For lunch at the office, choose plain organic rice if you’re already bringing something to go with it. If the pouch needs to make up most of your meal, look for recipes that also contain vegetables or pulses. In either case, check the organic certification, ingredients, allergens, portion size and reheating instructions. The organic logo and quick preparation time don’t tell you everything you need to know.
If your lunch break is short, check the reheating time and instructions for the product you’re considering. Carrefour and Auchan listings feature pouches that take one to two minutes or two minutes to heat, depending on the recipe.
If you’re already bringing vegetables and another part of your meal, plain rice can be a base to build on, rather than a seasoned recipe that dictates what goes with it.
If you’re not planning to bring another dish, compare recipes that combine rice, vegetables and pulses. Pay particular attention to the portion size, nutritional information and whether the recipe contains soya.
| What to consider | What to check | Who is it for? |
|---|---|---|
| Reheating | The stated heating time and whether the method works with the equipment available at work. | When my break is short, I want to be able to heat the pouch using the equipment I have. Around 31 % of consumers rank speed as their top priority. |
| Organic certification | The EU organic logo and, if shown on the product, the AB label. | I want to be able to identify the certification before choosing a recipe or format. This is a priority for around 25 % of consumers. |
| The pouch’s role in the meal | The ingredients, pouch weight and nutritional information per 100 g. | If I’m not bringing another dish, I’m looking for a recipe that also provides vegetables or pulses, rather than rice that needs something added to it. Around 25 % of consumers make this their main priority. |
| Ingredients and allergens | The ingredients list, declared allergens and any ‘may contain’ warnings on the packaging you buy. | If there are ingredients I can’t have, their presence in the recipe determines my choice before seasoning or format. Around 19 % of consumers put knowing exactly what’s in their food first. |
According to Carrefour and Auchan listings, some organic rice recipes contain soya, wheat or sesame; others warn that traces of allergens may be present.
Check the ingredients and allergen information on the packaging of the product you buy. Don’t rely on the organic logo alone.
A pouch sold as a side dish serves a different purpose from a recipe combining rice, vegetables and pulses.
Decide whether you’ll bring something to go with it, then compare the ingredients, weight and nutritional information of the products you’re considering.
The heating times given on Carrefour and Auchan listings depend on the product and the stated preparation method.
Before buying, check the instructions for the specific product and the equipment available at your workplace.
The range includes rice to serve as a side dish, as well as ready-cooked plant-based recipes.
Worth considering if you’re looking for an organic recipe combining wholegrain rice, vegetables and soya.
The rice, vegetable and chicken recipe is aimed at a different need from a plant-based meal.
The quick-cook organic basmati rice is presented as a speedy side dish.
An organic quick-cook basmati rice option to use as a base for a meal you can build on.
Look for the EU organic logo and, where applicable, the AB label on the product you’re considering. The French Ministry of Agriculture explains that organic farming is governed by EU regulations. Check the ingredients too, so you know what the recipe contains.
Not necessarily. Plain rice is designed to be a base you can add to, while a recipe with vegetables and pulses serves a different purpose. Before deciding what to bring with your pouch, compare the portion size, ingredients and nutritional information per 100 g.
Read the ingredients list and allergen information on the packaging you buy. The DGCCRF says allergenic ingredients in prepacked foods must be clearly highlighted. Whether they’re present depends on the specific recipe, even when it’s organic.
Follow the instructions for the product you buy, as they can vary. Auchan’s listings say to keep the Bjorg rice, soya and vegetable pouch chilled and eat it within 48 hours, and to eat the Jardin BiO étic rice, vegetable and chicken pouch within two days.
No. It doesn’t replace checking the recipe and how it fits into your lunch. Compare the ingredients, allergens, portion size and nutritional information per 100 g too.