For a picnic in the park, choose peeled tomatoes if you’re preparing a sauce, topping or salad in advance. They’re mainly an ingredient, rather than a ready-to-serve dish. Match the drained weight to the amount you need, then compare the ingredients and country of origin if these matter to you. Once opened, follow the instructions on the tin and keep any preparations that need it chilled.
For a topping, cold sauce or salad for a small group, compare the amount you need with the drained weight. Carrefour, for example, offers a 240 g tin of peeled tomatoes by drained weight, which you can compare with larger sizes.
Peeled tomatoes can be used in a sauce or another dish prepared before your picnic, rather than served straight from the tin. If your dish contains food that needs to be kept chilled, plan how you’ll transport it accordingly, as recommended by Anses.
To choose between two tins, check the ingredients list, any salt information, the country of origin if stated, and any certification labels. Check the label on the item you buy: Auchan notes that the ingredients in some products may vary depending on the online shopping service and date of purchase.
For a picnic recipe, first decide how much tomato you need and what form you want it in. Then check the label and storage instructions.
| Criterion | What to check | Who is it for? |
|---|---|---|
| Quantity and leftovers | Compare the drained weight with the amount called for in the recipe, rather than relying on the tin’s total weight alone. | For a salad for a small group, I want to avoid opening far more tomatoes than I need. Around 40% of consumers would prioritise a suitable quantity. |
| Form of the tomatoes | Check whether the recipe calls for whole tomatoes to chop or crush, rather than tomato pulp or a prepared sauce. | If I’m making a topping before setting off, I want to choose a form of tomato that suits how it will be prepared. The recipe would come first for around 30% of consumers. |
| Ingredients and origin | Read the ingredients, including any mention of salt or acidity regulators, as well as the origin and organic certification if shown on the label. | When choosing ingredients for a sauce, I want to know what it contains and the stated origin of the tomatoes. This would be the main consideration for around 20% of consumers. |
| Storage | Check the best-before date, batch number and instructions for after opening. Keep it chilled if your preparation contains food that needs refrigeration. | Before taking my dish to the park, I want to know how to store the opened tin and transport the food. Storage would be the priority for around 10% of consumers. |
Some of the contents may be left over after opening if you’re making a small dish. Pack sizes don’t all show the same thing, so distinguish between the total weight of the tin and the drained weight.
Work out how much you need before you buy. If you expect to have leftovers, follow the storage instructions on the tin.
The ingredients lists shown by Carrefour and Auchan vary by product. Some list tomatoes, tomato juice and citric acid, while a Carrefour Classic’ product also lists salt and calcium chloride.
Check the label on the tin you choose if salt, other ingredients or origin matter to your purchase.
The storage instructions for an unopened tin don’t replace those for a dish containing food that needs refrigeration. Anses recommends using an insulated bag and keeping transport time to a minimum to maintain the cold chain.
Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for after opening and plan to transport the food chilled if the ingredients in your dish require it.
RappelConso reports a recall dated 18 September 2026 for 800 g tins of SIMPL whole peeled tomatoes in juice, GTIN 3560070479467, batch L25252, with a best-before date of 31 December 2028, due to the risk of Datura seeds being present. The recall applies to this specific batch.
If you have this product, compare all the details on the tin with those in the recall notice. Do not eat the product if they match.
Mutti offers whole peeled tomatoes in tomato juice, including 400 g, 800 g and 2 × 400 g sizes.
A 400 g Cirio product listed by Carrefour is described as peeled tomatoes from Puglia, preserved in tomato purée.
Carrefour offers peeled tomatoes in juice in 240 g and 480 g sizes by drained weight.
E.Leclerc lists a 480 g by drained weight product of Notre Jardin whole peeled tomatoes in juice.
Auchan offers whole peeled tomatoes in juice, including a 480 g size.
These tinned cherry tomatoes could be used in a dish prepared before setting off. Compare the quantity with what you need rather than treating them as a ready-to-serve meal for the park.
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For a dish prepared before your picnic, compare the 400 g size with the amount you need. Check the tin for the drained weight, ingredients list, best-before date and instructions for after opening.
Peeled tomatoes are best used as an ingredient in a dish prepared before setting off, rather than served straight from the tin as a ready-to-eat meal. If you’re planning a salad or cold topping, prepare, drain and season them to suit the recipe.
Follow the instructions on the tin in question. For its 480 g product of whole peeled tomatoes in juice, Auchan says to transfer leftovers to a suitable airtight container, refrigerate them and eat them within 2 days. Don’t automatically apply this timeframe to other products.
If your dish contains food that needs to be kept chilled, use an insulated bag and keep transport time to a minimum, in line with Anses recommendations. For an unopened tin, follow its own storage instructions; once opened, follow the manufacturer’s guidance.
Do not eat it if it bears GTIN 3560070479467, batch L25252 and a best-before date of 31 December 2028. RappelConso confirms that the recall concerns this batch of SIMPL whole peeled tomatoes in juice. Compare all these details with those on your tin.