For a versatile first food cupboard
If you’re planning to make salads, toast toppings or hot dishes, plain mackerel fillets let you choose how to season them when serving.
Who are these options for?
For a quick meal
If you don’t want to make a sauce, look at grilled, Mediterranean or spicy recipes. Check the ingredients and allergen information on each tin.
For comparing ingredients
If the percentage of fish, type of oil or a certification matters to you, check the details for the specific product rather than relying on the range’s overall branding.
What should you look for?
When stocking your cupboard for the first time, decide whether you’d like to season the fillets yourself or open a ready-to-serve recipe. Then check what’s in the tin and whether its size suits your meals.
| What to consider | What to check | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Season it your way | Ingredients list and whether oil is included; salt per 100 g. | For toast or a salad, I’d rather choose the seasoning myself. This would be the top priority for around 36% of consumers. |
| Ready-to-serve recipe | Type of preparation and any allergen or “may contain” statements. | When I want to serve the fillets without making a sauce, a ready-seasoned recipe makes mealtimes easier. Around 29% of consumers would put this need first. |
| Product information | Any certification, the species listed and the ingredients in the specific product. | If certification or knowing exactly what’s in the product matters most to me, I want to be able to read those details on the tin. This would be the top priority for around 21% of consumers. |
| Pack size and leftovers | Drained weight and storage instructions after opening. | If I’m planning just one meal, I look for a size I can use without forgetting about any leftovers. Pack size would come first for around 14% of consumers. |
Common mistakes to avoid
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Assuming “premium”, “organic” or “olive oil” tells you everything about the ingredients
These labels don’t replace the nutritional information for the specific recipe. A tin in oil may have a different composition from another tin with similar wording on the label.
Compare the ingredients list, the percentage of fish where stated, and the fat and salt per 100 g.
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Overlooking allergens in a seasoned recipe
Petit Navire’s Mediterranean recipe may contain traces of mustard, celery, eggs, milk and soya. This information doesn’t apply to every recipe from the brand.
If you have an allergy, check the ingredients and any “may contain” statements on the exact tin before buying.
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Choosing a pack size without thinking about what to do after opening
If you only use some of the contents, you’ll need to follow the storage instructions for the tin after opening.
Compare the drained weight with the amount you need for your meal, and follow the instructions on the product you buy.
Brands to compare
Petit Navire
Plain, olive oil and seasoned recipes to compare depending on what you’re planning to eat.
- An Auchan product listing describes Petit Navire fillets made with mackerel, extra virgin olive oil and salt. Petit Navire also details a Mediterranean recipe with olives, garlic, chilli and thyme.
- The Mediterranean recipe states that it may contain traces of several allergens, so check the specific product you choose.
Saupiquet
Grilled fillets and olive oil recipes to compare different preparations.
- Saupiquet describes its grilled fillets as hand-prepared and grilled. An Auchan listing for another Saupiquet product states that it contains 78% mackerel and 20% extra virgin olive oil.
- The preparation and organic claim for this product don’t, on their own, tell you about the ingredients in the brand’s other tins.
Carrefour Extra
A product in extra virgin olive oil with chilli to consider if you’re looking for a ready-seasoned recipe.
- The Carrefour product listing gives a drained net weight of 98 g for this recipe.
- Check the ingredients and allergen information on the tin before choosing this flavour.
Auchan
A 85 g tin of mackerel fillets in olive oil.
- The Auchan product listing states that it contains 87.5% mackerel fillets, 12% extra virgin olive oil and salt.
- These proportions apply to this product only and don’t describe the whole Auchan range.
A first-shop pick
This selection features mackerel fillets in olive oil to consider if you’re after a tin that’s easy to serve. Check that the pack size suits the meals you have planned.
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EL TATO, mackerel fillets in olive oil 115/80 g
An option to consider for a salad or a meal where you’d like fillets in olive oil. The title gives the weights as 115/80 g: check the packaging to see what each weight refers to, and read the storage instructions for after opening.
Frequently asked questions
Plain or seasoned: which should you choose for your first tin?
Choose plain fillets if you want to decide how to season them to suit your meal; a seasoned recipe saves you the effort of making a sauce. Either way, check the ingredients for the specific product you choose.
Which allergens should you check in a seasoned mackerel recipe?
Check the information about fish and any other ingredients or traces specific to the recipe. Petit Navire states that its Mediterranean recipe may contain traces of mustard, celery, eggs, milk and soya. Always check the tin you’re planning to buy.
How long can you keep a tin after opening?
Follow the storage time and conditions shown on the tin you buy, rather than assuming the same guidance applies to every brand. For example, Auchan’s listing for one Petit Navire product in olive oil says to refrigerate it and eat it within two days of opening.
Are “organic” or “olive oil” labels enough to compare recipes?
No. These labels alone don’t tell you the nutritional values or the proportions of all the ingredients. Read the ingredients list and nutritional information per 100 g for each product you’re comparing.