To prepare several meals while choosing the fats you add yourself, start with a pack of plain dried pulses whose ingredients match what you want to cook. Choose the pack size to suit your storage space and preparation time. If speed is your priority, plain tinned pulses may be suitable, but compare the ingredients of the specific product rather than treating it as a ready-made recipe.
If you prepare several meals, a pack of plain dried pulses lets you choose the seasoning when you cook. Carrefour and Auchan, for example, list dried options in 500 g and 1 kg packs. Check that the quantity suits how often you eat them and the space you have for storage.
Tins and ready-to-use pouches cut down on some of the preparation. As the products in Auchan’s ranges show, plain tinned pulses and recipes containing oil or sauce call for different checks. Read the ingredients list for each one.
A list containing only chickpeas doesn’t rule out traces of other ingredients. Product pages for chickpeas sold at Auchan flag possible traces, which vary by product. If an allergen is a concern for anyone in your household, check the information on the pack you buy.
The main trade-off is between the time you can spend preparing your food and how much control you want over added ingredients. Pack size only makes sense when you consider the meals you have planned and how you’ll store the product.
Choose these if : you’re planning several meals and want to decide which ingredients to add during cooking.
Bear in mind : you’ll need dry storage and preparation time, which depends on the variety and the instructions on the pack.
Choose these if : you want to quickly prepare several portions of lentils or chickpeas.
Check : the ingredients of the specific product and, if it comes in liquid, its drained net weight.
Choose these if : saving preparation time matters more to you than choosing every added ingredient.
Bear in mind : ingredients vary from recipe to recipe, so check the label before adding one to a meal where you want to limit fat.
| Criteria | What to check | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Fat and ingredients | Read the ingredients list and the fat information per 100 g. When comparing nutritional values, take into account the state of the product stated on each pack. | If I want to choose the fats added to my meal myself, the ingredients of the plain or prepared product matter more than convenience. Around 36% of consumers would make this their top priority. |
| Quantity and storage | Compare the net weight of the packs. For a product in liquid, check its drained net weight too. Read the storage instructions. | For several meals, I look for an amount my household can store and use without buying an oversized pack. This would be the main criterion for around 29% of consumers. |
| Preparation time | Check the soaking and cooking instructions for dried products, and distinguish them from products that are already cooked or prepared. | When I need to get a meal ready quickly, I prefer to cut down on cooking steps, even if that means checking a tin or pouch more closely. Around 21% of consumers would make preparation time their top priority. |
| Allergens and tolerance | Check allergens and possible traces for the exact product, and choose an amount that suits your household’s habits. | If someone in my household needs to avoid an allergen or prefers to adjust their portions gradually, these precautions guide my choice. They would be the top priority for around 14% of consumers. |
The Auchan ranges mentioned here include dried pulses as well as prepared products with other ingredients, including added fats. Being stocked in the same aisle doesn’t tell you what’s in them.
For each product, start with the ingredients, then check the fat per 100 g in the nutritional information.
A pack intended for several meals requires suitable storage and enough time to prepare it.
Before choosing between 500 g, 1 kg or another size, estimate how many meals you plan to cook and check the storage and cooking instructions.
A pack that doesn’t suit your household’s habits may go unused or require preparation you can’t fit into your planned meals.
When a product comes in liquid, the weight of the container and its contents doesn’t tell you how many pulses are inside. The DGCCRF states that the drained net weight must be shown on the label of pre-packed foods where this applies.
To plan portions, check the drained weight. Then compare the nutritional information, taking into account the state in which each product is presented.
Two chickpea products listed by Auchan warn of different possible traces, even though chickpeas are the only ingredient in the product.
If an allergen is a concern for your household, check the possible traces on the pack of the product you buy rather than relying on the ingredients list alone.
A retailer where you can compare different dried pulses and pack sizes.
A retailer where you can distinguish between dried packs, cooked products and prepared recipes.
A brand to consider for a ready-to-use pouch rather than a large pack of plain pulses.
These packs of lentils and beans are suitable if you’re buying pulses to cook for several meals. Choose an amount to suit your household and check the preparation instructions and product label before you decide.
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A 500 g pack to consider if you’re cooking green lentils for several meals. Check the label for cooking instructions, ingredients and nutritional values.
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This 500 g pack lets you plan meals featuring red lentils. Check the pack for the preparation required and the ingredients of the product you buy.
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The 2 kg size is for households planning to use split red lentils across several meals and with space to store the pack. Check the storage and cooking instructions before choosing this quantity.
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This 900 g pack suits a cooking plan spread across several meals. Check the soaking and cooking instructions on the pack to see whether the preparation fits your schedule.
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Consider these black beans if you’re planning to prepare them for several meals. Check the pack weight, cooking instructions and nutritional information on the packaging.
Not on its own. It lets you choose which ingredients to add, but the dish also depends on how you prepare it. Read the ingredients and fat per 100 g on the pack, then take into account any oil, butter or sauces you use in your cooking.
Start by working out how many pulses you need for your meals. For pre-packed pulses in liquid, the DGCCRF states that the label must show the drained net weight. Also bear in mind that the nutritional values for dried and already-cooked products describe them in different states.
Follow the storage instructions on the pack you buy. The product information for Auchan’s 1 kg chickpeas says to keep them away from heat and moisture. After opening, follow any specific instructions for that product.
No. Ingredients vary by product: a recipe may contain oil or other ingredients that aren’t found in plain tinned pulses. If you’re choosing food as part of a diet where you want to limit fat, compare the ingredients lists and values per 100 g. Don’t judge by the name of the aisle alone.
Check the allergens and any possible traces on the packaging of each product. Depending on the product, chickpea listings at Auchan mention possible traces of peanuts, sesame, nuts and gluten, or wheat. The ingredients list alone isn’t a substitute for checking this information.