Hosts preparing several dishes
You’re planning rice, soups, sauces or slow-cooked dishes and want to have enough cubes for each recipe.
Who is this for?
Cooks who check the ingredients
You adapt the menu to suit your guests’ preferences or declared allergies. The ingredients list and may-contain warnings matter just as much as the advertised flavour.
Shoppers looking to limit salt
You’re considering a lower-salt recipe and want to compare the nutritional information while taking the product dosage into account.
What to look for
First, work out how much you’ll need for each dish. Then check the ingredients in recipes that suit your menu, before comparing their salt content on an equivalent preparation basis.
| Criteria | What to check | Who is this for? |
|---|---|---|
| Quantity and uses | Count the cubes, then compare the stated dosage with the quantities needed for each recipe. A large pack won’t be enough if your dishes call for different flavours. | I’m preparing several cooking bases and want enough cubes without choosing a flavour that won’t work for some dishes. Around 50% of consumers make this a priority. |
| Ingredients and allergens | Read the ingredients list and may-contain warnings on each pack. A “vegetable” or “plant-based” label doesn’t guarantee that a product is free from allergens. | If guests have dietary preferences or declared allergies, I need to choose a recipe that suits their menu. Around 30% of consumers put this compatibility ahead of other criteria. |
| Salt | Compare the nutritional information on the same basis, either as sold or prepared, taking the dosage and the benchmark for any “reduced salt” claim into account. | If I want to limit the salt added to my dishes, I look at how much the prepared stock contributes rather than relying on the claim on the front of the pack. Around 20% of consumers prioritise this criterion. |
Mistakes to avoid
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Relying on the “family size” label alone
A larger box doesn’t necessarily contain enough cubes for all the dishes you have in mind. Cube count, weight and dosage vary from one product to another.
Work out what you need for each dish using the instructions on the pack, then compare the number of cubes and the net weight.
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Assuming “plant-based” means “allergen-free”
Recipes described as plant-based may contain wheat or carry warnings about traces of other allergens. You can’t tell whether a product is suitable for a guest with dietary restrictions from its flavour alone.
Check the ingredients list and any “may contain” warnings on the exact product before using it in the dish in question.
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Comparing two “reduced salt” claims without reading the labels
The percentage reduction is based on the comparator stated for each product. On its own, it doesn’t tell you which one contains less salt once prepared.
Check the benchmark used for the claim, then compare the nutritional values using the same preparation method and dosage.
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Leaving opened cubes near heat or moisture
Storage instructions are particularly important if you plan to use some of the pack after your evening.
Follow the instructions on the pack you receive, reseal the cubes as directed and check the best-before date.
Storing cubes incorrectly can affect the quality of those you were planning to use later.
Brands to know
Maggi
The Kub Or range includes packs of 32 cubes, as well as a 48-cube option weighing 192 g.
- The Joybuy product listing for Kub Or 128 g describes its recipe as “100% plant-based”.
- This product contains wheat and may contain traces of eggs, milk, celery and mustard. Check the pack you choose.
Knorr
Knorr offers a range of stocks and seasonings, including a reduced-salt vegetable stock.
- Knorr says this product contains 25% less salt than the average stock, excluding reduced-salt recipes.
- The product listing mentions celeriac and possible traces of other allergens. Check the ingredients before choosing it for guests with dietary requirements.
Carrefour
Carrefour’s range includes a dehydrated beef stock in a box of 15 cubes, each weighing 10 g.
- The number and weight of the cubes make it easier to compare this pack with the quantities needed for your menu.
- This recipe contains beef and celery, and may contain traces of other allergens.
Auchan
Auchan’s range includes a vegetable-flavour stock in a box of 12 cubes, each weighing 10 g, with suggested uses for a variety of dishes.
- The instructions for this product cover pasta, rice, vegetables and soups, among other things.
- It contains celery and soya, and may contain traces of other allergens. Check the pack label.
Stock cubes to suit your menu
These Joybuy products include vegetable, chicken and herb stocks. Choose a flavour to suit your dishes, then check the number of cubes, dosage and ingredients for each variant.
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Maggi Kub Or stock cubes, 128 g
Worth considering for several dishes if the advertised plant-based recipe suits your menu.
- Pack of 32 cubes weighing 128 g. Check the dosage on the pack to work out how much you’ll need.
- Contains wheat; may contain traces of eggs, milk, celery and mustard.
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MAGGI KUB vegetable stock, 25% less salt, 120 g
Worth considering if you’re looking for a vegetable recipe advertised as reduced in salt for your dishes.
- Advertised pack size: 120 g. Check the number of cubes and the dosage on the pack before planning several dishes.
- Compare the salt content on the same preparation basis: the “25% less salt” claim depends on its comparison benchmark.
- Contains celery seeds; may contain traces of eggs, milk or gluten.
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Maggi chicken stock cubes, 12 tablets
Worth considering if a poultry flavour would work in the soups, rice or other dishes you have planned.
- Box of 12 tablets. Work out how much you’ll need before choosing this pack for several dishes.
- Contains wheat and celery; the product listing also mentions possible traces of eggs and milk.
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Knorr herb and olive oil stock, 15 tablets, 150 g
Worth considering if the herb and olive oil flavour suits the pasta, rice, vegetables or sauces on your menu.
- Pack of 15 tablets weighing 150 g.
- Follow the dosage and storage instructions on the pack you receive.
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Calnort chicken stock cubes, 10 g
Worth considering if a chicken flavour suits the soups, sauces, slow-cooked dishes or rice dishes you have planned.
- Advertised cube weight: 10 g. Check the number of cubes in the pack and the dosage before relying on it for several dishes.
- Check the ingredients list and allergen information on the packaging for any guests with dietary requirements.
Frequently asked questions
How can I tell whether the pack will cover all the dishes for the evening?
Work out how many cubes you’ll need for each dish using the dosage on the packaging and the quantities you plan to cook. Also check whether one flavour will suit the whole menu or whether you’ll need several different recipes.
Do stock cube allergens have to be listed on the label in France?
Yes. For pre-packed foods sold in France, the DGCCRF specifies that allergenic ingredients must be highlighted. Also check for any may-contain warnings on the exact product.
How do I compare the salt content of two stock cubes?
Compare the nutritional information on the same basis, for example per 100 ml of prepared stock if both labels provide this figure, and take the dosage into account. Read any “reduced salt” claim alongside its comparison benchmark.
Is stock described as plant-based suitable for all guests?
No. “Plant-based” doesn’t guarantee that a product is free from allergens. The plant-based Kub Or 128 g contains wheat, among other ingredients, so check each label against any dietary restrictions your guests have mentioned.
How should I store leftover cubes after opening?
Follow the instructions on the pack you choose. For its vegetable-flavour product, Auchan recommends storing it in an airtight container after opening and protecting it from heat and moisture. The Joybuy product listing for Maggi Kub Or 128 g says to store it in a cool, dry place.