For lunch at work, choose a stock cube to suit the dish you’re actually making. Vegetable stock can add flavour to pasta, rice or soup, while other flavours should also fit your choice of ingredients. Then compare the salt content on a like-for-like basis, and check the allergens, dosage and storage instructions for the specific product you buy.
If you make pasta, rice, soup or vegetables at work, or prepare them the night before, a stock cube can be a handy seasoning to keep in the cupboard. Check the recommended dosage for your chosen product and the amount you’re making.
If you often use stock or add other salty foods to your meal, it’s worth checking the salt content of the cube carefully. Manger Bouger lists stock among the condiments that contribute to salt intake.
If you’re making a plant-based meal or need to avoid a particular allergen, the flavour on the front of the pack doesn’t tell you everything. Check the ingredients list and any ‘may contain’ warnings on the packaging of the product you buy.
Start with the meal you’re making and the facilities you have available, then compare the ingredients and dosage. If you’re keeping stock cubes at work, check the storage instructions for after opening, too.
| What to consider | What to check | Who is it for? |
|---|---|---|
| Keeping a supply in the cupboard | Pack size and storage instructions after opening, especially regarding heat and moisture. | I want to keep seasoning for several lunches without storing opened liquid stock. Around 37% of consumers might put this convenience first. |
| Salt | The ‘salt’ line in the nutrition information and the stated unit: per 100 g, per cube or per prepared portion. | My lunch already includes salty foods, and I want to be able to adjust the seasoning. Around 27% of consumers would put salt content first. |
| Ingredients and allergens | The ingredients list for the exact recipe, highlighted allergens and any ‘may contain’ warnings. | If I’m putting together a plant-based meal or avoiding an allergen, I need to know what’s in the cube, not just its flavour. Around 18% of consumers might prioritise this compatibility. |
| Uses and dosage | The dishes listed on the pack and the amount of stock cube recommended for the quantity of water used. | I might make rice, soup or sauce, sometimes in a small quantity. This flexibility in preparation would come first for around 18% of consumers. |
A vegetable recipe may contain celery or soya, and carry warnings about traces of other allergens. Its name alone doesn’t tell you whether it’s suitable for your diet.
Read the ingredients and allergen warnings on the box you buy, even if you’re already familiar with another recipe from the same brand.
These claims don’t mean the same thing: the 25% reduction claimed for Maggi Kub Légumes is compared with the average of stock cubes excluding reduced-salt varieties, while Knorr states that its Légumes Sans Sel product contains 0.02 g of salt per portion.
Compare the ‘salt’ line on a like-for-like basis and take account of any other salty ingredients in your lunch.
Auchan’s vegetable stock cube product information says to protect the product from heat and moisture.
Follow the instructions on your pack. For this Auchan product, an airtight container is recommended after opening.
According to the French Ministry of the Economy, a use-by date (DLC) must be followed, while a best-before date (DDM) relates to how long the product retains its qualities.
Check which type of date is actually printed on the box and follow the storage instructions provided.
The Kub range includes a vegetable stock cube advertised as containing 25% less salt than the average stock cube, excluding reduced-salt varieties.
The range includes classic vegetable stock cubes and a Légumes Sans Sel variety.
Carrefour Original includes vegetable stock cubes in a pack of 12 × 10 g cubes.
The vegetable-flavoured stock product reviewed comes in 12 × 10 g cubes, with suggested uses for pasta, rice, vegetables and soup.
These individually portioned stock products can be used to season meals prepared at work or in advance. Flavours, pack sizes and ingredients vary, so choose one to suit your recipe and check the label before stocking up.
Image unavailable
Worth considering for seasoning soup or vegetables if you’d like to compare a reduced-salt recipe with a classic one.
The advertised 25% reduction is compared with the average of stock cubes excluding reduced-salt varieties; it doesn’t mean ‘salt-free’. This product contains celery and may contain eggs, milk and gluten. Check the dosage on the pack when preparing a small amount.
Image unavailable
Consider this if you’re looking for a cube to season rice, vegetables, soup or sauce.
The recipe is described as plant-based, but contains wheat and may contain eggs, milk, celery and mustard. To interpret the nutrition information per portion, check the dosage stated on the pack.
Image unavailable
This flavour could work in stock, rice or sauce if it suits the meal you have in mind.
The pack is described as containing 36 cubes of 10 g each. Before use, check the pack for the recommended amount of water, the salt content per cube and allergen information.
Image unavailable
Worth considering for seasoning stock, rice or sauce when chicken flavour suits the dish.
The title specifies 10 g cubes. Before choosing this pack for your supply, check how many cubes it contains, along with the ingredients and dosage on the packaging.
Image unavailable
These coin-shaped portions, rather than traditional cubes, are intended for stock, soup or stew.
The product contains beef. To compare its salt content with other stock products, check the value on the packaging: the available nutrition information doesn’t appear to match the presence of salt in the ingredients.
No. A stock cube is for seasoning or making stock, not a meal in itself. You can use it in a dish with vegetables, pasta or rice, depending on what you’ve planned for lunch.
Start with the dosage stated for the product you’ve bought and adjust it to the amount you’re making. The product information for the Maggi, Knorr and Auchan vegetable stock products mentioned here recommends one cube or tablet per roughly 500 ml of water for some uses. Don’t assume that a whole cube will be right for a smaller portion or a sauce.
Follow the instructions on the packaging and avoid storing them in a drawer exposed to heat or moisture if the product needs to be kept somewhere cool and dry. Auchan’s vegetable stock product information recommends using an airtight container after opening.
Not necessarily. Check the ingredients and any ‘may contain’ warnings for the exact recipe. The product information reviewed mentions celery in some Maggi, Knorr and Auchan vegetable varieties; Auchan’s also lists soya.
First, check whether the packaging shows a use-by date (DLC) or a best-before date (DDM), then follow the storage instructions. According to the French Ministry of the Economy, a use-by date is a strict limit, while a best-before date relates to how long the product retains its qualities. So, check the wording alongside the date on your box.