For several festival meals, choose multipacks of three plain or grilled tins if you want to put the dishes together yourself, or seasoned recipes if you want to keep preparation to a minimum. Single tins make it easier to tailor quantities and flavours. Compare the number of tins, the net weight and, where stated, the drained net weight. Then check the ingredients and storage instructions after opening, especially if you won’t have access to a fridge.
If you’re planning several meals, count the tins before stocking up and choose formats that suit the portions you’ll be serving. Before you set off, check the best-before date, storage conditions and condition of each tin.
Multipacks of plain or grilled fillets let you choose your sides and seasoning separately. Auchan stocks multipacks of three Petit Navire plain fillets and plain grilled fillets, for example.
Recipes that are already seasoned, such as mustard or white wine, need fewer extra ingredients when it’s time to serve. However, you should check the ingredients for each recipe.
When choosing tinned fish for a festival, start with the meals you’ll be serving. The format determines how many tins you need to open, while the recipe determines what else you’ll need to prepare and check on the label.
Choose these if : you’re planning several meals and want to put them together with your own sides.
Bear in mind : these simple recipes leave the seasoning up to you. Petit Navire multipacks of 3 × 95 g plain fillets and 3 × 110 g plain grilled fillets carry instructions to refrigerate after opening.
Choose these if : you want to serve the mackerel with less preparation on site. Auchan stocks Saupiquet multipacks in mustard sauce, 3 × 169 g, and white wine sauce, 3 × 176 g, for example.
Check : ingredients and nutritional information vary by recipe. A sauce-based recipe is not the same as a plain one.
Choose these if : you’re catering for a small group or want to try different recipes without opening several identical tins.
The trade-off : you’ll need to count each tin separately to cover the meals you’re planning. A selection of single tins is not necessarily a multipack.
| Criterion | What to check | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Portions and stock | Count the tins in each multipack and compare their net weight, along with the drained net weight if it’s shown on the label. | When planning several meals, I want to make sure there are enough portions without buying more tins than necessary; around 36% of shoppers would make this their priority. |
| Preparing to serve | Choose between a plain recipe that needs sides and a recipe that’s already seasoned; check the contents of the multipack you choose. | When there’s little time to prepare, I’d rather keep the number of ingredients I need to bring to a minimum; around 29% of shoppers would prioritise this convenience. |
| Ingredients | Read the ingredients and allergen information for each recipe, especially when a sauce has been added. | If anyone in the group has dietary restrictions, I want to check the exact recipe before serving it; around 21% of shoppers would put this check first. |
| Flexible formats | Check the size of single tins and how many you’ll need for the meals you’re planning. | For a small group with different tastes, I’d rather tailor the quantities and avoid leftovers; nearly 14% of shoppers would prioritise this flexibility. |
Depending on the recipe, the tin also contains water, oil or sauce. So two multipacks with different net weights won’t necessarily contain the same amount of fish.
When planning portions, note the number of tins and the drained net weight, if it’s stated for the products you’re comparing.
Plain fillets and fillets in mustard or white wine sauce don’t have the same ingredients. This matters particularly if anyone in the group has dietary restrictions.
Check the ingredients and allergen information for the exact multipack you plan to serve.
Auchan’s Petit Navire plain and plain grilled multipacks need to be refrigerated after opening and eaten within two days.
Only open as many tins as you need for the meal, or make sure you can follow the storage instructions on each product.
A recipe you’ve spotted in an online range may not be available at the shop you’re using for your festival food shopping.
Check what’s available at your local shop before finalising your meal plan.
These brands offer multipacks and single tins in a range of recipes. Compare the exact product rather than assuming its features from the brand name alone.
Auchan stocks multipacks of three 95 g tins of plain fillets, three 110 g tins of plain grilled fillets and three 145 g tins of skinless fillets in olive oil.
The Auchan range includes multipacks of fillets in mustard sauce, 3 × 169 g, and white wine sauce, 3 × 176 g.
Carrefour offers single tins in several recipes, including plain fillets and fillets in white wine and herbs.
Auchan’s 120 g plain fillets list mackerel fillets and salt; fillets make up 99% of the declared contents.
Follow the storage instructions on each tin. For example, Auchan’s 120 g plain fillets should be kept away from heat and moisture before opening. The French Directorate-General for Competition, Consumer Affairs and Fraud Control explains that going past a best-before date does not necessarily mean a product is unsafe to eat if the packaging is intact, although its flavour may have deteriorated.
Follow the instructions for the product you’re serving. Auchan’s Petit Navire plain and plain grilled multipacks say to refrigerate after opening and eat within two days. If you don’t have access to a fridge, only open the amount you need for the meal you’re about to serve.
No. Anses recommends not eating any tin that is bulging or misshapen, or that gives off a suspicious smell when opened. Check the tins are in good condition before adding them to your festival meals.
As mackerel is a fish, check the allergen information and ingredients for each product before serving it to your group. A recipe with sauce may contain different ingredients from a plain recipe, so the brand name alone won’t tell you what’s in the product you’ve chosen.