For those who like to put their own meal together
If you’ve already planned to bring bread, salad or crudités, plain fillets let you choose how to season them. Oil-packed recipes can also work in a salad if you’d like to use the oil.
Who are these recipes suitable for?
For those who want to serve straight from the tin
A mustard, tomato, escabeche or white wine recipe means you don’t need to bring a separate sauce for sandwiches or a cold salad. Check the ingredients, especially if you’ll be sharing the meal.
For those who check the label before setting off
Weight, fish content, salt, allergens and the date can help you choose between two tins intended for the same meal. For prepacked foods sold in France, the DGCCRF notes in particular that allergens must be highlighted on the label.
What should you check before buying?
First decide whether you’ll bring your own seasoning or want the tin to be ready to serve. Then compare the labels of recipes that suit your choice.
| Criterion | What to check | Who is it for? |
|---|---|---|
| A cold meal you can put together | Choose a plain or oil-packed recipe to suit the sides you’re bringing; check the drained weight and the type of tin opening. | If I’ve already packed salad or bread, I prefer to choose the seasoning myself. Around 31 % of consumers would prioritise this flexibility. |
| A ready-to-serve recipe | Read the ingredients of a mustard, tomato, escabeche or white wine recipe, and check the allergens listed. | If I’m serving sandwiches without bringing a separate sauce, I look for something that’s already seasoned. This would be the main consideration for around 25 % of consumers. |
| Ingredients and allergens | Compare the ingredients, highlighted allergens and nutritional values, particularly salt, using the same basis as stated on the labels. | If several people are sharing the tin, I want to check what’s in it before adding it to the menu. Around 25 % of consumers would put this check first. |
| Size and leftovers | Compare the net weight and, where stated, the drained weight with the number of people you’re serving. | To avoid a tin that’s too small or leftovers that are difficult to keep chilled, I choose the quantity to suit the number of people. Around 19 % of consumers would put this criterion first. |
Things to bear in mind
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Choosing a sauce without checking the allergens
Fish is an allergen; a recipe may also contain mustard or, in some white wine preparations, sulphites.
Before sharing a meal, read the ingredients and check the allergens highlighted on the tin you plan to serve.
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Planning to keep an opened tin in your picnic basket
Storage instructions for an unopened tin don’t apply to leftovers. Guidance after opening varies by product.
Open the tin when you’re ready to serve. For any leftovers, follow the packaging instructions, transfer them to a suitable container and keep them chilled.
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Assuming all tins state the same place of origin
Information given for one recipe doesn’t necessarily apply to other products from the same brand.
If the species or fishing area matters to you, check the details on the specific tin before you buy.
Brands to compare
Petit Navire
The range includes plain fillets, fillets in extra virgin olive oil and seasoned recipes.
- The extra virgin olive oil product featured by Petit Navire contains mackerel fillets, extra virgin olive oil and salt, in a 145 g tin.
- Its ingredients and nutritional values don’t describe the mustard, tomato or white wine recipes.
Saupiquet
Saupiquet offers plain fillets as well as grilled fillets in extra virgin olive oil.
- The product information for the plain fillets lists mackerel, water and salt, in a 176 g tin.
- The grilled fillets in oil are a separate product, so check the ingredients and size of the one you choose.
Carrefour Extra
Carrefour’s range includes plain fillets and several seasoned recipes.
- The range includes a wholegrain mustard recipe in a 169 g tin.
- Recipes and sizes vary by product, so check the product information and label of the one you choose.
Pêche Océan et ECO+ (E.Leclerc)
These E.Leclerc brands offer plain and seasoned mackerel recipes.
- The ECO+ mustard product information details a 169 g recipe containing 56,2 % mackerel fillets and 9,1 % Dijon mustard.
- The ECO+ white wine recipe has different ingredients, including white wine and sulphites, so check each label separately.
Auchan
The range includes mackerel recipes with tomato, mustard, lemon and sauce.
- The product information for the tomato and basil sauce fillets gives a size of 169 g and lists the ingredients.
- To choose between these recipes, check the ingredients and size of the product you’re interested in.
An olive oil option on Joybuy
These fillets in olive oil are a good option if you want to add a tin to a cold meal. If you’d rather add your own seasoning or prefer a recipe in sauce, compare the ingredients of these other preparations instead.
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EL TATO, mackerel fillets in olive oil, 115/80g
For a cold meal with no cooking required, serve these fillets in olive oil with the sides of your choice.
Check the tin to see what the 115/80g figures refer to and how much fish they represent.
Before setting off, check the date and storage instructions. Once opened, keep the product chilled as directed on the packaging.
Frequently asked questions
Can you take tinned mackerel on a summer picnic?
Yes, as long as the tin stays sealed until you’re ready to serve and you follow its date and storage instructions. Once opened, follow the product guidance for leftovers and make sure they stay chilled.
Which recipe should you choose for a salad or sandwiches?
Plain fillets give you more freedom to add your own seasoning, while fillets in oil can be added to a salad. If you want to serve them without a separate sauce, look for recipes that are already seasoned, then check their ingredients.
Which allergens should you look for on a tin of mackerel?
Check for fish and any other allergens in the recipe, such as mustard in some sauces or sulphites in some white wine preparations. In France, the DGCCRF notes that allergens must be highlighted on the labels of prepacked foods.
Is the Nutri-Score enough to compare two recipes?
No. When choosing between a plain, oil-packed or sauced recipe, also check the ingredients, allergens, quantity and nutritional values using the same basis, such as per 100 g where the labels allow.