For a quick cold lunch at work, a tin of pre-cooked pulses is handy; a heat-and-eat pouch is a better choice if you have access to a microwave. If salt is your priority, compare the value per 100 g across similar products: ‘ready to use’ doesn’t mean ‘reduced salt’.
You want to choose your lunch based on the salt value shown on the packaging, rather than relying on wording that suggests convenience. The DGCCRF says that the nutritional values of prepacked foods are given per 100 g or 100 ml to make comparisons easier.
You’re looking for pre-cooked pulses to add to a salad, or a meal to heat up if you have access to a microwave.
You choose a pack size based on how many lunches you’re planning and whether you can store the product after opening. For its 3 × 125 g pack of chickpeas, Auchan advises keeping them in a suitable airtight container in the fridge and eating them within two days.
First, choose according to what you can prepare at work: a tin of pre-cooked pulses to put a meal together, or a pouch to heat up if you have access to a microwave. Then compare the salt levels and pack sizes of products that meet your needs.
| What to check | Things to look for | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Salt | Compare the ‘salt’ value per 100 g across products of the same type and check the ingredients list. | I want to compare the salt in two tins of chickpeas before choosing my lunch. Around 40% of consumers would make this their top priority. |
| Preparation time | Check whether the product is ready to add to a meal or needs heating, depending on the equipment available. | Between two meetings, I’m mainly looking for a lunch that takes very little preparation. Speed would be the top priority for around 30% of consumers. |
| Pack size and leftovers | Check the drained weight and storage instructions after opening. | If I’m only planning one lunch, I’d rather choose a pack size I can finish without leaving leftovers. Around 20% of consumers would prioritise this. |
| What’s in the meal | Read the product ingredients and plan what else to include in your lunch. | I want to know whether I’m buying plain pulses or a prepared recipe, so I can plan the rest of my meal. Around 10% of consumers would make this their priority. |
This wording describes how Bonduelle chickpeas sold at Auchan are presented, not their salt value.
To compare two products, check the ‘salt’ value per 100 g on each, as enabled by the nutritional information format described by the DGCCRF.
The weight of the tin alone doesn’t tell you how much salt its contents contain. Drained weight, on the other hand, helps you work out how many pulses you’ll have for your meal.
First compare the salt per 100 g in products of the same type, then choose a pack size to suit the portions you’re planning.
Storage instructions apply to the specific product you buy. For its 3 × 125 g pack of chickpeas, Auchan advises transferring the opened contents to a suitable airtight container, refrigerating them and eating them within two days.
If you can’t store leftovers in this way, choose a pack size that suits the lunch you’re planning.
The range includes tinned chickpeas in a 3 × 125 g pack, which can be used as the base for a lunch you put together yourself.
Auchan’s product listing features Bonduelle chickpeas cooked in very little juice, in a 2 × 130 g pack, ready to cook with as soon as you open them.
Bjorg offers a 250 g quinoa and chickpea pouch, which the brand says is ready in two minutes.
ALDI France lists ALL SEASONS® chickpeas in its tinned fruit and vegetable aisle.
Compare the ‘salt’ value per 100 g on both packs. The DGCCRF says that showing nutritional values per 100 g or 100 ml makes it easier to compare prepacked foods. Then check the drained weight to choose an amount that suits your lunch.
No: ‘ready to use’ refers to preparation, not the amount of salt. Check the value per 100 g, and don’t assume a product has less salt based only on wording about convenience or the amount of juice.
Follow the instructions for the product you buy. For its 3 × 125 g pack of chickpeas, Auchan advises transferring the opened contents to a suitable airtight container, storing them in the fridge and eating them within two days.