Who is this choice for?

If you’re making a sauce or creamy topping

If your Easter dish calls for cream, decide on the consistency you need before choosing. Président offers thick, semi-thick and runny creams; grated cheese is used for something different.

If you want to add cheese without grating it

If the recipe calls for cheese to be mixed in, sprinkled over a dish or grilled, a ready-grated pack saves you a step. Carrefour, for example, offers grated Emmental; check that this type of cheese is right for your dish.

What should you check?

Criteria What to check Who is this for?
How it’s used in the recipe Check whether the dish calls for cream in a sauce or cheese to be mixed in, sprinkled over or grilled. Confirm the product name on the packaging. If the shopping list doesn’t specify the ingredient, I want to avoid bringing home cheese for a cream sauce; around 50% of shoppers would put choosing the right category first.
Cream consistency For a recipe that calls for cream, compare thick and runny varieties, fat content and the ingredients list. For a creamy topping, I’m looking for a cream with the right consistency for the dish; around 33% of shoppers would make this their top priority.
Grated cheese format If the recipe calls for grated cheese, check the type, pack size and storage instructions. When the cheese needs to be sprinkled over or grilled, I’d rather not have to grate it myself; around 17% of shoppers would choose this ready-to-use format.

Mistakes to avoid

  • Assuming two convenient ingredients are interchangeable

    Grated cheese doesn’t do the same job as crème fraîche in a sauce or creamy topping.

    Check the recipe again before choosing a brand or format, then buy the category it calls for.

  • Choosing cream based on fat content alone

    Consistency and ingredients matter too: Carrefour lists modified starches and pectins in its light thick cream with 15% fat.

    Compare the consistency, fat content and ingredients list for the dish you’re making.

  • Overlooking the label on a ready-prepared product

    Always store grated cheese according to the instructions on its packaging. The Directorate-General for Competition Policy, Consumer Affairs and Fraud Control (DGCCRF) reminds shoppers that allergenic ingredients in pre-packed foods must be clearly highlighted.

    Check the allergens and storage instructions for the product you buy, and follow its use-by date where one is provided.

Crème fraîche brands to know

Président

Président’s range includes a choice of consistencies and fat contents for different cooking uses.

  • Président offers products with 25%, 30% and 35% fat, among others.
  • These products aren’t all the same, so check the consistency and details for the one you choose.

Elle & Vire

Elle & Vire offers an organic, full-fat thick cream in a pouch, with 30% fat.

  • The brand’s product information lists full-fat cream of French origin, milk proteins and lactic cultures.
  • According to Elle & Vire, the pouch for this product isn’t yet recyclable. Bear the packaging in mind if this matters to you.

Carrefour Classic'

Carrefour Classic' offers light and full-fat thick crème fraîche.

  • Carrefour’s product information distinguishes between light cream with 15% fat and full-fat cream with 30% fat.
  • The light variety contains modified starches and pectins. Compare the ingredients lists rather than assuming the two recipes are identical.

DELISSE / Marque Repère

E.Leclerc offers DELISSE thick crème fraîche with 30% fat.

  • The product information lists pasteurised cream, pasteurised skimmed milk and lactic cultures.
  • Before choosing this product, check the information on its packaging, including the quantity and storage instructions.

Joybuy products related to this topic

Related products will be available soon.

Frequently asked questions

How do you choose between crème fraîche and grated cheese for Easter lunch?

Follow the recipe: choose cream for a sauce or creamy texture, and grated cheese if the dish calls for it to be mixed in, sprinkled over or grilled. Check the product name before you buy.

What should you look for on these products’ labels?

Check the product name, ingredients, quantity, date and storage instructions. For pre-packed foods, the Directorate-General for Competition Policy, Consumer Affairs and Fraud Control says allergenic ingredients must be clearly highlighted.

How should you store crème fraîche or grated cheese after buying it?

Follow the temperature, date and after-opening storage instructions on each product’s packaging. For example, Carrefour recommends storing one of its organic grated Emmental products between +4 °C and +8 °C.