether any thickening agents are included. | For my sauce or dessert, I want to choose the ingredients to suit the recipe, without assuming that a higher percentage of coconut guarantees a particular texture. Around 25% of consumers would put the result in the dish first. |
| Short ingredients list | Tell the difference between a coconut-and-water recipe and one that also lists a gum or stabiliser. “Organic” is a separate consideration. | If my priority is avoiding declared additives, I compare each ingredient rather than relying on a general claim. Around 19% of consumers would put this need first. |
A plant-based drink and coconut milk for cooking shouldn’t be chosen based on the word “coconut” alone. Carrefour lists these products in different formats and categories.
For a sauce, curry or dessert, check the product description and ingredients of the one you’re considering.
These claims address different things: one relates to additives in the ingredients, while the other concerns the allergens present.
Identify the ingredient you need to avoid and read the full label, including any precautionary statements.
Instructions vary: Auchan says to refrigerate its KARA Bio 20 cl product and use it within three days, while its Coco cuisine product should be used within five days.
Before opening a large container, plan how else you’ll use it and follow the instructions for the product you’ve bought.
Any leftovers not used within the stated time may need to be thrown away.
Carrefour’s Jardin Bio Étic product is labelled “lactose-free” and lists guar gum, showing that these are separate considerations.
Choose the claim that matches your needs, then check it on the exact product you’re buying.
Auchan’s KARA Bio 20 cl is a small-format coconut milk for cooking.
E.Leclerc sells Tables du Monde coconut milk for cooking in a 200 ml carton.
E.Leclerc’s 200 ml ECO+ carton offers another small format to compare.
Auchan’s Coco cuisine UHT product is sold in a pack of three 20 cl cartons.
Carrefour sells Jardin Bio Étic organic coconut milk in a 400 ml tin.
This selection includes small containers for occasional cooking, as well as larger formats to consider if you plan to use them more than once. If you need to avoid a particular food, check the label on the product you buy.
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Compare the 150 ml container with the amount your recipe for one needs. If you avoid certain additives or ingredients, check the label to see whether they’re included.
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This small container may suit a one-off recipe that needs around 165 ml. Check the ingredients and storage instructions after opening on the tin you buy.
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This pack of six containers is worth considering if you plan to use them for several recipes, rather than just one meal. If you need to avoid a particular food, check the allergen information and any precautionary statements on each pack.
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With a 400 ml container, you’ll need to think about what to do with the leftovers after cooking for one. The “organic” label doesn’t replace checking the ingredients and storage instructions.
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At 400 ml, this container is best suited to recipes that use that amount, or if you have another use in mind. To compare its nutritional information with another product, use the same basis: per 100 g or per 100 ml, as shown on the label.
No. Coconut, a short ingredients list or a “no additives” claim doesn’t guarantee that all allergens are absent. Check the ingredients, highlighted allergens and any precautionary statements on the exact packaging. The DGCCRF reminds shoppers how important this labelling is for prepacked foods.
Compare the nutritional values on the same basis, rather than comparing container sizes alone. The DGCCRF says nutritional information is given per 100 g or 100 ml, so check the unit on each product before comparing the figures.
Choose a container close to the amount your recipe needs, or plan another use for the rest within the stated time after opening. For the products featured by Auchan, KARA Bio 20 cl should be used within three days when refrigerated, while Coco cuisine should be used within five days. Always follow the instructions for the product you buy.
No. “Lactose-free” relates to one specific consideration and doesn’t guarantee that other ingredients or allergens you need to avoid are absent. If you need to avoid milk proteins in particular, check the ingredients list and allergen information for the product you buy separately.