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French food label quiz: ingredients, storage and dates

Edited by Chris Lee · Updated · About the library

Twelve questions on real French food-label wording: à consommer de préférence avant, à conserver au frais, après ouverture, peut contenir des traces de.

In short

Two dates matter: À consommer jusqu'au (use by, a strict safety date) and À consommer de préférence avant le (best before, quality only). À conserver au frais means keep refrigerated, and après ouverture means once opened.

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Milk, yoghurt, jam and pasta beside an open fridge.
à conserver au frais tells you how to store food. Illustration: Atelier
  1. Question 1No account needed
    À consommer jusqu'au 12/05 means…

    Choose one answer.

    Answer and explanation

    Use by 12 May.. Jusqu'au is the strict use-by date, mostly on fresh food.

  2. Question 2No account needed
    À consommer de préférence avant fin 2026

    Choose one answer.

    Answer and explanation

    Best before end of 2026.. De préférence means preferably: a quality date.

  3. Question 3No account needed
    À conserver au frais après ouverture

    Choose one answer.

    Answer and explanation

    Keep refrigerated once opened.. Au frais = in the fridge; après ouverture = once opened.

  4. Question 4No account needed
    Peut contenir des traces de fruits à coque

    Choose one answer.

    Answer and explanation

    May contain traces of nuts.. Fruits à coque are tree nuts.

  5. Question 5No account needed
    Ne pas recongeler un produit décongelé

    Choose one answer.

    Answer and explanation

    Do not refreeze once thawed.. Décongelé is thawed; recongeler is to refreeze.

  6. Question 6No account needed
    Ingrédients : farine de blé, sucre, beurre (lait). The allergen in brackets is…

    Choose one answer.

    Answer and explanation

    milk. Allergens are often shown in brackets or bold: here milk.

  7. Question 7No account needed
    Sans gluten

    Choose one answer.

    Answer and explanation

    Gluten-free. Sans means without: no gluten in the recipe.

  8. Question 8No account needed
    Bio on a label means…

    Choose one answer.

    Answer and explanation

    organic. Bio (biologique) is organic.

  9. Question 9No account needed
    Poids net : 250 g

    Choose one answer.

    Answer and explanation

    Net weight: 250 g. Poids net excludes the packaging.

  10. Question 10No account needed
    Cuire 10 minutes à feu moyen

    Choose one answer.

    Answer and explanation

    Cook for 10 minutes on a medium heat.. Feu moyen is medium heat on the hob.

  11. Question 11No account needed
    Agiter avant emploi

    Choose one answer.

    Answer and explanation

    Shake before use.. Emploi here means use, as in mode d'emploi.

  12. Question 12No account needed
    Origine France tells you…

    Choose one answer.

    Answer and explanation

    where it was produced. Origine is the country of origin.

What is the difference between à consommer jusqu’au and de préférence avant?

France encourages people not to throw food away after the de préférence date: products such as pasta, biscuits and tinned food are usually fine for a while after it. The jusqu'au date, on fresh meat, fish and dairy, is the one to respect. You'll also see DLC (date limite de consommation, use-by) and DDM (date de durabilité minimale, best before) in official texts.

Label verbs
FrenchEnglish
conserverto keep, store
consommerto eat, consume
cuireto cook
réchaufferto reheat
décongelerto thaw

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