Who is this guide for?

Hosts of big barbecues

You’re preparing several sauces or sides for a large group. You need enough to go round without making it difficult to transport, store in the fridge or keep after opening.

Fans of dips and cold sauces

You’re looking for a thick texture that you can serve by the spoonful with crudités, potatoes or grilled food.

Making marinades and hot sauces

You want crème fraîche that’s easy to measure and mix into a marinade or pourable sauce.

What should you look for?

Work out which recipes you’ll make and how much you’ll need before choosing a pack. Texture and storage matter just as much as the volume on the label.

What to consider What to check Who is it for?
Volume and storage Net volume, use-by date, storage instructions after opening and space in your fridge. For a large gathering, I want enough crème fraîche without keeping an opened pack for longer than the label recommends. Around 33% of consumers prioritise having enough and managing leftovers.
Texture for cold sauces Whether it’s labelled “thick” or “semi-thick”, and the texture you want when serving. If I’m serving a dip with crudités or potatoes, I want it to be thick enough to scoop. This is the top priority for around 27% of consumers.
Pourable recipes Whether it’s labelled “pourable” and whether the chosen product is suitable for hot or cold use. For mixing a marinade or pouring a sauce over grilled food, I’m mainly looking for a texture that’s easy to measure. Around 20% of consumers prioritise this use.
Ingredients The exact product description, fat content, ingredients and allergens on the packaging. If I’m comparing full-fat crème fraîche, a lighter version and a dairy speciality, I want to know exactly what each product contains. Around 20% of consumers prioritise this comparison.

Mistakes to avoid

  • Assuming a 3 L tub will be practical at home

    Jean-noël Fromages offers Isigny AOP crème fraîche in a 3 L tub, while Auchan and E.Leclerc offer products including 1 L packs. The important thing is how much you’ll actually use, not the size of the pack.

    Plan your recipes and check transport requirements, the use-by date and storage instructions after opening before choosing a larger pack.

  • Choosing pourable crème fraîche for a thick dip

    A texture that’s easy to pour won’t necessarily give you the consistency you want for a dip served by the spoonful.

    Choose the texture to suit how you’ll serve it: thick for a dip, or pourable for a marinade or sauce.

  • Mixing up the descriptions on the packaging

    Full-fat crème fraîche, lighter crème fraîche and dairy specialities can have different fat contents and ingredient lists. Elle & Vire, for example, describes its pourable product with 4% fat as a UHT dairy speciality.

    Compare the exact product description, fat content and ingredients for each product instead of relying on the brand name alone.

  • Leaving the large tub on the table

    During a long barbecue, it can be harder to keep an opened tub chilled. Anses says the coldest part of the fridge should be between 0 °C and +4 °C for food storage.

    Serve small amounts and return the rest to the fridge, following the temperatures and storage times given on the product.

Brands to know when comparing products

Président

Président offers thick crème fraîche as well as pourable and semi-thick varieties, with fat contents that vary by product.

  • Check the texture and fat content listed for each product to find the right match for your sauce.

Elle & Vire

The range includes professional thick crème fraîche with 35% fat, as well as a 4% fat UHT pourable dairy speciality.

  • According to Elle & Vire Professionnel, its 35% thick crème fraîche can be used hot or cold. Check that this applies to the product you choose.
  • The 4% dairy speciality is not the same as the 35% thick crème fraîche.

Carrefour

Carrefour offers, among other products, thick full-fat crème fraîche with 30% fat and pourable full-fat crème fraîche with 30% fat.

  • These products let you compare two textures for different uses, but remember to check their pack sizes.

E.Leclerc

E.Leclerc’s range includes DELISSE 1 L full-fat UHT crème fraîche, as well as ECO+ thick crème fraîche with 30% and 15% fat.

  • The product listings for the two ECO+ varieties give different ingredient lists, so compare them individually.

Auchan

Auchan offers, among other products, 1 L full-fat UHT pourable crème fraîche with 30% fat and 50 cl thick full-fat crème fraîche with 30% fat.

  • Compare the texture and the amount you need for each recipe rather than automatically choosing the largest pack.

Joybuy products

Related products are coming soon.

Frequently asked questions

Should you look for a 3 L tub of crème fraîche for a big barbecue?

Not necessarily. The 3 L pack offered by Jean-noël Fromages is a tub of Isigny AOP crème fraîche, while Auchan and E.Leclerc offer products including 1 L packs. Choose this volume only if your recipes call for it and you can store the tub as instructed.

Which crème fraîche should you choose for a barbecue dip?

Thick crème fraîche is a good choice if you want to serve your dip by the spoonful with crudités or potatoes. For a marinade or pourable sauce, look for a pourable texture instead.

Full-fat, lighter or a dairy speciality: what should you compare?

Compare the exact product description, fat content and ingredient list for each product. For example, E.Leclerc offers ECO+ thick crème fraîche with 30% and 15% fat, with different ingredients, while Elle & Vire describes its 4% fat UHT pourable product as a dairy speciality.

How should you store crème fraîche during a summer barbecue?

Keep it chilled during transport and between servings, then follow the temperature and storage time after opening shown on the packaging. For your fridge, Anses recommends keeping the coldest part between 0 °C and +4 °C.

Which ingredients and allergens should you check before serving crème fraîche?

Read the ingredients and allergen information for the exact product, especially if one of your guests needs to avoid milk. E.Leclerc’s ECO+ thick crème fraîche listings include dairy ingredients, but the composition varies between products.