For your Christmas shopping, choose a cup or bowl if you want to prepare each portion in its own container. A packet or multipack is a better fit if you’re planning several portions and have containers to prepare them in. Before stocking up on or serving a product, check the number of portions, preparation instructions, ingredients, allergens and nutritional information.
A cup can be a handy container for an individual portion to keep in the cupboard over the festive season. Check the instructions for the product you choose: Auchan, for example, lists a 64 g Nissin cup as a single serving, ready in three minutes.
Packets and multipacks make it easier to plan for several portions, as long as you have the containers you need. Carrefour, for example, lists 60 g packets and multipacks of 5 × 60 g. Check how many units are in each product before you buy.
If someone you’re serving needs to avoid certain ingredients, check the label for the exact product, even if the flavour sounds familiar. Auchan’s listing for a Nissin beef cup, for example, includes wheat, soya and milk.
When putting together a Christmas stock-up, first decide whether you want each portion to be prepared in its own container, or whether packets that you prepare separately will suit you. Then check the recipe and label for each product.
| What to consider | What to check | Who this matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Portion and preparation | Whether the container can be used to prepare the noodles, the number of portions and the product-specific instructions. | For an individual portion to prepare over the festive season, I’d rather not have to provide an extra bowl. Around 36% of consumers prioritise this convenience. |
| Ingredients and labelling | Ingredient list, declared allergens and nutritional information, particularly the ‘salt’ line. | If I need to consider the ingredients for someone I’m serving, the flavour on the front isn’t enough for me. Around 29% of consumers put this check first. |
| Flavour and recipe | The stated flavour, any indication that it’s spicy and the ingredients in the exact product. | When choosing portions for several people, I want to pick recipes they’ll enjoy without trying to guess the ingredients from the flavour name alone. Around 21% of consumers prioritise choosing the right recipe. |
| Number of portions | The number of units and weight stated on the multipack; whether you’ll need a container for packets; and whether the product you want is available. | When I’m stocking up, I mainly want to know how many separate portions I’ll be able to prepare. Around 14% of consumers share this priority. |
On the French websites for Auchan and E.Leclerc, individual portions in containers are described using terms such as ‘cup’ or ‘bowl’. A search limited to ‘single tin’ could miss these products.
Search for an individual cup or bowl, then check the weight, number of portions and preparation instructions.
A beef cup may contain other ingredients you need to consider. Auchan’s listing for the Nissin product mentioned here includes wheat, soya and milk.
Read the ingredient list and declared allergens, and check the packaging of the product you buy for any ‘may contain’ statements.
Two cups that are quick to prepare can have different ingredients and nutritional values. Preparation time doesn’t tell you what’s in them.
Compare the nutritional information, particularly the salt content, and make sure you distinguish values per 100 g from those per portion.
The Lidl page mentioned for instant noodles showed an offer date of 30 September 2026. An ALDI listing for a multipack of four was marked as unavailable when it was checked.
Before planning your shopping, check whether the product is available and what options are offered by your chosen store.
If you don’t check, you could make a wasted trip or place an unnecessary order.
Auchan lists a 64 g Nissin beef and five-spice cup, described as a single serving and ready in three minutes.
E.Leclerc lists Tables du Monde cups weighing between 61.5 and 70 g, including beef, prawn, vegetable and curry flavours.
Carrefour’s range includes instant noodles in packets and multipacks, as well as some Carrefour Sensation products.
ALDI lists 72 g instant noodles and a 249 g bowl in this range. These are worth considering separately from a small cup.
Lidl has listed instant noodles in vegetable, beef, duck, prawn and chicken flavours.
These products are suited to choosing an individual portion in a cup or bowl for your Christmas shopping. Distinguish single units from multipacks, and check the ingredients and instructions for each product before serving.
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A multipack to consider if you want to keep several cup portions in stock for the festive season.
The product name states that the pack contains 24 cups of 69 g, in five-spice beef flavour. Check the ingredients and allergens of the product you receive before serving.
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This cup is worth considering if you’re looking for an individual portion of luosifen. Check the recipe if you’re serving it to people with different dietary preferences.
The product name states that it weighs 120 g. Check the packaging for ingredients, allergens and preparation instructions.
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This bowl offers a kimchi recipe as an alternative to a classic flavour for an individual portion.
The product name states that it weighs 120 g. Don’t assume you know what it contains from the word ‘Vegetarian’ alone: check the ingredients and allergens on the packaging.
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This cup is worth considering if you’re looking for an individual portion described as vegetable-based.
The product name states that it weighs 67 g. Check the label on the product you buy for the exact ingredients and instructions.
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This cup may suit you if you’re looking for an individual portion with prawn and soy sauce flavour.
The product name states that it weighs 63 g. As prawns are mentioned in the name, it’s particularly important to check the ingredients and allergens before serving.
Search for ‘cup’, ‘individual bowl’ or ‘single serving’, then check the weight and instructions. These are the terms used on the French websites for Auchan and E.Leclerc for the formats in question, rather than ‘single tin’.
No. Follow the instructions for each product. For its Nissin beef and five-spice cup, Auchan says to pour in boiling water up to the fill line, close the lid, leave for three minutes and then stir. This timing doesn’t apply to every cup.
Check the net quantity, ingredients, allergens, nutritional information and the date shown on the packaging. The DGCCRF lists these details among the labelling information required for prepacked foods in France. Also check the product-specific instructions.
No. You need to read the full ingredient list for the exact product. For example, Auchan’s listing for a Nissin beef cup also mentions wheat, soya and milk. The flavour name doesn’t tell you about every ingredient you may need to consider.