For a short stay, choose an amount of dried pulses that you can use before you leave. A small tin or a pack of around 250–265 g should be enough for one meal without opening a large container. A larger pack makes sense if you’re sharing it with several people or planning other meals. Check the drained weight, ingredients and storage instructions for the product you choose. A ready meal pouch isn’t a substitute for a tin of plain pulses.
If you’re only planning one meal with pulses, a small tin makes it easier to choose an amount you can use before you leave. Carrefour Classic’ offers, for example, a pack of three separate tins of red kidney beans, each with a drained weight of 130 g.
A larger container can be shared or split across several meals, as long as you plan how to use and store the remainder. E.Leclerc stocks Notre Jardin chickpeas in a 530 g pack.
For a hot or cold meal, Auchan chickpeas in a 265 g pack can be used after draining. The product information also recommends rinsing them for cold dishes. The Bjorg quinoa and chickpea pouch is another quick option, but it’s a prepared recipe, not a tin of plain chickpeas.
When shopping for a holiday rental, start with the meals you’re actually planning, then check how much preparation the product needs and exactly what it contains.
| What to consider | What to check | Who this matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Portions and leftovers | Compare the drained weight where it’s listed, the number of containers in a pack and the meals you’re planning before you leave. | If I’m leaving the next day, I’d rather finish the contents with my meal than have to store leftovers. Around 42% of consumers would prioritise portion size. |
| Preparation | Check whether the product can be served cold or needs heating, as well as any instructions for draining and rinsing. | With a poorly equipped kitchen, I look for a meal that takes just a few steps to prepare. Around 33% of consumers would prioritise ease of preparation. |
| Ingredients | Read the ingredients and allergen information, and check the stated origin on the packaging if that matters to you. | If I want plain pulses or need to avoid an ingredient, the exact recipe matters more than the product name alone. Around 25% of consumers would prioritise this. |
When estimating how much to serve, weights measured on different bases aren’t directly comparable. Carrefour, for example, states that each of the three small Classic’ tins of red kidney beans has a drained weight of 130 g.
Look for the words ‘drained weight’ on each product, then compare the quantity with the meals you’re planning and the number of people you’re serving.
A 530 g container may suit a group, but leaves you with more to deal with if only one person uses some of it. For its 265 g chickpeas, Auchan advises transferring the opened contents to an airtight container, refrigerating them and eating them within two days.
If you’re not planning another meal, choose an amount you can finish. Otherwise, check the storage instructions for the product you buy and what facilities are available at your rental.
A product sold under the same name may have different ingredient information depending on the online shop and the date of purchase, as Auchan notes for its chickpeas.
If you need to avoid certain ingredients or allergens, read the label on the product you actually collect or have delivered.
Bjorg quinoa and chickpeas is a prepared recipe that contains wheat bulgur as well as chickpeas. It doesn’t offer the same flexibility as cooking with pulses on their own.
Choose the pouch if you want this recipe ready quickly. If you’d rather add and measure the other ingredients yourself, look for a tin containing the pulse you want.
Carrefour stocks a Classic’ pack of three tins of red kidney beans, each with a drained weight of 130 g, and a Simpl tin with a drained weight of 255 g.
E.Leclerc stocks Eco+ chickpeas in a 265 g pack and Notre Jardin chickpeas in a 530 g pack. Choose between the two based on the meals you’re planning.
Auchan’s product information for its 265 g chickpeas describes them as suitable for hot or cold dishes.
ALDI offers All Seasons chickpeas in a 265 g pack and Fleurs des Champs red kidney beans in a 250 g pack.
Bjorg offers a 250 g quinoa and chickpea pouch that’s ready in two minutes. It’s a prepared dish rather than a tin of plain pulses.
These two products suit different needs during your stay: a 265 g pack of prepared lentils for one meal, and a 540 gr container of chickpeas to consider for several people or meals.
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A handy choice for a holiday meal if you’d prefer a prepared lentil recipe rather than plain lentils. The stated pack size is 265 g. Check the drained weight, ingredients and after-opening instructions on the packaging you choose.
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Worth considering if several people will be eating chickpeas or you’re planning more than one meal. With a 540 gr pack, you’ll need to plan how to use the contents after opening. Check the drained weight and storage instructions on the packaging.
For Auchan’s 265 g chickpeas, the product information says to drain and rinse them before serving cold. Follow the instructions for the product you’ve bought.
Auchan’s product information for its 265 g chickpeas says to transfer the contents to an airtight container, refrigerate them and eat them within two days. If your rental doesn’t allow you to follow these instructions, plan to finish the pack with your meal.
Read the ingredients and allergen information on the product you actually collect or have delivered. Auchan notes that ingredient information may vary depending on the online shop and the date of purchase, so a previous order won’t necessarily tell you what’s in the current product.
According to the French ministry responsible for the ecological transition, metal packaging can be recycled. Follow the instructions on the relevant bin in the local area or those displayed at your accommodation.