If you’re planning several meals around Easter, separate tins are usually the better choice. For a family recipe you’ll prepare all at once, a larger tin may be more convenient. Compare the drained net weight and the type of tuna, then check for an ‘already drained’ label if you want to skip that preparation step.
If you plan to use tuna in several recipes over Easter or in the days afterwards, a multipack of separate tins lets you open only as much as you need each time. E.Leclerc and Auchan catalogues, for example, feature multipacks of two or three tins.
For a large salad, quiche or dish prepared all at once, a 280 g tin may suit your recipe. E.Leclerc and Saupiquet feature products in this size; check the stated quantity on the one you choose.
To top a salad or fill a sandwich without having to drain the tuna, look for a product explicitly labelled ‘already drained’. Petit Navire and Saupiquet describe this feature on some of their products, but not all their tuna in water.
When shopping for Easter, start with the meals you have planned. Separate portions are handy if you’ll be using the tuna more than once, while a larger tin may make sense for a recipe you’ll prepare in one go. Then check the quantity of tuna and the product description.
| What to consider | What to check | Who it suits |
|---|---|---|
| Portions for several meals | Number of tins and drained net weight per tin. | If I’m making several meals, I want to open one tin without using up my whole supply; around 36% of consumers would put this need first. |
| Amount you can use | Total drained net weight of the multipack or larger tin, when the tuna is packed in liquid. | For a recipe I’m making in one go, I want to know how much tuna I’ll actually use; around 29% of consumers would have the same priority. |
| Quick preparation | Explicit ‘already drained’ labelling and the product’s ingredients. | When I’m making a salad or sandwich in a hurry, I’d rather skip the draining; around 21% of consumers would prioritise this. |
| How it works in your recipe | Whether it’s labelled ‘whole’, ‘chunks’ or ‘flakes’, and whether it’s tuna in water or oil. | If the type of tuna matters to my dish, I choose a product to get the result I’m after; this would be the main priority for around 14% of consumers. |
Two multipacks with the same number of tins may contain different quantities. For products packed in liquid, the DGCCRF says the label must show the drained net weight.
Compare the weight of each tin, then the total for the multipack, before choosing a format to suit your meals.
A 280 g tin works well for a recipe that uses all its contents, but offers less flexibility than several smaller tins. For its MSC whole tuna in water, Saupiquet advises storing the opened product in the fridge and eating it within two days.
Choose a larger tin to match the recipe you have planned. If you want to spread the tuna across several meals, consider separate tins instead.
The MSC-labelled products featured by Petit Navire and Saupiquet don’t mean that every recipe or format from those brands carries the same label.
Check the logo on the specific product you’re buying, especially if you’re choosing a different size.
A format featured in a catalogue may not be available at the shop where you do your food shopping.
Check the product and its availability with your chosen retailer before planning your meals around that multipack.
Petit Navire features, among other products, 160 g MSC tuna in water and a 120 g product that’s already drained.
Saupiquet offers its MSC whole tuna in water in several sizes, including 93 g and 280 g, as well as in some twin packs.
The E.Leclerc catalogue features Pêche Océan tuna in water in multipacks of 2 × 140 g and 3 × 93 g, as well as in a 280 g size.
The E.Leclerc catalogue features Eco+ products made with skipjack or albacore tuna in water, including 130 g, 140 g and 280 g tins, as well as a 3 × 56 g multipack.
Compare the total drained net weight, then the type of tuna, recipe and tin size against the meals you have planned. The DGCCRF says the drained net weight must appear on the label when the product is packed in liquid.
No: ‘in water’ doesn’t automatically mean ‘already drained’. Check the label on the specific product if you want to use it without draining it first.
Follow the instructions for the product you buy. For its MSC whole tuna in water, Saupiquet advises keeping it in the fridge and eating it within two days of opening.
No: check the label on each product. Petit Navire and Saupiquet feature specific products carrying this label, but that doesn’t mean it applies to all their sizes or recipes.