For an Easter family lunch, first choose a stock with a flavour and recommended quantity to suit the dishes you’re planning, then work out how many cubes you’ll need. A larger pack is only worthwhile if you’ll use the same recipe again. If salt or certain ingredients are a particular concern for your guests, compare the labels before choosing a pack size.
If your menu includes side dishes, sauces and several dishes to cook, work out how many cubes you need for each recipe rather than basing it on the number of guests alone. Carrefour lists a box of 32 MAGGI Kub Or cubes, for example, while E.Leclerc stocks Rustica stock cubes in packs of 8 or 12 tablets.
Vegetable, chicken or pot-au-feu stock isn’t chosen on the number of tablets alone. Knorr suggests uses for its vegetable stock, while Auchan gives different quantities for its pot-au-feu stock cube depending on how you’re using it.
Compare the salt content per stated serving and read the ingredients for the product you choose. Knorr’s standard, reduced-salt and salt-free options are distinct products. You should also check the allergens on the pack you buy.
For this meal, start with your recipes and the recommended quantities, then check how many cubes are in the pack. Salt and ingredients may take priority, though, if they determine which products your guests can use.
| Criteria | What to check | Who is this for? |
|---|---|---|
| Quantity | Number of cubes and the recommended quantity for each recipe. | When I’m making several sauces and dishes, I want enough cubes without choosing a flavour I won’t use again. Around 40% of consumers would put quantity first. |
| Flavour | Type of stock and ingredients to suit the dishes. | For my side dishes or main course, I’d choose a flavour that works with the recipe ahead of a larger pack. Around 30% of consumers would make this their first consideration. |
| Salt | Salt content per stated serving and what the wording on the pack means. | If I’m comparing standard, reduced-salt and salt-free options, I want to compare their salt content rather than rely on the name alone. Around 20% of consumers would prioritise salt. |
| Ingredients | Ingredients list, declared allergens and ‘may contain’ statements. | If a guest needs to avoid an ingredient, I check the exact product before using it in several dishes. Around 10% of consumers would put ingredients first. |
The 32 MAGGI Kub Or cubes listed by Carrefour could be used for several recipes, but only if the flavour works with the dishes you’re planning to cook.
Think about what you’ll use for your meal and over the following days, then check the ingredients, allergens and date on the pack you choose.
Knorr states that its reduced-salt vegetable stock contains 1.4 g of salt per serving, compared with 0.02 g per serving for its salt-free vegetable stock. These descriptions don’t mean the same thing.
Compare the ‘salt’ line and stated serving size for each product instead of relying on the wording on the front of the pack.
For its pot-au-feu stock cube, Auchan recommends one tablet per half-litre of cooking water, but one tablet per quarter-litre for sauces and meat.
Work out how many tablets you need using the instructions on the product you buy and the dishes you’re planning.
The 32-cube MAGGI Kub Or listed by Carrefour as plant-based contains wheat and may contain eggs, milk, celery and mustard.
If someone needs to avoid an ingredient, check the ingredients list and any trace warnings on the pack you buy.
Carrefour lists MAGGI Kub Or in a box of 32 cubes, weighing 128 g, for anyone planning to use it for several recipes.
Knorr offers several vegetable stocks, including standard, reduced-salt and salt-free options.
Auchan lists a pot-au-feu stock in a box of 12 cubes weighing 10 g each.
E.Leclerc lists Rustica stocks and sauce bases, including packs of 8 or 12 tablets.
Here, Carrefour is a retailer whose product listings are useful for comparison, rather than a stock cube brand selected for this meal.
These products offer a range of stock formats and flavours for preparing Easter lunch, including an option described as reduced salt. Choose to suit the dishes you’re planning and check the label on each product.
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Worth considering if you’re planning several dishes that would suit the Kub Or flavour. Carrefour lists this 128 g pack as a box of 32 cubes. Check the ingredients and allergens on the pack you buy.
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Worth considering if lamb flavour suits the recipes you’re planning. The product name specifies 36 cubes of 10 g each. Check the recommended quantity, salt and ingredients before using them in several dishes.
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Worth considering if this flavour profile would work with your planned side dishes or sauces. The pack contains 15 tablets and weighs 150 g. Follow the pack instructions for the dish you’re making.
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Worth comparing if you’re looking for a vegetable stock described as reduced salt. The pack weighs 120 g. Check the number of cubes, salt content per stated serving and ingredients before working out how much you’ll need for your meal.
Add up the quantities needed for each recipe, following the instructions for the product you’ve chosen. For its pot-au-feu stock cube, Auchan recommends one tablet per half-litre of cooking water, but one tablet per quarter-litre for sauces and meat.
No. Knorr states that its reduced-salt vegetable stock contains 1.4 g of salt per serving, while its salt-free vegetable stock contains 0.02 g per serving. Compare the stated serving sizes and the ‘salt’ line on the products you’re considering.
Check the ingredients list and any trace warnings on the product packaging. The DGCCRF states that allergens must be highlighted in the labelling of prepacked foods in France.
Follow the instructions on the pack you buy. For its pot-au-feu stock, Auchan recommends transferring the tablets to an airtight container after opening, if possible, and keeping them away from heat and moisture.