Students keeping an eye on salt
You want to start with chickpeas, lentils or beans that are ready to use, while being able to check the ‘salt’ figure on the label and season your meal yourself.
Who is this option for?
Students planning several portions
You’re looking for a pack size with a drained weight that suits the meals you plan to make, without leaving a large amount unused once it’s opened.
Students short on time in the evening
You’d rather choose a tin or jar of pulses that are already cooked, so there’s no need to soak them. If you choose a seasoned recipe, its salt content and ingredients deserve as much attention as how easy it is to prepare.
What should you look for first?
No added salt
Choose this if: you want to season cooked pulses yourself.
Bear in mind: this claim doesn’t mean the ‘salt’ figure is zero. Auchan’s product listing for D’Aucy chickpeas with no added salt gives 0.08 g per 100 g.
Plain tinned pulses
Choose this if: you’re looking for lentils, chickpeas or beans to use across the meals you’ve planned.
Bear in mind: ‘plain’ doesn’t prove that no salt has been added; check the exact product.
Ready-made recipe
Choose this if: you’d prefer a meal that takes little preparation.
Bear in mind: the seasoning is already included, so check the ingredients and ‘salt’ figure before you choose.
| Criterion | What to check | Who is it for? |
|---|---|---|
| Salt content | The ‘salt’ figure per 100 g and the ingredients list, even if the product says ‘no added salt’. | I want to control the seasoning in my dinner myself, rather than start with a recipe that’s already salty. Around 42% of consumers put this control over salt first. |
| Usable quantity | The drained weight and the portions you’ll be able to use within the stated storage conditions. | If I open a large pack, I want to be able to use its contents in the meals I’ve planned. For around 33% of consumers, the amount they can actually use comes before other criteria. |
| Preparation | The type of product — plain or ready-cooked — and what you need to do before serving. | In the evening, I mainly need a meal that takes little preparation. Speed would be the priority for around 25% of consumers. |
Common mix-ups to avoid
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Relying on the phrase ‘reduced salt’ alone
This phrase doesn’t tell you the salt content of the product you’ve chosen. Even a product labelled ‘no added salt’ can still show a figure in the nutrition information table.
Compare the ‘salt’ figure per 100 g, the ingredients and the portion you plan to eat.
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Treating a cooked recipe like plain tinned pulses
A seasoned dish won’t necessarily contain the same ingredients as plain pulses. How easy it is to use doesn’t tell you how much salt it contains.
If you’re deciding between the two, check the ingredients lists and ‘salt’ figures for the specific products.
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Opening a large pack without planning how to use the rest
The drained quantity is only useful if you can use it within the storage conditions stated after opening.
Check the instructions on the pack and choose a size that suits the meals you’ve planned. For the D’Aucy chickpeas in a jar listed by Auchan, the product information says to transfer them to a suitable airtight container in the fridge and recommends using the remainder within two days.
Brands to consider, depending on the product
D’Aucy
Auchan’s product listing includes a jar of chickpeas with no added salt.
- For this specific product, Auchan lists chickpeas and water as the ingredients, 0.08 g of salt per 100 g and a drained weight of 215 g.
- These details don’t automatically apply to other D’Aucy products.
Carrefour Classic’
Carrefour’s range includes tinned chickpeas and lentils.
- These two types of pulses let you choose a plain base to suit the meal you have in mind.
- Check the ingredients and ‘salt’ figure for each variety: the range name alone doesn’t tell you what they are.
Notre Jardin
E.Leclerc’s range includes tinned lentils, chickpeas and kidney beans from this brand.
- The listed pack sizes include 265 g packs of lentils and chickpeas, as well as 500 g packs of kidney beans.
- The fact that these products are available doesn’t confirm that they have no added salt; check the label of the product you choose.
Auchan
Auchan’s range includes own-brand chickpeas, including 265 g and 530 g pack sizes.
- These pack sizes give you different quantities to match against the portions you have planned.
- Don’t assume anything about salt content from the pack size or brand alone; always check the label on the specific product.
Bonduelle
Carrefour and Auchan list Bonduelle pulses, including products described as ‘cooked in very little juice’.
- This description refers to the cooking liquid used for the product in question.
- It doesn’t tell you the salt content: check the nutrition information table for the exact product.
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Frequently asked questions
Does ‘no added salt’ mean the product contains no salt?
No: it doesn’t mean the ‘salt’ figure is zero. Auchan gives a figure of 0.08 g of salt per 100 g on its listing for D’Aucy chickpeas with no added salt. Check the figure and ingredients of the product you’re buying.
Should you rinse tinned pulses?
You can rinse and drain them if you want to remove the liquid they’re stored in before using them. However, rinsing doesn’t replace checking the ‘salt’ figure per 100 g when comparing products.
How should you store the remainder after opening?
Follow the instructions for the product you’ve bought. For its jar of chickpeas with no added salt, D’Aucy’s product information published by Auchan recommends using a suitable airtight container in the fridge and advises eating the contents within two days of opening, preferably.
Can tinned pulses be the basis of a student dinner?
Yes. Cooked lentils, chickpeas or beans can be the base of a meal that takes little preparation, perhaps served with vegetables or a grain-based food. To choose between a plain option and a ready-made recipe, compare the ingredients and salt content.