For a summer picnic, first decide what you’d like to prepare. A 1 kg bag of dry couscous makes a good base for a group, while sachets make portioning easier. Tinned vegetables and ready-made couscous in a tin mean you don’t need to prepare certain ingredients separately. However, a tin of vegetables isn’t a substitute for couscous. Check the ingredients of each product, and plan to keep food chilled if you’re adding refrigerated items.
If you’re preparing a large quantity in advance and want to keep some couscous in the cupboard, a 1 kg pack could be a good fit. Carrefour, Auchan and E.Leclerc all list products in this format. Adjust the amount you prepare to suit your group.
Sachets let you count out portions before you start preparing the couscous. Auchan, for example, offers packs with several sachets. Check the weight of each sachet and the cooking instructions before choosing.
A jar or tin of vegetables can be served with couscous prepared separately. Ready-made couscous in a tin is another option, but be sure to check the ingredients in the recipe.
Choose this if: you’re preparing the base for a meal for several people before setting off and want to keep the rest of the pack somewhere dry.
Bear in mind: couscous needs to be prepared and served with accompaniments. A 1 kg pack isn’t the same as a ready-made meal in a tin.
Choose these if: pre-measured portions will help you organise a meal for a small group.
Bear in mind: the sachets still contain couscous that needs preparing, following the instructions for the product you choose.
Choose these if: you want to put together a meal with a cupboard-friendly accompaniment and choose your couscous separately.
Bear in mind: you’ll still need to provide the base for the meal, and vegetable recipes don’t all contain the same ingredients.
Choose this if: you’d rather have a complete dish than ingredients to put together.
Bear in mind: the recipe is already decided, so check the ingredients, allergens and preparation instructions.
| What to consider | What to check | Who it may suit |
|---|---|---|
| Quantity | Compare the total weight and the portions listed for the product. Don’t assume every 1 kg pack serves the same number of people. | For a shared meal with some left over to keep in the cupboard, I prefer to measure out the couscous myself. Around 36% of consumers might put this need first. |
| Portioning and preparation | Check the number of sachets, their weight and the instructions, including whether you’ll need hot water. | For a small group, I want to plan the quantities without having to measure everything out, but I still need to be able to prepare the sachets. This could be the main consideration for around 29% of consumers. |
| Cupboard-friendly meal | Check whether the tin contains vegetables to serve with a separate base or a ready-made dish, then read the ingredients list. | When plans come together at short notice, I want to keep the number of ingredients to a minimum without mistaking an accompaniment for a complete meal. Around 21% of consumers might prioritise this approach. |
| Ingredients and transport | Read the label for each component and follow the storage instructions for any refrigerated food added to the meal. | If I need to avoid certain ingredients or bring refrigerated food, its ingredients and how it’s transported matter more than the format. This could be the priority for around 14% of consumers. |
Carrefour sells both vegetables for couscous and ready-made couscous in tins, so the weight alone won’t tell you what the meal contains.
Read the product description before comparing formats.
If you choose vegetables on their own, you’ll need to provide the couscous and any other ingredients you want for the meal separately.
The portions are pre-measured, but the couscous still needs to be prepared according to the instructions. One medium-grain couscous product listed by Auchan requires boiling water and a resting time.
If you won’t have the right equipment at the picnic spot, prepare the couscous before you leave and follow the storage instructions for the prepared meal.
Dry couscous, prepared vegetables and ready-made meals don’t all have the same ingredients. If you’re adding refrigerated products, you’ll also need to take extra care when transporting them in hot weather, as ANSES advises.
Check the ingredients and allergens for each product. Keep any food that needs to stay chilled in line with its labelling, and use an insulated container during transport.
The ranges listed by Carrefour and Auchan include Tipiak couscous in large packs, sachets and flavoured varieties.
Carrefour’s range includes fine, medium, wholegrain and maize couscous in a choice of formats.
Auchan offers 500 g and 1 kg packs of couscous, as well as sachet formats.
E.Leclerc lists 1 kg packs of medium-grain couscous under the Comptoir du Grain and Eco+ names.
Aldi lists a 1 kg pack of Les Jardins de Laylah medium-grain couscous.
These are 1 kg packs of dry couscous to prepare for a group meal or keep in the cupboard. For your picnic, plan how you’ll prepare them and choose any accompaniments you’d like. These are neither tins of vegetables nor ready-made meals in tins.
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This 1 kg pack lets you measure out couscous for a shared meal. Prepare it according to the pack instructions before you leave, and choose the ingredients to serve with it separately.
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This 1 kg pack of fine couscous is a good choice if you want to measure out the amount you need for your group. Check the pack instructions to plan how you’ll prepare it before the picnic.
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This 1 kg pack of medium-grain couscous can be measured out for a meal to share. You’ll still need to prepare it and plan the other parts of the meal, so check the instructions before setting off.
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This 1 kg wholegrain variety makes a base to serve with your choice of accompaniments. Read the ingredients and preparation instructions before adding it to your meal.
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This 1 kg pack can be used as the base for a meal for several people. Check the label and instructions, then choose your accompaniments separately.
A 1 kg pack works well if you’re preparing a meal for a group and want to measure out the couscous yourself. Sachets are a good choice if you prefer pre-measured portions. Either way, check the instructions and make sure you have the equipment needed to prepare the couscous.
No. Vegetables for couscous are an accompaniment to serve with a base prepared separately. Ready-made couscous in a tin is a different product. Check the product description and ingredients list to see what the recipe contains.
Prepare it in good time so you can follow the instructions and then plan how to transport the meal. As an example for a specific medium-grain couscous product listed by Auchan under the Ferrero name, the instructions call for 150 g of grains and 200 mL of boiling water, followed by 5 minutes to stand. Follow the proportions on your own pack.
Plan to keep food chilled if your meal includes refrigerated products or leftovers that need to be stored in the fridge. ANSES and the DGCCRF recommend limiting the time these foods spend out of the fridge and maintaining the cold chain, especially in hot weather. For unopened products, follow the storage instructions on each pack.
Read the label for every product, including accompaniments and ready-made meals. The organic wholegrain couscous listed by Carrefour contains durum wheat and may contain traces of soya and mustard. Vegetable recipes and ready-made couscous may contain ingredients such as celery or lactose. Don’t assume one product has the same ingredients as another.