Choose dried chickpeas if you cook in batches and can plan ahead for the cooking time. Keep tins handy if you want chickpeas you can use quickly after draining. When choosing a product, check the usable quantity, ingredients, any allergens and storage instructions.
If you prepare several portions in advance, a bag of dried chickpeas could fit your routine. You’ll need to allow time for preparation, and remember that the dry weight is different from the drained weight shown on a tin.
A tin or jar lets you use the chickpeas after draining, without having to plan ahead for cooking a bag of dried ones. Check the drained weight and the storage instructions once opened.
Check the ingredients list, nutritional information and any allergen statements on the specific product you’re buying. Auchan and Monoprix product pages flag information that can vary between products or versions.
When stocking your cupboard in France, start with what matters most to you: preparing several portions, having chickpeas ready without a long cooking time, or checking the label in detail.
Choose these if: you can plan ahead to prepare several portions.
Bear in mind: you’ll need to allow time for cooking and store them away from heat and moisture. These instructions are included on Auchan’s 1 kg bag, for example.
Choose these if: you want chickpeas you can drain and use for an unplanned meal.
Check: the drained weight and storage instructions once the container has been opened.
| What to consider | What to check | Who is this for? |
|---|---|---|
| Usable quantity | Check the drained weight of tinned chickpeas and the pre-cooking weight of dried chickpeas: these figures describe the product in different states. | If I’m preparing several portions, I want to know how much chickpeas each format gives me to cook with. Around 42% of consumers prioritise this usable quantity. |
| Preparation time | Read the preparation instructions for dried chickpeas. For tinned chickpeas, also check the instructions for after opening. | For a meal decided on at the last minute, I’d rather be able to use chickpeas without a long cooking time. Around 33% of consumers prioritise this convenience. |
| Ingredients and allergens | Compare the ingredients, salt per 100 g and allergen statements on the exact packaging. | If I need to keep an eye on ingredients or avoid an allergen, the label on the product I buy matters more than the format. Around 25% of consumers prioritise this check. |
The Carrefour tin reviewed lists 265 g of drained chickpeas, while a bag of dried chickpeas is weighed before cooking. The figures therefore describe the product in different states.
Look for “drained net weight” on tins and “net weight” on bags, then choose the format that suits the quantity you plan to prepare.
Auchan’s product page for its 1 kg bag of dried chickpeas describes a two-stage cooking process, including a second stage of around two hours over a low heat. This format is less suited to an impromptu meal.
Save dried chickpeas for meals you can plan ahead, and keep a tin on hand if you also need an option you can use quickly.
Ingredients and allergen statements can differ from one product to another. The Monoprix product page reviewed lists sulphites in its allergen section.
If you have an allergy or avoid certain foods, check the details on the exact product you receive or pick up rather than relying on the brand name alone.
E.Leclerc advises shoppers to check whether its ECO+ product is available at their local store. Lidl’s GOLDENSUN range also depends on in-store availability.
Check the format and availability with the retailer where you plan to shop.
These products show the different formats and labels you can compare when stocking your cupboard. Their inclusion here doesn’t guarantee they’ll be available at your local shop.
A tinned option listed on Carrefour’s product page as having a drained net weight of 265 g.
E.Leclerc’s 265 g tin of chickpeas.
A range that includes a 1 kg bag of dried chickpeas and a 530 g tin.
A 530 g tin of ready-to-use chickpeas featured by Monoprix.
Aldi’s brand, with a 265 g tin of chickpeas.
Lidl’s range of organic dried pulses, which includes chickpeas.
Check the drained weight of the tin, if it’s listed, and remember that the weight on a bag of dried chickpeas refers to them before cooking. The two figures don’t describe quantities prepared in the same way.
A tin of ready-to-use chickpeas can be drained and used straight away. Dried chickpeas need more preparation and planning: Auchan’s product page for its 1 kg format, for example, includes a second cooking stage of around two hours over a low heat.
Follow the instructions on the tin you buy. For its 530 g tin, Auchan advises transferring the chickpeas to a suitable airtight container, keeping them in the fridge and eating them within two days.
Read the ingredients, allergen statements and nutritional information for the exact product. To compare salt levels, use the figures given per 100 g. The DGCCRF uses this common basis for the nutritional labelling of prepacked foods.