If someone in your household needs to avoid cow’s milk proteins, a large tub of dairy crème fraîche won’t meet their needs. Look for an alternative whose ingredients and allergen information are suitable for their restriction. If no one needs to avoid milk, a 45 to 50 cl tub may be a good option if your planned recipes will use it up within the stated storage conditions. ‘Lactose-free’ does not mean ‘milk-free’.
For these households, checking the ingredients matters more than choosing a particular size. The crème fraîche products described by Auchan and E.Leclerc contain cream or milk, among other ingredients. A larger tub doesn’t change what’s in them.
If the restriction is on milk proteins, ‘lactose-free’ isn’t enough. Check the ingredients and allergens for the exact product, even if you’ve already bought another crème fraîche from the same range.
A 45 to 50 cl tub is worth considering if you have several recipes planned and can follow the storage instructions. Choose the texture and fat content to suit your dish, after checking the allergens.
Start with the dietary restriction of the person concerned. Then compare how much you’ll use, the storage instructions and the features that matter for your recipes.
| Consideration | What to check | Who is this for? |
|---|---|---|
| Avoiding milk | Read the ingredients and allergen information for the product you’re buying. Avoid dairy crème fraîche if milk proteins need to be excluded. | If someone in my household needs to avoid milk proteins, I look for a different product category before comparing sizes; around 36% of consumers make this their priority. |
| Lactose or milk proteins | Identify the specific restriction, then check the ingredients and what the ‘lactose-free’ claim means for the product you’ve chosen. | I want to avoid mistaking a lactose claim for a product that contains no milk; around 29% of consumers say this distinction is their main concern. |
| Quantity and storage | Compare the size with your planned recipes and read the refrigeration and after-opening instructions. | If I only cook with cream occasionally, I may not finish a large tub within the stated conditions; around 21% of consumers put this first. |
| Cooking use | Compare the stated texture, fat content and ingredients with the recipe you have in mind. | For a particular dish, I first look for the right texture and ingredients, once the dietary restriction has been taken into account; this matters most to around 14% of consumers. |
A lactose claim doesn’t mean that a product contains no milk proteins. The dairy crème fraîche products mentioned by Auchan, E.Leclerc and Carrefour contain ingredients derived from milk.
Identify the restriction that needs to be followed, then read the ingredients and allergen information on the packaging of the product you’re actually buying.
For its 50 cl crème fraîche products, Auchan advises storing them between +2 °C and +6 °C and using them soon after opening.
Plan your recipes before choosing a tub. If you’ll use it less often, compare it with a medium-sized option.
Some of a large tub may go unused if you put off the recipes you had planned.
Auchan notes that ingredients may vary depending on the collection point and purchase date. This is especially important when someone needs to avoid a particular ingredient.
Check the label on the item you receive or collect, particularly if a different product has been substituted.
Fat content and texture can help you choose a product for a recipe, but they don’t determine whether it’s suitable for someone avoiding milk.
Check the allergens first, then the storage instructions and size, before comparing the cooking characteristics.
The range includes a 30 cl pouch of thick crème fraîche with 25% fat.
The brand’s range includes a 324 g pouch of thick organic double cream.
Carrefour Classic’ offers a 50 cl tub of thick, full-fat crème fraîche.
The retailer’s range includes a 50 cl tub of Delisse thick crème fraîche with 30% fat.
The retailer’s range includes classic and organic 50 cl tubs of thick, full-fat crème fraîche with 30% fat.
Consider these coconut products for recipes where you’re thinking of replacing dairy crème fraîche. They aren’t a like-for-like substitute in every dish, so compare the product type and size, and check the ingredients and allergens on the packaging you buy.
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Consider this for a recipe that works with coconut flavour rather than crème fraîche. The pack contains 400 ml. Check the ingredients and allergen information for the batch before deciding whether it meets the relevant dietary restriction.
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This 400 ml pack can be compared with other individual sizes for a coconut-based recipe. Check the packaging for allergen information and storage instructions after opening. The coconut flavour may not suit every dish.
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This multipack of coconut milk is suited to frequent, planned use, rather than buying a single family-sized tub of crème fraîche. It contains 12 × 1 L cartons. According to the product description, each opened carton should be refrigerated and used within two days. Check the allergen information on the packaging.
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The 250 ml bottles let you open them as needed if you have several coconut-based recipes planned, but the pack contains 36. According to the product description, an opened bottle should be refrigerated and used within three to four days. Also check the allergen information for the batch you buy.
No, not if it contains milk cream, milk or milk proteins. This is the case for the crème fraîche products described by Carrefour, Auchan and E.Leclerc. Look for a different product category and check its ingredients and allergens against the restriction of the person concerned.
For pre-packed food, allergenic ingredients must be highlighted in the ingredients list, as the DGCCRF reminds shoppers. Read the label on the pack you’re buying, including any precautionary statements.
A 45 to 50 cl tub makes sense if you have several recipes planned and can follow the storage instructions after opening. For its 50 cl products, Auchan advises storing them between +2 °C and +6 °C and using them soon after opening. A 30 cl pouch, such as the one from Président, gives you a smaller size to compare.