Anyone who wants to cook quickly in the evening
Whether you’re making eggs, pasta, a stir-fry or a sauce, pre-chopped herbs save you from having to chop them while you prepare dinner. Check that the product you choose is labelled as pre-chopped.
Who are these products for?
Households that regularly use the same herbs
If parsley, chives or persillade (a parsley and garlic mix) feature regularly in your meals, choose an amount that suits how often you use them and the space available in your freezer.
Anyone who pays attention to ingredients and origin
The ingredients list tells you whether you’re buying a single herb or a mix. If origin or organic certification matters to you, check the details for the specific product you’re considering.
What should you look for?
First decide whether your recipe calls for a single herb or a ready-made mix, then choose a pack size based on how often you’ll use it.
| What to consider | What to check | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Quick preparation | Check whether the herb is already chopped and whether the product instructions say you can add it straight to your dish. | When I’m making dinner without time to wash and chop herbs, I look for a product that’s ready to use; around 36% of consumers would make this their top priority. |
| Suitability for the recipe | Check whether it’s a single herb or a mix, and read the ingredients, especially to see whether it contains garlic. | If my dishes call for different seasonings, I want to choose each herb separately; this would be the main consideration for around 29% of consumers. |
| Pack size | Compare the net weight with how often you’ll use it and how many different herbs you want to keep in the freezer. | If I only use a herb occasionally, I’d rather choose an amount that suits me than buy a large bag; around 21% of consumers would prioritise pack size. |
| Ingredients and traceability | Check the ingredients list and, if these details matter to you, the organic or origin information for the specific product. | If I’m looking for a stated origin or an organic product, I want to be able to check those details before choosing; this would be the top priority for around 14% of consumers. |
Mistakes to avoid
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Choosing persillade when you want a single herb
The 250 g Darégal persillade sold by Auchan contains 70% parsley and 30% garlic. This fixed blend isn’t suitable if you want to control the amount of garlic separately.
Read the ingredients before buying, and choose a single herb when your recipe calls for more flexible seasoning.
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Leaving frozen herbs out of the freezer for too long
The DGCCRF warns that a rise in temperature encourages microbial growth and can make food unsafe. Picard’s chives product information says not to refreeze the product after thawing.
Pick up frozen food towards the end of your shop, keep transport time to a minimum and follow the storage instructions on the packaging.
Brands to consider for frozen herbs
Picard
Picard offers single herbs in a range of pack sizes, including chopped parsley in a 250 g bag and chopped chives in a 50 g box.
- Picard says its parsley is washed, spun dry and individually frozen before being sorted and chopped.
- Check the product information for details and storage instructions for each product.
Carrefour
Carrefour’s frozen herbs range includes products such as basil, as well as a Carrefour Bio range.
- The range lets you compare a familiar herb with an organic option, if organic certification is one of your criteria.
- The organic label applies only to the products that carry it, not the entire range.
Auchan
Auchan offers both single herbs and mixes, including Auchan and Darégal products.
- The product information for the 250 g Darégal persillade states that it contains 70% parsley and 30% garlic.
- This ingredient breakdown and its storage instructions apply to this persillade, not to the other herbs in the range.
Related Joybuy products
Related products coming soon.
Frequently asked questions
Should you choose a single herb or persillade for dinner?
Choose a single herb if you want to adjust the seasoning to suit your dish; persillade is a good choice when the parsley-and-garlic combination works with your recipe. The Darégal product sold by Auchan contains 70% parsley and 30% garlic, so check the ingredients of any other product you’re considering.
How should you transport and store frozen herbs?
Keep them out of the cold for as little time as possible, then put them in the freezer as directed on the packaging. The DGCCRF warns of the risks associated with a rise in temperature. Picard’s chives should be stored at −18 °C, and the product should not be refrozen after thawing.
Are frozen herbs always pre-chopped?
It depends on the product. Picard describes its parsley and chives as chopped; check the product information or packaging to find out how your chosen herbs have been prepared and how to use them.