For several Christmas meals, a multipack of plain tinned pulses lets you open the tins as you need them. An individual tin is a good choice if your menu or quantities are still uncertain; dried pulses need more planning. Whichever you choose, check the drained weight, ingredients and best-before date before stocking up.
You’re planning several meals, sides or appetisers and want to use lentils, chickpeas or beans without having to cook them first. Manger Bouger lists tinned and jarred foods among the convenient options for preparing recipes quickly.
You want to spread your shopping across several meals without opening a tin that’s too large. To work out how much you’ll need for your recipes, check the number of tins and the drained net weight of each one.
You’re looking for plain pulses, an organic option or a product with a stated country of origin. Compare the labels of the products you’re considering: you can’t tell these details from the retailer’s name alone.
Choose these: if several meals call for ready-cooked pulses and you want to open the tins separately.
Bear in mind: a multipack is only useful if each tin and the total quantity suit your planned recipes.
Choose these: if you’re cooking smaller quantities or want to try different pulses without buying several identical tins.
Bear in mind: if you open a large tin, plan how to use the rest and follow the instructions on its label.
Choose these: if you’ve planned your menu early enough to prepare the quantity you need.
Bear in mind: depending on the variety, they need soaking or cooking, unlike ready-cooked tinned pulses.
Choose these: if you’re looking for a dish or side that’s ready to serve.
Bear in mind: a pre-seasoned recipe won’t work as a substitute for plain tinned pulses in every dish.
For your Christmas shopping, start with the meals you’re planning, then check the format and label. The priorities below group shoppers by the need they put first.
| Criterion | What to check | Who is it for? |
|---|---|---|
| Availability for several meals | Number of tins and type of product: plain or ready-made. | If you’re making several festive recipes and don’t want to cook the pulses first, ready-cooked tinned pulses are a good choice; around 36 % of shoppers put availability first. |
| Right-sized quantities | Drained net weight per tin and the multipack’s best-before date. | If your menu might change, you’ll want to open only the quantity you need rather than leave a large tin partly used; around 29 % of shoppers prioritise getting the right format. |
| Ingredients and stated origin | Ingredients list, allergens, salt in the nutritional information and any country-of-origin details shown on the product. | When you’re cooking for guests with different preferences, you’ll want to know the recipe and what the label says; around 21 % of shoppers put this information first. |
| Choice of recipes | Type of pulse and whether the product is plain or seasoned. | If you want to vary your Christmas sides, you may prefer to choose each pulse to suit the dish you’re planning; around 14 % of shoppers prioritise this culinary choice. |
The net weight of a tin may include its covering liquid. The DGCCRF states that the drained net weight must be shown for a product sold in liquid: check this figure to work out how much you’ll have once the liquid is drained.
Before choosing a multipack, note the drained weight of each tin and check that it suits your planned recipes.
A seasoned lentil dish and a tin of plain lentils aren’t interchangeable if you want to make your own salad or side.
Read the ingredients list and choose plain pulses when your recipe calls for an unseasoned base.
Storage conditions and how long a product keeps vary. For its 530 g tin of lentils, Auchan advises refrigerating them in a suitable container and eating them within two days.
Plan how you’ll use an opened tin and follow the instructions for the product you’ve bought.
These ranges give you an idea of the formats and recipes available; check the specific product on offer when you shop.
Carrefour offers chickpeas and lentils in individual tins and multipacks.
E.Leclerc offers, among other things, a Notre Jardin multipack of chickpeas and an individual Bio Village jar.
Auchan offers plain lentils in an individual tin and a 3 x 130 g multipack, as well as ready-made recipes.
ALDI offers its own-brand tins of chickpeas and lentils.
The Goldensun range mentioned by Lidl includes organic dried pulses.
Bjorg offers, among other things, a lentil and coconut milk casserole in a 630 g jar.
These three individual tins could help top up your Christmas meal supplies. If you’re stocking up on tins to open separately, compare their sizes with those in a multipack.
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A ready-cooked lentil option for quickly preparing a side or adding to a dish.
Individual 400g tin. To work out your portions, check the drained weight and best-before date on the packaging.
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These ready-cooked chickpeas can be used to make a larger quantity, provided it suits your menu.
Individual 820 gr tin: check the drained weight and plan how to use the contents after opening. If a guest has a lupin allergy, check the allergen information on the packaging.
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These ready-cooked black-eyed peas can be added to a salad, dish or side for a quick meal.
Individual 400g tin. Check the drained weight and best-before date before adding it to your festive food supplies.
Compare the number of tins, the drained net weight of each one, the best-before date and the ingredients. For products sold in a covering liquid, the DGCCRF states that the drained net weight must appear on the label. This helps you work out how much you’ll have once the liquid is drained.
Follow the instructions for the tin you’ve chosen rather than applying the same advice to every brand. For the Auchan lentils mentioned, Auchan recommends draining the product and, if you’re serving it cold, rinsing it after draining.
Always follow the instructions for the product you’ve bought. For its 530 g tin of lentils, Auchan advises transferring the opened contents to a suitable container, refrigerating them and eating them within two days.
No. The Ministry of the Economy says that Origin’Info is a voluntary scheme for processed products, and not every product carries this information. If origin matters to you, look for country-of-origin details on the product you’re considering.