When serving rice with a New Year’s Eve meal for two, first decide what role it will play on the plate. Plain rice lets you season it yourself, while a ready-seasoned recipe brings its own flavours. Next, check the net weight rather than assuming one pouch will always serve two, then read the ingredients, allergen information and instructions on your chosen product.
Quick-cook rice can free up time to focus on the main course and serving. Carrefour listings for some products give cooking times of 1 to 3 minutes, depending on the product and heating method. Follow the instructions on your chosen pouch.
If the sauce or main course already brings plenty of flavour to the meal, plain or basmati rice lets you choose the seasoning yourself. The vegetable and Mediterranean-style recipes shown on Carrefour listings are already seasoned.
The recipe matters just as much as the type of rice. Carrefour’s listing for Lustucru Nature and a Touch of Butter rice, for example, specifies that it contains milk. In France, the DGCCRF states that allergens in prepacked foods must be highlighted in the ingredients list. Check the list on the product you buy.
For a New Year’s Eve meal for two, decide whether the rice should be a subtle side or bring its own flavours, then check the quantity and preparation time you’ll need when serving.
| What to consider | What to check | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Preparation time | The heating method available and the time stated for your chosen product. | I want to serve the rice while I finish the main course. Around 33% of consumers prioritise ease of preparation. |
| How it goes with the menu | Whether it contains vegetables, tomato, spices or other seasonings, and how these will work with the main course. | If my sauce is already well seasoned, I’d rather choose the rice seasoning myself. If the menu is simpler, a ready-seasoned recipe could work well. Around 27% of consumers put this pairing first. |
| Ingredients | The ingredients list, allergen information and, when comparing recipes on a like-for-like basis, the nutritional values per 100 g. | One of my guests needs to avoid certain ingredients, so I check the exact recipe rather than relying on its name. Around 20% of consumers prioritise this check. |
| Quantity for two | The net weight and how much of the meal the rice will make up. | I won’t need the same amount if rice is the only side as I would if it’s served with several other dishes. Around 20% of consumers first consider whether the pack size suits the meal. |
The 220 g and 250 g products listed by Carrefour show the net weight, not an amount that will suit every meal for two.
Before choosing a pack size and how many pouches to buy, decide whether the rice will be a small side or the main accompaniment.
A recipe that already contains vegetables, tomato or spices can change how well it goes with your planned sauce or a strongly flavoured main course.
Compare its ingredients with those of a plain version, then choose according to the flavours you want to take centre stage in the meal.
Ingredients and allergens vary by recipe. Carrefour’s listing for Lustucru Nature and a Touch of Butter rice specifies that it contains milk.
Check the allergens, date and storage instructions on the pack you buy. If the rice or leftovers need to be refrigerated, follow the product instructions. Anses recommends keeping the coldest part of the fridge between 0 and +4 °C.
Carrefour listings feature 220 g quick-cook rice products, including long-grain, wholegrain and vegetable varieties.
Carrefour’s listing for Nature and a Touch of Butter rice describes a 220 g quick-cook recipe.
Carrefour listings for plain and basmati varieties describe precooked basmati rice in pouches.
Carrefour’s listing for 220 g Mediterranean-style wholegrain rice says it takes 1 minute to prepare in the microwave.
Carrefour lists a 250 g Basmati Rice 1 min 30 product as one of the alternatives.
These products include cooked rice to season yourself, as well as more strongly flavoured recipes, available in pouches, multipacks or bowls. For New Year’s Eve, decide whether you’re looking for a side to share or a ready-made meal, then check how much you’ll need for two.
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Worth considering if you’d like to portion out cooked rice for this meal and other occasions. The pack contains three 210 g portions. Choose how many you need based on the role of rice in your menu, and follow the pack’s reheating instructions.
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Consider this if a tomato-based recipe will go well with your main course. This 220 g quick-cook rice is made for the microwave. Check the ingredients, allergen information and pack instructions before working out how much you’ll need for two.
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Compare this option if you’re after curry rice rather than a plain side. The cup is listed as 320 g. Check how to prepare it and what it contains, then decide whether this size is right for the meal you’re planning for two.
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Consider this as a pork rice dish rather than a simple side. The self-heating pot is listed as 260 g. Check how many you’ll need for two and follow all the heating instructions on the kit.
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Worth a look if a kimchi and fish roe recipe will suit your menu. The pack is 222 g. Check the ingredients list, allergen information, preparation instructions and serving quantity for two on the packaging.
No. The weight alone doesn’t tell you how many portions it will make. If rice is the only side, you’ll need to think about the quantity differently than if it’s served alongside several other dishes. Carrefour listings include products in 220 g and 250 g sizes.
Choose according to the role rice will play in your menu. Plain rice gives you more freedom to add your own seasoning, while a recipe with vegetables or spices brings its own flavours. If you prefer wholegrain rice, check the other ingredients in your chosen product too.
Read the ingredients list and check for any ‘may contain’ warnings on the packaging you buy. The DGCCRF states that in France, allergens in prepacked foods must be highlighted in the ingredients list. For example, the Lustucru Nature and a Touch of Butter rice featured by Carrefour contains milk.
Follow the date and storage conditions shown on the product, along with any instructions for after opening. The French Ministry of the Economy distinguishes between a use-by date, which must be observed for the foods it applies to, and a best-before date. For foods that need refrigeration, Anses recommends a temperature of 0 to +4 °C in the coldest part of the fridge.