If you’re serving rice with a New Year’s Eve dish and want to season it yourself, choose a plain pouch or bowl and check the reheating instructions. A flavoured recipe works well if its ingredients suit the menu and your guests. To work out how much to buy, check the weight and serving information for the exact product: a format described as individual doesn’t always equal one portion.
If your hob is already full, quick-cook rice can make it easier to serve a side dish. Auchan product listings for Ben's Original products give microwave timings of two minutes or three minutes in a frying pan; follow the instructions for the product you choose.
Plain rice lets you serve sauce, herbs or toppings separately. Taureau Ailé, for example, describes its plain quick-cook basmati as suitable for serving on its own or adding your own touches.
If you need to take account of allergens or ingredients some guests avoid, check every flavoured recipe. Carrefour’s product listings show mascarpone and cream in its tomato recipe, and pork chorizo and milk in its paella recipe.
First, choose between plain rice and a flavoured recipe to suit the dish you’re serving. Then check the preparation method and serving information for the product you’ve chosen. If you’re feeding a crowd, dried rice is another option if you have the time and equipment to cook it.
| What to consider | What to check | Who is it for? |
|---|---|---|
| Quick to serve | The microwave cooking time and power setting, or the instructions for preparing it in a frying pan. | When the hob is full, I want to serve hot rice without holding up dinner; around 42% of consumers put speed first. |
| Suitability for the menu | Whether it’s plain or already seasoned, and which ingredients give it its flavour. | If there’s already a sauce with the main course, I’d rather choose the rice seasoning myself; around 25% of consumers put how well it goes with the menu first. |
| How much to serve | The net weight, stated number of portions and whether the rice is a side or a main dish. | To feed everyone without ending up with unnecessary leftovers, I need to count portions rather than just pouches; around 17% of consumers prioritise portion planning. |
| Ingredients | The ingredients list, allergens and nutritional values per 100 g, particularly salt if that matters to you. | If some guests avoid milk or pork, I need to check the exact recipe before buying; around 16% of consumers prioritise this suitability. |
At Auchan, one 220 g Ben's Original product described in-store as being for one person is also listed as containing two portions on its detailed product page.
Work out how many products to buy based on the weight and serving information for the exact product, and how much rice you’re serving per person.
A ready-seasoned flavour may not suit everyone: Carrefour Classic's tomato and paella recipes list dairy ingredients, and pork and milk respectively.
Check the ingredients and allergens for each product. If you want to cater for different tastes, serve seasonings separately alongside plain rice.
Anses notes that Bacillus cereus can be found in rice and that some toxins produced in food can withstand heat.
Reheat the rice as close to serving time as possible, then follow the pack’s storage instructions for any leftovers.
A range of quick-cook pouches, including 220 g basmati, long grain and wholegrain options.
A plain quick-cook basmati option if you’d like to choose the seasoning yourself.
A range of rice products to reheat, both plain and prepared, including 250 g plain basmati.
250 g quick-cook pouches, including tomato and paella-style rice, for menus that suit these flavours.
A range of 250 g quick-cook rice products, including plain rice and one with button mushrooms.
These products offer two ways to plan the rice for your meal: plain cooked rice in individual bowls or multipacks, and a tomato-flavoured quick-cook pouch. Compare the formats and check the preparation instructions for each product before planning how to serve it.
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This cooked rice bowl is worth considering if you’d like to plan a separate portion of plain rice to serve as a side. Check the pack for reheating instructions before adding it to your plans.
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This pouch is a good fit for a menu calling for tomato-flavoured rice rather than a plain option. It contains mascarpone and milk, so check the ingredients and serving information before working out how much you need.
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This multipack lets you plan several separate bowls of plain cooked rice for your meal. Check the pack for reheating instructions and the stated serving size per bowl before allocating them to your guests.
No. Check the serving information for the exact product. At Auchan, 220 g Ben's Original pouches described in-store as being for one person are listed as containing two portions on their detailed product pages. Then adjust the amount depending on whether the rice is a side dish or a more substantial part of the meal.
Yes, if its ingredients and flavour suit all your guests. Check each recipe individually: Carrefour says its quick-cook tomato rice contains mascarpone and cream, while its paella-style version contains pork chorizo and milk.
Start with the ingredients and allergens, then check the weight, serving information and preparation method to help plan the meal. To compare the nutritional information of different formats, use the values per 100 g. The DGCCRF reminds consumers that allergens must be highlighted in the ingredients list of prepacked foods.
Follow the storage instructions for the product you’ve bought and avoid leaving reheated rice to stand during the meal. Anses notes that Bacillus cereus may be present in rice and that some toxins produced in food can withstand heat.