For an office lunch for someone with coeliac disease, first choose a product labelled “gluten-free”, then take care to avoid cross-contamination during preparation and reheating. A plant-based dessert can be eaten straight away if it has been stored as instructed; coconut milk for cooking is better suited to preparing a meal to take with you, while a coconut drink can accompany lunch but is not a meal in itself.
Checking that the specific product is labelled “gluten-free” matters just as much as taking care with the container, utensils and preparation area afterwards. The French Association of People with Gluten Intolerance stresses the importance of avoiding cross-contamination.
A coconut dessert can save you having to cook on site. Before taking one with you, check the portion size, allergens and storage temperature stated on the packaging.
Coconut milk for cooking can be used in a soup, sauce or curry to take with you. Check separately that your chosen product is labelled “gluten-free” and follow its storage instructions after opening.
First, decide what you want to take with you: an ingredient for a prepared dish, a ready-to-eat dessert or a drink. For someone with coeliac disease, choosing a format never replaces checking that the exact product is labelled “gluten-free”.
| Consideration | What to check | Who this matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Gluten and contamination | “Gluten-free” label on the exact product; precautions around shared surfaces, utensils and containers. | When my meal is for someone with coeliac disease, I want to be able to check the product and avoid crumbs during preparation. Around 40% of consumers put this need first. |
| Format and storage | Ready-to-eat product or cooking ingredient; portion size and transport and storage instructions. | If I’m having lunch without the option to cook at the office, I prioritise a portion I can take with me and store as stated on the label. Around 30% of consumers put this need first. |
| Ingredients and nutritional information | Allergens; sugars, protein and saturated fat per 100 g or 100 ml, then per portion eaten. | When choosing between different coconut recipes, I look at their ingredients and how much I plan to eat, rather than assuming they’re interchangeable. Around 30% of consumers prioritise this comparison. |
The ingredient name alone tells you nothing about the full recipe or possible contamination. Under European Commission Regulation (EU) No 828/2014, “gluten-free” means that the food as sold to the final consumer contains no more than 20 mg/kg of gluten.
When buying for someone with coeliac disease, look for this label on the exact product and check the packaging again if the recipe changes.
Coconut milk is used to prepare a dish, while a drink accompanies a meal and a dessert can be eaten straight away. However, a chilled dessert may need to be kept cold.
Decide how you plan to use it before comparing the portion sizes and storage instructions of the products you’re considering.
Recipes vary. The Les Petites Pousses blueberry dessert featured by Auchan contains almond protein, among other ingredients; you can’t tell its sugar or fat content from the word “coconut” alone.
Read the ingredients and nutritional information for each product, especially if you have an allergy.
Crumbs on a surface or shared utensil can undermine the precautions you took when choosing the product. The French Association of People with Gluten Intolerance advises avoiding cross-contamination during preparation.
Use a clean surface and utensils, keep your meal separate from foods containing gluten, and cover it when reheating in the microwave.
These products illustrate different ways to use coconut; a brand or retailer appearing here does not confirm that every product it sells is labelled “gluten-free”.
Carrefour offers coconut milk for cooking, as well as an Alpro coconut plant-based drink.
Auchan features plant-based coconut desserts from LA COOP nature and Les Petites Pousses blueberry, both labelled “gluten-free” on their product pages.
Aldi features Asia Green Garden coconut milk in a 400 ml pack, intended for cooking.
The Alpro product featured here is a 1 L coconut plant-based drink sold by Carrefour.
These two products suit different needs for a day at the office: preparing a dish with coconut milk for cooking, or enjoying a coconut and matcha drink with lunch. If you have coeliac disease, check that the product you receive is labelled “gluten-free” before choosing it.
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Coconut milk for cooking, worth considering if you’re preparing a soup, sauce or curry to take with you.
The stated pack size is 200 ml. Check the packaging for the fat content shown in the title, the “gluten-free” label and storage instructions after opening.
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A coconut and matcha drink to enjoy with lunch, rather than coconut milk for cooking or a ready-to-eat meal.
The stated pack size is 1 L. The description mentions soya: check the ingredients and “gluten-free” label on the packaging if these are important to your purchase.
Under European Commission Regulation (EU) No 828/2014, it means that the food as sold to the final consumer contains no more than 20 mg/kg of gluten. If you have coeliac disease, look for this label on the exact product rather than assuming it from the word “coconut”.
No. The name “coconut milk” confirms neither the full ingredients nor the absence of cross-contamination. Check that your chosen product is labelled “gluten-free”, then take care during meal preparation.
Use a clean container and cover the dish in the microwave to limit contact with residue from other foods. The French Association of People with Gluten Intolerance also recommends cleaning surfaces and using clean utensils during preparation.
Follow the temperature instructions for the product you buy: the LA COOP dessert featured by Auchan should be stored between 2 and 6 °C. If you take it to the office, make sure it’s transported and stored in a way that meets these instructions.
No, these labels refer to different characteristics. The Les Petites Pousses coconut and blueberry dessert featured by Auchan is labelled “gluten-free”, but its recipe contains almond protein. Always check the allergens in the exact product.