If you’re preparing several packed lunches for different days, choose separate tins of peeled tomatoes if you’ll only open one at a time. An 800 g tin is better suited to a dish that uses almost all of its contents. If your recipe calls for tomatoes that are already chopped, check the tomato pulp instead, as it’s a different product.
If you’re cooking with tomatoes for several school packed lunches, your choice depends on when you’ll open each tin. Mutti lists peeled tomatoes in 400 g tins, a 2 × 400 g multipack and an 800 g tin. Carrefour also stocks a multipack of separate 3 × 400 g tins.
For a sauce, soup or filling, you may prefer whole peeled tomatoes that you can chop or crush yourself. If your recipe calls for tomatoes that are already chopped, look for the product description « tomato pulp »: E.Leclerc, for example, stocks a 3 × 400 g multipack of tomato pulp.
Before stocking up, compare the ingredients list, net quantity and date shown. If you’re preparing meals with tomatoes from an opened tin, also check the storage instructions for after opening.
Start with the number of meals you’re planning, then choose the texture your recipe needs before comparing labels.
| What to consider | What to check | Who is this for? |
|---|---|---|
| Opening tins at different times | Number of tins and the weight of each one; for a large tin, how much you’ll use as soon as you open it. | I prepare meals for different days and prefer to open only the amount needed for each recipe. Around 50% of shoppers would prioritise having the contents split this way. |
| Recipe texture | Whether the product is described as « whole peeled tomatoes » or « tomato pulp ». | For my sauce or filling, I want to know whether I’ll need to chop the tomatoes or whether they’re already chopped. Around 30% of shoppers would prioritise this choice of texture. |
| Ingredients and label | Ingredients list, net quantity and date; origin details or Nutri-Score only if shown. | Before stocking up on several tins, I mainly want to check what’s in each product and its storage instructions. Around 20% of shoppers would put this information first. |
A 3 × 400 g multipack may contain tomato pulp rather than whole tomatoes. Pulp is already chopped, while whole peeled tomatoes let you choose the size of the pieces.
Check the product description before choosing a pack size, then pick the texture that suits your recipe.
The printed date alone doesn’t tell you how long to keep the contents once the tin has been opened. Storing them incorrectly can also pose risks, as Anses points out.
Choose the 800 g format for a dish that uses almost all the contents, or follow the storage instructions and use-by period for after opening shown on the packaging.
The Nutri-Score for one product tells you neither its full ingredients list nor the characteristics of another tin of tomatoes.
Check the ingredients, product description and net quantity for each product. Use the Nutri-Score as an extra piece of information when it appears on the packaging.
The Pelati range offers a choice of pack sizes, whether you’re cooking one dish or preparing several meals.
A 400 g tin of peeled tomatoes for recipes that call for whole tomatoes.
Carrefour offers a 3 × 400 g multipack of peeled tomatoes in juice, worth considering if you’re preparing meals for several days.
A range to consider if you’re choosing between whole peeled tomatoes and tomatoes that are already chopped.
Peeled tomatoes are whole, while tomato pulp is already chopped. For a sauce or filling for a school packed lunch, choose the texture you want and consider how much time you’d like to spend chopping or crushing the tomatoes. The product description will tell you which is which.
Separate 400 g tins are a good choice if you’re preparing recipes on different days and want to open them one at a time. An 800 g tin is better suited to a dish that uses almost all of its contents. Mutti says its Pelati peeled tomatoes are available in both formats.
First, check the product description, ingredients list, net quantity, nutritional information and date shown on the pre-packed product. The DGCCRF notes that labelling information must be visible, legible and written at least in French. Also read the instructions for after opening.
No. The printed date alone doesn’t tell you how long to keep the contents once the tin has been opened. Follow the storage instructions and use-by period for after opening shown on the packaging, especially if you’re preparing meals in advance.
Not necessarily. According to the DGCCRF, a product may still be safe to eat after its best-before date, provided its packaging is intact, although its taste and quality may have changed. Don’t confuse this with a use-by date, and follow the instructions on the product.