School bake sale organisers
You’re choosing food to serve to children and families. Before considering fish, you need to know whether a savoury option is allowed and how to let people know it contains fish.
Who is this question for?
Shoppers looking for sardines with organic ingredients
You’re looking for a recipe containing, for example, organic olive oil, without confusing this with organic certification for wild-caught fish.
Families planning a savoury meal
You’re considering a tin for a savoury breakfast, sandwiches or a quick meal. Whether you choose fillets or whole sardines, and the drained weight, can help you decide.
What to check before choosing
For a school bake sale, first confirm that savoury options are allowed and plan how to provide information about the fish. If sardines are suitable for the event, then check what the organic claim covers and which format you need for your recipe.
| What matters | What to check | Shoppers concerned |
|---|---|---|
| Allergens and school bake sales | Confirm that savoury options are allowed and make sure there’s clear information about the fish if sardines are included in food for sale. | I’m preparing a sale for families and want to avoid offering a fish recipe without the right information. Around 42% of shoppers prioritise this issue. |
| What the organic claim covers | Read the product name and ingredients list, and check the proportion of organic ingredients of agricultural origin stated on the label. | If I’m looking for organic ingredients, I want to distinguish certified olive oil from wild-caught sardines. This is the top priority for around 33% of shoppers. |
| Format and savoury dishes | Choose between fillets and whole sardines to suit your recipe, then check the drained weight and storage instructions after opening. | For sandwiches or a savoury meal, I mainly need a suitable format and quantity. Format is the top priority for around 25% of shoppers. |
Mistakes to avoid
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Taking “organic olive oil” to mean “organic sardines”
According to the European Commission, products from wild-caught fish are excluded from organic production. An organic claim may refer to the oil or other agricultural ingredients in the recipe, without applying to the fish.
Compare the product names and ingredients in different tins, as well as the proportion of organic ingredients of agricultural origin stated on the label.
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Adding sardines without providing information about the fish
Fish is an allergen. Service Public Entreprendre explains that allergen information must be provided for relevant processed foods, including those that are not prepacked.
Before the sale, prepare information about the ingredients and allergens, and confirm with the school or organiser that savoury options are allowed.
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Opening tins too early
For the products featured here, Saupiquet and Auchan say to keep them refrigerated and eat them within two days of opening.
Plan how much you’ll need, open tins as close as possible to when you’ll use them, and follow the instructions on the tins you buy.
Brands and recipes to know
Saupiquet
Saupiquet offers sardine fillets with a dash of organic olive oil in a 70 g tin.
- The brand says the recipe contains sardine fillets, organic extra virgin olive oil and salt, with 18% organic ingredients of agricultural origin.
- This proportion does not mean the wild sardines are organic. After opening, Saupiquet says to refrigerate the product and eat it within two days.
Connétable
Connétable offers whole sardines in organic extra virgin olive oil as part of its “Responsible Fishing and Organic Ingredients” range.
- According to Connétable, the recipe contains sardines, extra virgin olive oil and salt; 19% of the ingredients of agricultural origin are organic.
- “Responsible Fishing” is the brand’s own claim and does not mean the wild sardines are organic.
Auchan
Auchan offers a 115 g tin of sardines in organic extra virgin olive oil, with a drained net weight of 80 g.
- Auchan’s product information states that 25% of the ingredients of agricultural origin are organic. The drained weight helps you work out how much sardine you can use in a recipe.
- The product contains fish. Auchan says to keep it refrigerated and eat it within two days of opening.
Related Joybuy products
Related products coming soon.
Frequently asked questions
Can a tin of sardines in organic olive oil be called “organic sardines”?
No, if the sardines are wild-caught: according to the European Commission, these products are excluded from organic production. If the label confirms it, wording such as “sardines in organic olive oil” describes the recipe more accurately.
Are sardines suitable for a school bake sale?
Not as part of a typical selection of sweet treats. Sardines could instead be considered for a separate savoury option, if the school or organiser agrees and information about the fish is provided.
Do you need to declare fish in food sold at a school?
Yes. Where French allergen information requirements apply to the food being sold, consumers must be told if it contains fish. Service Public Entreprendre explains that this also applies to processed foods that are not prepacked.
How should you store tinned sardines after opening?
Follow the instructions on the tin you’ve bought. For the recipes featured by Saupiquet and Auchan, the brands say to refrigerate the product and eat it within two days of opening.