For school-holiday lunches, choose a tin of peeled tomatoes based on how much you’ll use. A large tin can work well for a family meal if you use it quickly or can store any leftovers according to the label. Ingredient lists, organic certification and stated country of origin cater to different preferences, so check the details for the exact product you’re considering.
If you’re making a sauce or slow-cooked dish for several people, the amount you need can help you choose the right size. Mutti offers 400 g and 800 g tins, for example, while Auchan and Pouce offer the 480 g products described here.
If portions vary from one lunch to the next, the drained weight and the amount you’ll actually use matter more than how big the tin looks. You’ll also need to be able to store any leftovers according to the instructions for the product you choose.
If you want a base to season yourself, or prefer an organic option or a stated country of origin, compare the labels on the specific products. The ingredients listed for Mutti, Carrefour’s Cirio product and Auchan are not all the same.
For school-holiday lunches, start with the amount your recipe calls for. Then check what you can do with any leftovers and what’s in the tin.
| Criteria | What to check | Who is it for? |
|---|---|---|
| Amount you’ll use | Compare the drained weight with the amount your recipe calls for. | To manage my shopping, I want a tin whose contents I’ll actually use. Around 36% of consumers put the usable quantity first. |
| Leftovers after opening | Check the storage instructions for the product and plan how you’ll use any leftovers. | If portions vary, I’d rather choose a size that won’t leave me with unused tomatoes. This is thought to be a priority for around 29% of consumers. |
| Ingredients | Read the ingredients list: the Mutti product featured contains tomatoes and tomato juice, while the Cirio product featured also contains tomato purée and citric acid. | If I’m seasoning a sauce or soup myself, I look for ingredients that suit my recipe; around 21% of consumers are thought to make this their main criterion. |
| Organic certification or country of origin | Check the organic label or country of origin on the exact product: Carrefour Bio states that its product is from Italy, while Carrefour’s Cirio listing mentions Puglia. | If I’m mainly looking for organic certification or a stated country of origin, I check the packaging. Nearly 14% of consumers are thought to prioritise this criterion. |
Tin size and drained weight don’t tell you the same thing about how much you can use. A tin that suits a family meal may leave you with leftovers if your recipe only uses some of it.
Check the drained weight and how much your recipe needs before choosing a size.
The Mutti product featured lists peeled tomatoes and tomato juice. Carrefour’s listing for the Cirio product featured also mentions tomato purée and citric acid.
Read the label on the tin you buy, especially if you’re looking for a particular ingredients list.
For the products featured here, Auchan and Pouce advise transferring any leftovers to a suitable airtight container, refrigerating them and using them within 2 days.
Choose a large tin if your recipe uses the whole thing or if you can follow the storage instructions on the product.
Mutti presents its peeled tomatoes as a base for sauces, soups and slow-cooked dishes, with 400 g and 800 g tins among the sizes available.
The 400 g peeled tomato product featured by Carrefour carries the label ‘100% from Puglia’.
The organic whole peeled tomato product featured by Carrefour has a net drained weight of 240 g.
Auchan offers 480 g tins of whole peeled tomatoes in juice under the Auchan and Pouce names.
No. The Mutti, Auchan and Pouce products featured are tinned, not frozen. Follow the storage instructions on the tin you choose.
For the Auchan and Pouce products featured, transfer any leftovers to a suitable airtight container, refrigerate and use within 2 days. Anses recommends keeping food at 0 to +4 °C in the coldest part of the fridge. Also check the instructions on your own tin.
No. A best-before date passing does not, on its own, mean that you have to throw the tin away. The French Ministry of the Economy explains that taste and smell may change after this date. Don’t confuse a best-before date with a use-by date.
No. These labels cater to particular preferences, but they don’t tell you how much you need or give you the full ingredients list. For the product you’re considering, check the drained weight and ingredients too.