To choose a cooked rice meal under 500 kcal, compare the calories and protein in the amount you’ll actually eat, rather than looking only at the figures per 100 g. According to product information published by Auchan, the chicken, prawn and soy recipes reviewed provide 17 to 20 g of protein per pack, compared with around 10 g for the Taureau Ailé Escale à Mexico pouch. These figures alone can’t tell you whether a meal meets your personal goal: check the salt, allergens and storage instructions too.
If you prefer a tray that already includes rice and a topping, the chicken and prawn meals listed in the product information published by Auchan contain 20 g and 17 g of protein respectively per 300 g. Compare their ingredients before choosing.
The Bjorg pouch combines wholegrain rice, soybeans and vegetables. According to product information published by Auchan, it contains 7.6 g of protein per 100 g. Check for soy if this ingredient isn’t suitable for you.
If you’re following a calorie limit or need to avoid certain ingredients, check how much you’ll actually eat, then look at the ingredients list, allergens and salt content of your chosen recipe.
| What to check | How to check it | Who is it for? |
|---|---|---|
| Protein in the meal | Compare the grams of protein in the amount you’ll eat, and identify its source in the recipe. | If this is my main meal, I want to know how much protein it provides rather than relying on the recipe name alone; around 36% of consumers would prioritise this. |
| Calories and portion size | Check the amount you’ll eat, the number of servings stated and the corresponding kcal, rather than looking only at the kcal per 100 g. | If I eat a whole pouch labelled as two servings, I need to count the whole pouch to stay within my limit; around 29% of consumers would put this calculation first. |
| Suitable ingredients | Read the ingredients, listed allergens and any ‘may contain’ warnings for the variant you’re choosing. | If I have an allergy or need to avoid an ingredient, I should be able to rule out a recipe before comparing its protein; around 21% of consumers would prioritise checking this first. |
| Preparation and storage | Check the heating method and storage instructions, especially after opening. | If I plan to keep some of the meal for later, I need to be able to follow its storage instructions; nearly 14% of consumers would make this their first consideration. |
This figure doesn’t necessarily represent the whole meal: a pouch may contain several hundred grams and be labelled as two servings.
Apply the kcal figure to the amount you plan to eat and check the number of servings on the pack.
According to product information published by Auchan, the products reviewed provide around 10 g to 20 g of protein per pack. Portion sizes and recipes vary, so the product category alone isn’t enough to tell you how much protein your meal contains.
Compare the grams of protein in the amount you’ll eat and check whether the recipe contains a protein source that suits you.
The Weight Watchers prawn meal listed in the product information published by Auchan contains 2.2 g of salt per 300 g tray, as well as crustaceans, milk, mustard and wheat.
Read the nutritional information and ingredients list for each recipe, including the allergen and ‘may contain’ information.
According to product information published by Auchan, the AUCHAN chicken tray must be refrigerated and eaten within 24 hours of opening, compared with 48 hours for the Bjorg pouch.
Choose a quantity that suits how much you’ll eat and follow the instructions on the packaging.
If you can’t eat the rest within the stated time, some of the product may go to waste.
The range includes a 300 g individual tray of chicken in curry sauce with basmati rice.
The express pouch featured combines wholegrain rice, soybeans and vegetables.
The recipe featured is a tray of prawns in coconut curry sauce with basmati rice and vegetables.
Escale à Mexico cooked rice combines rice, vegetables and red kidney beans in a 250 g pouch labelled as two servings.
This range includes a 300 g chicken curry and rice meal made with basmati rice and soybeans.
Work out the calories in the amount you’ll eat. If the label only gives a figure per 100 g, multiply it by the weight you’ll eat in grams, then divide by 100. Also check whether the pack contains more than one serving.
No: calories don’t determine how much protein a meal contains. Product information published by Auchan lists around 10 g to 20 g of protein per pack for the products reviewed. Compare the amount you’ll eat with your own goal rather than assuming the calorie limit tells you the answer.
Check the information for the specific recipe. Depending on the product, the meals reviewed list soy, milk, crustaceans, mustard or wheat, as well as possible traces of certain allergens. In France, the DGCCRF states that allergenic ingredients in prepacked foods must be highlighted on the label.
Follow the storage time shown on the packaging, as it varies by recipe. Product information published by Auchan says the Bjorg pouch should be eaten within 48 hours of opening, while the AUCHAN chicken tray should be refrigerated and eaten within 24 hours.