For preparing several meals, a 500 g bag of organic dried chickpeas is a good choice if you can plan ahead for soaking and cooking. E.Leclerc recommends 80 g of dried chickpeas per person for its Bio Village product, which works out at around six suggested portions from a 500 g bag. If saving time is your priority, opt for ready-cooked organic chickpeas instead, comparing the drained weight and ingredients. In either case, check that the specific product you choose is labelled organic.
If you’re making salads, curries, couscous or hummus for several meals, a 500 g bag of organic dried chickpeas is worth considering if you can plan ahead for soaking. Both Auchan and E.Leclerc recommend soaking their respective products overnight.
If you can’t plan for a long cooking time, ready-cooked organic chickpeas in a jar or tin make it easier to prepare quick meals. Manger Bouger recommends pulses as a practical option. Check the ingredients and drained weight of each product.
If organic certification is your top priority, check the packaging of the specific product rather than relying on the retailer or the product’s origin. The French Ministry of the Economy presents the EU organic logo, or Euro-leaf, as a way to identify products from organic farming. Also read the ingredients and any precautionary allergen statements.
Choose this if: you cook several portions in advance and want to divide them up for different meals.
Bear in mind: for its Bio Village product, E.Leclerc recommends soaking overnight, followed by around 1 hr 30 mins of cooking in a saucepan or 40 minutes in a pressure cooker.
Choose this if: you want ready-cooked chickpeas without having to plan for soaking or a long cooking time.
Compare: drained weight and ingredients vary by product. Monoprix Bio’s product, as described by the retailer, contains water and salt.
| What to check | Things to look for | Who is it for? |
|---|---|---|
| Organic certification | Look for the organic label and EU organic logo on the specific product. Check the origin separately if it matters to you. | If you’re mainly looking for organic chickpeas, the retailer’s name or a French origin isn’t enough to make your choice. Around 36% of consumers prioritise this check. |
| Preparation time | For dried chickpeas, check the soaking and cooking instructions. For a ready-to-use product, make sure the chickpeas are already cooked. | If you need to prepare a meal without being able to plan ahead the day before, avoiding soaking matters more than pack size. Saving time is the main priority for around 29% of consumers. |
| Usable quantity | For dried chickpeas, estimate your portions using E.Leclerc’s guide of 80 g per person for Bio Village. For ready-to-use chickpeas, check the drained weight. | If you’re planning several meals, choose an amount your household will actually use. Don’t assume that a “family size” pack contains a fixed number of portions. This is the priority for around 21% of consumers. |
| Ingredients and allergen statements | Check the ingredients, nutritional information and precautionary allergen statements for the exact product, especially if salt or certain allergens are a factor in your choice. | If you’re choosing between several products, check their ingredients and allergen statements first, as these can vary. Around 14% of consumers prioritise this information. |
A 500 g bag won’t suit every need in the same way; it depends on the recipe and how many meals you’re planning.
For Bio Village dried chickpeas, use E.Leclerc’s guide of 80 g per person, then adjust the quantity to suit your meals. For a jar or tin, check the drained weight.
A product’s stated origin doesn’t mean it’s organic, and an organic label alone doesn’t tell you where it comes from.
First check the organic information on the packaging, then check the origin separately if it matters to you. The French Ministry of the Economy presents the Euro-leaf as a guide to identifying organic products.
Dried chickpeas need planning ahead: E.Leclerc recommends soaking Bio Village chickpeas overnight, followed by cooking for a time that depends on the method you use.
Choose dried chickpeas if the preparation time fits into your batch cooking. If you need to cook quickly, consider ready-cooked organic chickpeas in jars or tins instead.
Monoprix Bio’s product information lists chickpeas with water and salt, and notes that it may contain traces of soya and cereals containing gluten. Carrefour Bio’s product information also notes possible traces of cereals containing gluten in its dried chickpeas.
Read the label on the specific product you’re buying rather than assuming its ingredients or allergen statements based on its category.
These products illustrate the differences in format, preparation and labelling to consider, depending on what you need. Check the details on the product you choose.
Carrefour lists a 500 g bag of organic dried chickpeas, with ingredients described as organic chickpeas of French origin.
E.Leclerc lists Bio Village organic dried chickpeas in a 500 g bag.
Auchan lists a 500 g bag of fairtrade organic dried chickpeas, described as grown in France by the Qualisol cooperative.
Auchan lists a 500 g bag of organic chickpeas with France stated as the origin.
Monoprix lists 265 g of ready-cooked organic chickpeas in a container, worth considering for a meal that doesn’t require soaking.
Check the organic information on the packaging of the product you choose, particularly for the EU organic logo, or Euro-leaf. The French Ministry of the Economy presents this logo as a guide to identifying products from organic farming. The retailer’s name and the product’s origin are not a substitute.
A 500 g bag makes around six suggested portions if you follow E.Leclerc’s guide of 80 g of dried chickpeas per person for Bio Village. Adjust the quantity to suit the number of people you’re serving, the recipe and how much of the meal is made up of chickpeas.
For Bio Village chickpeas, E.Leclerc recommends soaking overnight, followed by around 1 hr 30 mins of cooking in a saucepan or 40 minutes in a pressure cooker. Follow the instructions on the bag you buy, as they may vary by product.
Choose a ready-cooked format if you want to prepare a meal without soaking or a long cooking time. Manger Bouger lists jars and tins as practical options for cooking pulses quickly. Compare the drained weight and label; Monoprix’s organic product, as described by the retailer, contains water and salt.