How to choose stock

Stock is a pantry or fridge essential. Stews, risottos, soups and casseroles all rely on stock for flavour. Some of us have time to make our own, but for others store-bought stock is the most convenient.

What’s available

There is a range of powdered, cubed or liquid stocks and it is great to see reduced-salt options. Beef, chicken and vegetable stocks are most prevalent, however there are fish, lamb and herb stocks available as well. Conveniently, some are in concentrated form.

What is in stock?

Fresh stocks and shelf-stable liquid stocks tend to be more like our homemade ones, incorporating meats, chicken carcasses, fish with vegetables and herbs and boiled together. The powdered stocks have a longer list of ingredients. They may include salt, sugar, dehydrated vegetables, yeast, spices, chicken or meat powder and soy. Many contain gluten so, if following a gluten-free diet, check the ingredients list.

Sodium

Store-bought stocks can be high in sodium so we need to keep an eye on this. The Ministry of Health’s recommendation is for no more than 2300mg of sodium per day. In the products we looked at the amount of sodium ranged from 57mg per 100ml (143mg per 250ml cup), to a whopping 541mg per 100ml (1353mg per cup).

While there are many reduced-salt stocks available, it pays to read the nutrition information panel as some of these may still contain more sodium than those not described as having reduced salt. For example, Continental Stock Pot Salt Reduced Beef pots contain 335mg sodium per 100ml, compared with Vegeta Gourmet Stock powder at 139mg per 100ml. We recommend choosing stock with no more than 250mg sodium per 100ml, however no more than 150mg per 100ml is better.

Protein

While most stocks are low in both kJ and protein, fresh stocks from the chiller section tend to be higher in both so if you are watching your weight, you may want to dilute it with water. However, if you want to increase your protein intake, this could be a useful addition to your diet.

Tips

• To reduce the sodium content of stocks, dilute with water and add extra flavours, such as herbs and spices.
• Try making your own stock.

How to choose

Use the criteria below to compare products and help you choose store-bought stocks.