When you’re preparing several small meals, individually sealed UHT cartons can be more convenient than opening a large tub. If your recipe calls for thick cream and you’ll use the tub quickly, that may be the better choice. Either way, check the texture, fat content and storage instructions: an opened carton won’t keep in the same way as an unopened one.
If you’re making a sauce or a dish that only needs a little cream at a time, a multipack of small cartons lets you keep the others sealed. UHT options in 3 x 20 cl packs are available from Auchan and Elle & Vire, among others. Follow the instructions on each carton once opened.
The packaging matters just as much as what’s inside: an unopened UHT carton may have different storage instructions from refrigerated crème fraîche or an opened carton. For the latter, plan to keep it chilled during transport, following the advice from Anses and the product label.
If fat content, ingredients or lactose affect your choice, compare each product individually. Auchan’s cream described as lactose-free contains milk cream, so this does not mean it is ‘dairy-free’.
To choose between small UHT cartons and a tub of fresh cream, start with how much you use at each meal, then consider the texture your recipe needs. Storage becomes a key factor if you’ll be taking the cream with you or using it over several days.
Choose these if: you use cream for several dishes over time and want to keep the unused cartons sealed.
Bear in mind: storage instructions change once opened. Auchan’s 3 x 20 cl cartons of full-fat single cream must then be kept between 0 and +6 °C and used within 5 days.
Choose this if: your recipe calls for a thick texture and you plan to use the tub quickly at home.
Bear in mind: a chilled tub, such as Carrefour Classic’ in a 50 cl size, needs to be kept cold and stored according to the instructions after opening.
| What to consider | What to check | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Separate portions | Number of cartons, volume of each one and the recommended time to use it after opening. | I only use a little cream for a sauce and want to keep the rest sealed for other meals. Around 36% of consumers would make portion size their top priority. |
| Storage and transport | Instructions before and after opening; whether the product needs to be kept chilled if it’s fresh or opened. | When I take a meal out, I need to be able to store the cream as stated on the packaging. Storage would be the priority for around 29% of consumers. |
| Texture and fat content | Whether the cream is single, semi-thick or thick, followed by the fat content of the product you choose. | For a quick recipe, I want a texture that suits the dish rather than choosing based on format alone. Around 21% of consumers would prioritise the cooking result. |
| Ingredients and labelling | Ingredients, allergens, a lactose-free claim if needed, and the date shown on the packaging. | If someone in my household needs to avoid a particular ingredient, I read the full ingredients list before buying. This would be the main concern for around 14% of consumers. |
Storage instructions change after opening. For its 3 x 20 cl cartons of full-fat UHT single cream, Auchan recommends keeping the cream between 0 and +6 °C and using it within 5 days once opened.
Check the instructions for before and after opening separately, and only open as much as you expect to use within the recommended time.
Auchan’s ingredients list for its lactose-free single cream in 3 x 20 cl cartons includes milk cream. So the lactose-free claim doesn’t mean it’s suitable for someone with a milk allergy.
Check the full ingredients list and the allergens highlighted on the product you choose.
A 3 x 20 cl pack may contain single or semi-thick cream, and the fat content can vary between products. The same pack format won’t necessarily suit the same recipes.
First decide on the texture and fat content you need, then compare the volume of each carton.
Refrigerated cream or an opened carton needs to be transported differently from an unopened UHT carton. Anses recommends keeping the time refrigerated products spend in transit to a minimum and using an insulated bag.
Keep the product chilled as instructed on the label and put it back in the fridge as soon as possible after your journey.
The range includes creams with different textures and packaging, including thick crème fraîche with 25% fat in a 30 cl pouch.
Carrefour lists Elle & Vire single cream with 4% fat in three 20 cl cartons. Auchan also offers a 30% fat single cream in this format.
Carrefour’s tub of full-fat Carrefour Classic’ thick crème fraîche contains 50 cl of product with 30% fat.
Auchan offers UHT single cream in 3 x 20 cl cartons, including a full-fat version with 30% fat and a lactose-free version with 30% fat.
E.Leclerc offers, among other products, Delisse UHT light single cream with 12% fat in 3 x 20 cl cartons.
Yes, if the instructions on the carton say it can be stored at room temperature before opening. This is the case for Auchan’s full-fat UHT single cream in 3 x 20 cl cartons, which should be kept away from heat and moisture. Once opened, it must be stored between 0 and +6 °C and used within 5 days.
Yes, as long as you follow the product’s storage instructions during transport and until mealtime. For chilled products, Anses recommends keeping the time in transit to a minimum and using an insulated bag. An opened UHT carton must be kept chilled according to its own instructions.
No. The lactose-free single cream from Auchan mentioned here contains milk cream. If you need to avoid milk as an allergen, check the ingredients and the allergens highlighted on the packaging rather than relying on the lactose-free claim alone.
The ‘date limite de consommation’, or DLC, is a strict use-by date when it appears on a product, as explained by the French ministry responsible for the Economy. The ‘date de durabilité minimale’, or DDM, means something different. Check the date shown on your cream, along with its storage temperature and instructions for after opening.