For snacks to enjoy on a sporting outing, thick crème fraîche is best suited to food prepared at home, as it needs to be kept chilled during transport. Choose a full-fat or lighter version to suit your recipe, and check the fat content; unopened UHT semi-thick cream is more suitable if you want to store it before preparing your food. Before opting for 2 litres or “4 pint”, check the product’s actual volume and how much you’ll be able to use in time.
You make a dip, sauce or topping before heading out and can keep the crème fraîche in the fridge until you need it. Carrefour and Auchan offer chilled formats from 20 to 50 cl to consider, depending on how much you plan to use.
You’re looking for thick crème fraîche, but the fat content also matters when choosing. The products listed by Auchan, E.Leclerc and ALDI include lighter 15% versions, which you can compare with full-fat 30% options to find the right one for your recipe.
You want to keep an unopened product in storage before preparing your snacks. UHT semi-thick cream may suit the way you plan to use it, but check that its texture is right for your recipe: it isn’t the same type of cream as thick crème fraîche.
For snacks prepared around a sporting outing, first decide whether you’ll need to take the cream with you. Then compare the texture your recipe needs with the amount you’ll use.
| What to consider | What to check | Who this matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Transport and keeping chilled | For crème fraîche, take an insulated bag and put it back in the fridge promptly, following Anses advice on transporting chilled food. | If I take food containing crème fraîche with me, I need to keep it chilled rather than leave it in my gym bag. Around 50% of consumers might make keeping food chilled their top priority. |
| Texture and fat content | Compare the terms “fresh” and “UHT”, “thick” and “semi-thick”, as well as the fat content and ingredients of the product you choose. | When making a dip at home, I want to choose a texture and fat content that suit my recipe. This could be the top priority for around 30% of consumers. |
| Amount you can use | Check the volume in cl or litres, the use-by date and the storage instructions on the packaging. | A large container is only useful to me if I can use it in time for the dishes I have planned. Around 20% of consumers might put the amount they can use at the top of their list. |
Chilled crème fraîche shouldn’t be left in an ordinary bag while you’re out. Anses recommends limiting the time chilled food spends in transit and using an insulated bag.
If you can’t keep it chilled, use the crème fraîche to prepare something to eat at home rather than taking it with you.
Elle & Vire distinguishes between these categories in its range. Don’t assume they’ll have the same texture in a dip or topping.
Before choosing, check both the storage instructions and the texture description on the packaging.
This phrase alone doesn’t tell you the volume of a particular thick crème fraîche. The Carrefour, Auchan, E.Leclerc and ALDI products mentioned here are generally sold in chilled containers from 20 to 50 cl.
Check the volume stated on the product, its use-by date and what you plan to make before choosing a larger format.
The Elle & Vire range distinguishes between thick fresh cream and semi-thick UHT cream.
Carrefour’s Carrefour Classic’ range includes full-fat and lighter thick crème fraîche, in containers of around 20 cl and 50 cl.
E.Leclerc offers a 50 cl pot of Délisse light thick crème fraîche with 15% fat.
Auchan offers full-fat and lighter thick crème fraîche, including 20 and 50 cl formats.
ALDI offers a 50 cl pot of Milsani light thick crème fraîche with 15% fat.
Yes, as long as you keep it chilled during transport. Anses recommends using an insulated bag for chilled food and limiting how long it spends in transit. An ordinary gym bag isn’t a substitute for these precautions.
Follow the temperature instructions on the packaging of the cream you choose. For its 50 cl pot of full-fat thick crème fraîche, Auchan recommends storing it between +2 °C and +6 °C, including after opening.
Not necessarily. Elle & Vire distinguishes between these two types of cream, which may have different textures. If thickness matters for your dip, check the category stated on the product. For UHT cream, also follow the storage instructions after opening.