Anyone who wants to avoid leftovers
For a single lunchbox, a small pack lets you open one portion at a time. Carrefour and Auchan assortments include packs of smaller portions.
Who are these pack sizes for?
Anyone preparing several lunches
If you’re making several salads or side dishes, a larger tin may be a good choice. Just plan how to store anything left after opening.
Anyone without kitchen facilities at work
If opening and assembling a tin isn’t convenient, a ready-to-eat recipe can make lunchtime simpler. Check how it should be prepared, its ingredients and any allergens.
What should you look for?
Start with the amount you’ll use, then choose between pulses to assemble yourself and a ready-made recipe. For anyone preparing a quick office lunch, each row below relates to a key need.
| What to consider | What to check | Who it’s for |
|---|---|---|
| Single portions | The net drained weight and how many portions you can use from the pack. | If I’m making just one salad, I’d rather open an amount I can finish. Around 31% of consumers would put the question of leftovers at the top of their list. |
| Several meals | The usable amount and storage instructions after opening. | When preparing several lunchboxes, I look for enough pulses to divide into portions without leaving an opened tin for too long. This would be the top priority for around 25% of consumers. |
| Preparing lunch at work | How the product is intended to be eaten and what you’ll need to open or heat it. | When I have little time or equipment, I want to keep the steps before eating to a minimum. Ease of preparation would be a priority for around 25% of consumers. |
| What’s in your meal | The ingredients list, allergens and nutritional information for the product you choose. | I’d rather choose what to add to my pulses than pick a ready-seasoned recipe. Around 19% of consumers would prioritise having this freedom to choose what goes in their meal. |
Mistakes to avoid
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Comparing only the size of the containers
Two tins that look a similar size won’t necessarily provide the same amount once drained.
Check the net drained weight for each product before deciding on your portions.
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Opening a large pack for a single lunch
A tin intended for several meals leaves you with leftovers to manage if you’re only making one lunchbox.
Choose an amount that suits you or plan your next meals. Once opened, follow the storage instructions on the packaging.
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Assuming a plant-based recipe is the same as plain tinned pulses
A recipe may contain ingredients other than pulses. Bjorg’s quinoa and chickpea dish, for example, includes wheat bulgur.
Check the ingredients list and allergens for the exact product, especially if you need to avoid certain foods.
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Planning to eat pulses on their own
Plain tinned pulses make a base for a meal you can put together yourself, while a prepared recipe already contains several ingredients.
If you’re putting together a plant-based lunch, you can add vegetables and a cereal-based food, as suggested by Manger Bouger.
Retailers and brands to know
Carrefour
The retailer offers tinned lentils and other pulses, both under its own brands and national brands.
- Its range includes a pack of lentils in 3 × 130 g portions, as well as containers in different sizes.
- Check which products are available in your store or through your chosen collection service.
E.Leclerc
The retailer offers tinned Notre Jardin lentils and chickpeas, among other products.
- The products featured include 265 g sizes and 500 g tins of Notre Jardin kidney beans.
- If you’re looking for several smaller portions, check whether your store sells them as a multipack.
Auchan
Auchan’s range includes individual tins and multipacks of pulses.
- It includes Auchan lentils in 3 × 130 g portions and Auchan chickpeas in 3 × 125 g portions.
- If you’re preparing several lunches, compare the usable amount in each pack.
ALDI
ALDI’s range includes tinned pulses, including All Seasons chickpeas.
- The chickpea product featured comes in a 265 g size.
- Check what your store has available before relying on a particular product for your lunches.
Bjorg
Its quinoa and chickpea dish is a ready-to-eat recipe rather than plain tinned pulses.
- Bjorg says this dish can be eaten hot or cold and takes 2 minutes to prepare.
- The recipe includes wheat bulgur, among other ingredients, so check what’s in it to make sure it suits your needs.
Joybuy products for putting together your lunches
These products include individual containers of pulses to divide between meals, as well as a cooked chickpea recipe. If you’re buying for your cupboard, distinguish between the container weight and the amount you can use after draining. These products are not presented as multipacks.
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GÜNES VADIS Chickpeas 540 gr
Worth considering if you’re dividing chickpeas between several lunches. The container is listed as 540 gr; check the net drained weight and instructions for after opening before planning your portions.
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BONDUELLE Cooked chickpeas in couscous sauce, 400g
This ready-made recipe could suit you if you want to avoid assembling several ingredients at work. The container is listed as 400g; check the heating instructions and allergens, especially if you need to avoid soya or cereals containing gluten.
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Goya Red kidney beans 439g
Red kidney beans to use as a base for a meal you put together yourself. The container is listed as 439g; check the net drained weight and instructions for after opening to help plan your portions.
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Royal Bourbon Natural Cape Peas 400g
These black-eyed peas can be used as the base for a lunch you put together yourself. The container is listed as 400g; check the amount after draining and the storage instructions if you won’t use it all at once.
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GÜNES VADIS Chickpeas 820 gr
This large container is worth considering if you’re planning to use the chickpeas across several meals. It’s listed as 820 gr: plan how to store any leftovers and check the label, particularly for lupin if that allergen is relevant to you.
Frequently asked questions
Should you choose a multipack or a large tin for several lunches?
Choose according to the portions you’ll actually use. A multipack of smaller units lets you open them separately; with a large tin, you’ll need to plan how to store what’s left after the first meal.
What can you add to pulses for a plant-based lunch?
You can pair them with vegetables and a cereal-based food. Manger Bouger suggests combinations such as chickpeas with couscous or lentils with rice. Choose ingredients to suit the meal you’re preparing.
Plain tinned pulses or a cooked recipe: which should you take to work?
Choose plain tinned pulses if you want to pick your own toppings and seasoning; a cooked recipe means fewer steps to put your meal together. Always check the ingredients and allergens for the product you choose: Bjorg’s quinoa and chickpea dish contains wheat bulgur.
How should you store a lunchbox containing chilled ingredients?
Follow the storage instructions for each ingredient while travelling and at work. The Ministry of Agriculture highlights the importance of keeping the cold chain intact and recommends setting your fridge to +4 °C. Plan accordingly if your lunch contains foods that need to stay chilled.