To season a student dinner without adding butter or oil, start by comparing the ingredients in plain frozen herbs and vegetable garlic-and-parsley mixes. The Auchan parsley and Darégal garlic-and-parsley products reviewed contain 0.5 g and 0.4 g of fat per 100 g respectively. A preparation made with butter, garlic and parsley is intended for a different use. Then choose a pack size to suit the space in your freezer and how often you cook with herbs.
If you want to season a quick meal without choosing a butter-based preparation, check the ingredients list before comparing nutritional values. Auchan’s chopped parsley, listed as containing parsley only, and Darégal’s vegetable garlic-and-parsley mix are two examples with different ingredients.
If parsley features in several of your meals, a 250 g pack could suit your routine. Check that you can reseal it and put it back in the freezer after each use.
A 50 g pack means less to store if you rarely add herbs to your meals. Be sure to check the storage instructions for the product you choose.
For a student dinner, first distinguish herbs and vegetable garlic-and-parsley mixes from preparations containing butter or oil. Then choose between plain parsley and garlic-and-parsley according to the flavour you want. Pack size mainly depends on how often you’ll use it.
| What to consider | What to check | Who it’s for |
|---|---|---|
| Added fat | Read the ingredients, then check the “fat” value per 100 g on the exact pack. Distinguish plain herbs from a butter-based preparation. | If I want to season a dish without adding butter or oil through this product, I want to know what the recipe actually contains; around 40% of consumers would prioritise these ingredients. |
| How much you’ll use | Compare the 50 g and 250 g packs with the number of meals you expect to use the herbs in. | If I often cook with parsley, I want a pack I’ll use regularly; nearly 30% of consumers would put frequent use first. |
| Flavour and preparation | Choose plain parsley if you want to add garlic separately, or a garlic-and-parsley mix if it suits your dish. | When dinner needs to be ready quickly, I might prefer a mix with the flavour already built in; around 20% of consumers would prioritise this. |
| Freezer space | Check the pack size and storage instructions before choosing a large bag. | If I rarely use herbs and have limited space, I’d rather store a small quantity; around 10% of consumers would make pack size their priority. |
The name “garlic and parsley” doesn’t tell you everything about the ingredients. Picard’s preparation made with butter, garlic and parsley is not the same as Auchan’s chopped parsley, which contains parsley only.
Look for butter or oil in the ingredients list and check the nutritional information per 100 g for the product you’re buying.
For its organic parsley, Carrefour lists a recipe containing organic sunflower oil and notes a temporary recipe change without this oil. So the ingredients can be more important to your choice than the product name alone.
Check the ingredients and nutritional values on the pack you receive, especially if you’re looking for a recipe with no added oil.
The instructions for the Picard and Auchan products reviewed say to store them at −18 °C and not to refreeze them once defrosted.
Take out the amount you need, reseal the pack and return it to the freezer promptly. Follow the instructions on your pack.
These products show why pack size and ingredients are worth considering separately: plain herbs, a garlic-and-parsley mix and a recipe containing oil don’t all meet the same needs.
Frozen chopped parsley in a 250 g bag and chopped flat-leaf parsley in a 50 g tub.
Frozen chopped parsley in a 250 g pack.
Frozen garlic-and-parsley mix.
Frozen parsley and parsley-and-garlic products featured by E.Leclerc, in pack sizes from 50 g to 250 g.
Organic parsley in a 50 g tub.
No, this claim isn’t essential when comparing products for this purpose. Auchan chopped parsley contains 0.5 g of fat per 100 g, while Darégal’s vegetable garlic-and-parsley mix contains 0.4 g per 100 g. Check the ingredients and nutritional values for the exact product rather than relying on wording on the pack.
Choose plain parsley if you want to decide how much garlic to add, or a vegetable garlic-and-parsley mix if it already suits your dish. The Darégal mix featured by Auchan contains 70% parsley and 30% garlic; other recipes may have different ingredients.
Take out the amount you need and return the resealed pack to the freezer promptly. The instructions for the Picard and Auchan products reviewed say to store them at −18 °C and not to refreeze them once defrosted; follow the instructions on your pack.
No: a claim doesn’t replace the ingredients list or nutritional information for the specific product. In the European Union, nutrition claims on food are covered by Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006. To choose between plain herbs, a garlic-and-parsley mix and a butter-based preparation, check the ingredients and the “fat” value per 100 g in particular.