For a working-from-home lunch, start by choosing a texture that suits your dish. A pourable dairy product with 4% fat may work well in a cold sauce or as a topping, while thick, light crème fraîche with 15% fat is better suited to recipes that call for a creamy texture. Also compare the product description, ingredients and pack size: a very low-fat product is not necessarily crème fraîche.
If you’re looking for something to serve with pasta, vegetables or a salad at lunchtime, you may prefer a low-fat option that’s easy to stir in. Elle & Vire offers a pourable dairy product with 4% fat, as well as UHT pourable light cream with 18% fat.
For a sauce or quiche, you may want a creamy texture rather than a pourable product. Carrefour, Auchan and E.Leclerc list thick, light crème fraîche with 15% fat.
You may want to compare ingredients and choose a pack size you can use up after opening. The ingredients list, storage instructions and quantity shown on each pack are just as important as the texture.
For your lunch, start with the recipe you have in mind. Then compare the fat content and product description before choosing a pack size.
| Criteria | What to check | Who is it for? |
|---|---|---|
| Fat content | Compare the fat percentage and the exact product description: Elle & Vire’s pourable product with 4% fat is a dairy product, not crème fraîche. | For a cold sauce or quick topping, I’d choose the lowest fat content that works for my recipe, even if the product is pourable. Around 33% of consumers would put reducing fat first. |
| Texture | Look for the terms “pourable” and “thick” to find the texture you want. Carrefour, Auchan and DELISSE offer the thick options with 15% fat mentioned here. | If my sauce needs to stay creamy or I’m making a quiche, texture matters more than choosing the lowest fat content. Around 27% of consumers would make this their priority. |
| Ingredients | Read the full ingredients list, particularly to distinguish Alsace Lait’s pourable option with 15% fat from recipes containing starches or stabilisers. | For a simple dish, I prefer to choose based on the ingredients list, without assuming that it alone determines the texture. Around 20% of consumers would put this first. |
| Pack size and storage | Match the quantity to the number of meals you have planned, and check the date and the storage and use instructions for after opening. | If I only use cream for a few lunches, I want to be able to finish the pack in line with the instructions on the packaging. Around 20% of consumers would prioritise pack size. |
Elle & Vire describes its pourable product with 4% fat as a UHT dairy product. The fat percentage alone doesn’t tell you which type of product you’re buying.
Check the product description, fat content and stated texture together.
A pourable option and thick crème fraîche won’t work in the same way in a recipe that needs to be mixed quickly or have a creamy, coating consistency.
Start with the dish you’re making: compare pourable options for a light sauce or topping, and thick creams when texture is key.
Instructions for use after opening vary. For its pourable light crème fraîche with 15% fat, Alsace Lait recommends storing it between +2 °C and +6 °C and consuming it within three days of opening. This guidance doesn’t automatically apply to other products.
Choose a quantity that suits your upcoming meals and follow the pack’s instructions after opening.
These products give you a useful comparison of texture, ingredients and fat content. Check the exact variant before you choose.
The range lets you compare a pourable UHT dairy product with 4% fat and UHT pourable light cream with 18% fat.
The thick, light crème fraîche with 15% fat comes in a 497 g tub.
Auchan offers thick, light crème fraîche with 15% fat in a 50 cl tub.
The DELISSE range includes thick, light crème fraîche with 15% fat, including a 50 cl pack.
Secret de Crème long-life cream has a fat content of 25%.
No. Elle & Vire describes its pourable product with 4% fat as a sterilised UHT dairy product. Check the product description on the pack rather than relying solely on the percentage or the word “light”.
Choose thick crème fraîche if a creamy texture is important for your recipe. The Carrefour, Auchan and DELISSE products mentioned here have 15% fat. A pourable option is handy when you mainly want to stir or pour it in easily.
Match the quantity to the meals you have planned and read the instructions for use after opening. For its pourable option with 15% fat, Alsace Lait recommends storing it between +2 °C and +6 °C and consuming it within three days of opening.
A use-by date (DLC) must not be exceeded for foods that carry one; ANSES cites certain fresh, chilled dairy products as an example. A best-before date (DDM) means something different. Check which type of date is shown, and always follow the product’s storage instructions too.
Check the label on the pre-packed product. According to the French Directorate-General for Competition, Consumer Affairs and Fraud Control, allergenic ingredients must be highlighted. Check the ingredients list and nutritional information for the specific product you plan to buy.