For a vegan meal for one, plain express rice gives you a handy base, so you can choose the other ingredients separately. Seasoned rice or a single-serve meal may also work, but check the recipe and allergens for the exact product: a name or image suggesting vegetables doesn’t guarantee it’s dairy-free. Before choosing a format, compare the stated number of servings and the reheating instructions too.
You’re looking for a convenient base and don’t want to assume what’s in it based on the name or an image of vegetables. The DGCCRF points out that a vegan diet consists only of foods from plant sources, so check the ingredients and allergens for the product you choose.
You want to heat rice in just a few minutes and know how much to serve. The Auchan listings for the express rice pouches reviewed give microwave cooking times of 1 min 30 to 2 min, depending on the product. Compare the weight and number of servings separately.
You’d rather pair plain rice with vegetables, chickpeas, tofu or a sauce of your choice. The ingredient lists for the plain rice products shown by Auchan are short, but always check the list for the product you’re buying.
For a vegan meal for one, start by checking the exact recipe. Then choose between plain rice, seasoned rice and a single-serve meal based on what you want to add yourself and which format suits you.
Choose this if: you want to select the other ingredients for your meal separately.
Bear in mind: the rice pouch is a base to serve with other ingredients, and the number of servings may differ from what the product name suggests.
Choose this if: you want rice that’s already flavoured and have checked the current recipe.
Bear in mind: the seasoning adds ingredients to check. A visible ingredient list with no animal-derived ingredients is not, by itself, a guarantee that the product is vegan.
Choose this if: you’re looking for a ready-made meal whose exact recipe meets your dietary requirements.
Bear in mind: a single-serve format tells you nothing about the ingredients. The Ben’s Original tomato and olive oil recipe shown on Joybuy contains mascarpone and milk.
| What to consider | What to check | Who is this for? |
|---|---|---|
| Vegan ingredients | Read the ingredients and allergens for the exact recipe. If you need an explicit guarantee, check the statement on the packaging too. | I don’t want to discover an animal-derived ingredient in flavoured rice or a single-serve meal. Of consumers who would put just one factor first, around 36% would prioritise this check. |
| Reheating | Check the time, power setting and equipment specified for the product you choose. | When I’m making a quick meal, the instructions need to work with the equipment I have. Around 29% of consumers would prioritise this ease of preparation. |
| Quantity and leftovers | Compare the net weight, number of servings and storage instructions after opening. | When I’m eating alone, I want to know whether the pouch will leave me with leftovers to store. Around 21% of consumers would put quantity first. |
| Recipe and salt | Compare the ingredient lists and salt per 100 g, then consider how much you’ll serve. | I prefer to choose the seasoning myself and compare recipes on a like-for-like basis. Around 14% of consumers would make this their main consideration. |
A recipe may also contain dairy: the Joybuy listing for Ben’s Original tomato and olive oil rice includes mascarpone and milk.
Check the ingredients and allergens for the exact recipe. If you need an explicit vegan guarantee, check the statement on the packaging.
The Auchan listings for Ben’s Original Basmati 220 g and Auchan Plain Basmati 250 g each state that they contain two servings, even though their presentation may suggest they’re suitable for a meal for one.
Check the net weight, number of servings and storage instructions together before planning your meals.
If you only use part of the pouch, you’ll need to store the rest according to the product instructions.
The amount of salt per pouch depends on its size. The DGCCRF says that nutritional values given per 100 g make it possible to compare foods on a like-for-like basis.
Compare the salt per 100 g, then take into account how much rice you plan to serve with the rest of your meal.
The express Basmati rice featured by Auchan comes in a 220 g pouch. Its listing gives a cooking time of 2 minutes in the microwave or 3 minutes in a frying pan.
The express plain Basmati rice featured by Auchan comes in a 250 g pouch and is listed as containing two servings.
The Basmati World Spices rice featured by Auchan is a seasoned 250 g product, with a stated reheating time of 2 minutes at 800 W.
These cooked rice bowls are an option if you’re looking for a base to add to for a meal for one. Check the recipe and instructions for each format before pairing them with your other ingredients.
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A bowl of cooked rice to consider as a base to add to for a meal for one.
Format: one 210 g bowl. If you need a strict vegan guarantee, check the ingredients and the source of E575 on the packaging, and read the reheating instructions too. Consume the contents immediately after opening.
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A pack to consider if you’d like to have several bowls of cooked rice to add to separately.
Format: three 210 g bowls. If these details affect your choice, check the ingredients, the source of E575 and the reheating instructions on the packaging. Also check the nutrition table before comparing values with another rice product.
No. The absence of meat doesn’t mean that all the ingredients come from plant sources. Check the exact recipe: the Ben’s Original tomato and olive oil rice shown on Joybuy, for example, contains mascarpone and milk.
Read the product name, ingredients, allergens, net quantity and nutrition information. The DGCCRF says allergens must be highlighted, and nutrition information per 100 g makes it easier to compare products.
Not necessarily: the Auchan listings for Ben’s Original Basmati 220 g and Auchan Plain Basmati 250 g each state that they contain two servings. Compare the weight, the stated number of servings and the foods you’ll add to your meal.
Follow the instructions for the product you buy. The Auchan listing for Plain Basmati says to put any leftovers in a sealed container in the fridge and eat them within three days. For Ben’s Original Basmati, the listing says to keep uneaten, unreheated rice in the fridge for three days.