For cooking while camping at a festival, choose how many stock cubes to take based on the meals you plan to make, and check that you can keep them dry and away from heat. Then compare recipes by their salt content, ingredients and allergens: a flavour name alone doesn’t tell you whether it’s suitable for everyone. Before planning to make hot stock, also check the festival’s rules on preparing food.
If you’re planning to cook pasta, rice, soup or vegetables more than once, choose a number of stock cubes that suits your planned meals. The serving suggestion on the packet and the ability to protect the cubes after opening matter just as much as the pack size.
If you want to keep track of how much salt you add to your meals, check the ‘salt’ line in the nutritional information. Compare figures on the same basis, such as per 100 g or per prepared serving, and take the amount you use into account.
A recipe labelled ‘vegetable’ isn’t enough to confirm that it’s suitable for an allergy or dietary requirement. Check the ingredients list and any ‘may contain’ information on the packet you plan to take.
Start by considering how many meals you’ll make and how you’ll store the stock cubes, then compare the ingredients of products that suit your needs. Check with the festival organiser whether you’ll be able to cook on site.
| What to consider | What to check before buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Pack size and storage | Compare the number of cubes with the meals you’re planning, then check the serving suggestion and storage instructions after opening. | For several meals at the campsite, I want to take enough stock cubes without leaving the rest exposed to damp. Around 33% of consumers prioritise pack size and storage. |
| Salt | Compare the ‘salt’ line on the same nutritional basis and check how much stock one cube makes. | If my other food is already salty, I want to keep track of the salt I add when seasoning a dish; around 25% of consumers put this need first. |
| Ingredients and allergens | Read the ingredients list, highlighted allergens and any ‘may contain’ information for the product you’ve chosen. | When I need to avoid an ingredient, the flavour of the cube doesn’t tell me enough. Around 25% of consumers prioritise ingredient suitability. |
| Buying before you leave | Check that the product you want is available at the shop you plan to visit, then check the ingredients on the packet you buy. | If I’m shopping just before the festival, I want to be able to find a recipe I’ve already checked; around 17% of consumers prioritise ease of purchase. |
Vegetable stock products from MAGGI, Auchan and Carrefour may list celery, soya or wheat, depending on the recipe, as well as possible traces of other allergens. A substitute stock cube may therefore have a different ingredient list.
Check the ingredients list and ‘may contain’ information on the packet you actually buy, even if you switch to a different product before you leave.
For the stock cubes reviewed, Auchan says they should be kept away from heat and moisture, and recommends storing them in an airtight container after opening.
Seal the packet carefully or use a dry, airtight container, following the instructions for your particular product.
A vegetable recipe isn’t necessarily a reduced-salt option. For example, the Knorr Vegetable Stock product information lists 1.7 g of salt per serving.
If salt is your main consideration, find the exact product you want to compare and check its nutritional information on the same basis as the other products.
These product range examples can help you identify pack sizes and ingredients to check. The details below apply to the specific products mentioned, not every stock cube from each brand.
The KUB range includes an organic stock product sold in a box of 32 cubes at Carrefour, which may be worth considering if you’re planning several meals.
The range includes a Vegetable Stock product for a variety of dishes, including pasta, rice and soups.
The retailer offers Carrefour Original vegetable stock in a pack of 12 cubes weighing 10 g each, among other recipes.
E.Leclerc’s ranges include Rustica and Bio Village stock cubes, including a 12-tablet Rustica product.
The retailer offers vegetable and pot-au-feu-flavoured stock cubes, including packs of 12.
These vegetable, chicken and lamb stock cubes suit a range of dishes and pack sizes for your stay. Before choosing, match each pack to the number of meals you’re planning and check the serving suggestion, ingredients and storage instructions.
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The pack of 36 cubes may be worth considering if several meals call for lamb stock. Check the packet for the serving suggestion, ingredients and storage instructions after opening.
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The pack of 15 tablets makes it easy to count how many to take for your planned meals. Check the packet for the serving suggestion, salt content and storage instructions for the campsite.
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This vegetable stock option may appeal if you’re comparing salt content. The claim in its name doesn’t replace comparing nutritional values on the same basis; also check the number of cubes and the serving suggestion on the packet.
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Worth considering if chicken flavour suits the dishes you’re planning for your stay. The title gives the weight of each cube, not the total amount to take. Check the number of cubes, ingredients and serving suggestion on the packet.
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This pack size may suit you if you want to season several dishes with the same stock. The pack weight alone doesn’t tell you how many meals it will cover, so check the number of cubes, serving suggestion and ingredients before you leave.
Keep them dry and follow the storage instructions on the packaging. For the Auchan tablets reviewed, the retailer recommends an airtight container after opening and says to keep them away from heat and moisture.
No. The flavour name doesn’t confirm that it’s free from allergens or suitable for a vegetarian diet. Read the ingredients list and ‘may contain’ information for the product you buy; vegetable stocks reviewed list ingredients such as celery, soya or wheat, depending on the recipe.
Compare the ‘salt’ values on the same basis, then take into account how much you’ll actually use. A value per 100 g of product as sold isn’t directly comparable with a value per 100 ml of prepared stock or per serving.
At a minimum, check the product name, ingredients, highlighted allergens, net quantity and the date shown on your packet. The French Ministry of the Economy outlines these labelling requirements for prepacked food sold in France. When planning your meals, also check the serving and storage instructions for the product you’ve chosen.