Hosts serving tuna as a visible part of the dish
For a composed salad, starter or plated course, the size and shape of the pieces matter. Compare steak formats if the tuna needs to remain distinct after preparation.
Who is choosing?
Hosts preparing a shared mixed dish
Pasta, fishcakes, fillings and mixed salads can use chunk tuna across several tins. Check the total drained weight against the number of servings you plan to make.
Hosts keeping preparation simple
A no-drain tin removes a preparation step. Its individual tin size still matters if the recipe calls for a substantial amount of tuna.
What matters when buying?
Settle on how the tuna will appear in the dinner, then check how much drained fish the pack provides and whether its packing liquid suits the recipe.
| Concern | What to check | Who this matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Presentation and texture | Compare steaks for substantial pieces and chunks for recipes where the tuna will be mixed in. | If I want the tuna to stand out in a plated dish, I need pieces that keep their shape. About 34% of consumers would make presentation their primary concern. |
| Usable quantity | Multiply the drained weight per tin by the number of tins; check whether the individual tin size fits the recipe. | When I am feeding several guests, I need enough tuna after the packing liquid is removed. Usable quantity would come first for about 33% of consumers. |
| Packing liquid | Check whether the tuna is in spring water, brine or oil, and read the ingredients and nutrition information for the exact product. | If the salad already has a dressing, or the pasta needs the packing oil, I want the liquid to fit the dish. Roughly 20% of consumers would prioritise that recipe match. |
| Preparation and leftovers | Compare no-drain tins with conventional packs, and check the opened-product storage instructions. | For a quickly assembled course, I want fewer preparation steps and a workable plan for any unused tuna. About 13% of consumers would put handling first. |
What is easy to overlook?
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Counting packing liquid as tuna
Net weight includes the liquid. A Joybuy listing for Princes spring-water chunks, for example, states 145g net and 102g drained per tin; using the net figure would overstate the tuna available for the dish.
Multiply the drained weight on the pack by its number of tins before deciding how many packs the recipe needs.
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Choosing chunks for a dish built around intact pieces
Chunks suit mixing, whereas steaks provide larger pieces for a composed salad or plated course. The format changes how the tuna can be presented.
Decide whether guests will see separate pieces of tuna or whether it will be folded into other ingredients before choosing a multipack.
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Treating spring water, brine and oil as interchangeable
The packing liquid contributes to the finished recipe, and nutrition information differs between products. A dressing or sauce that works with spring-water tuna may need reconsidering with oil-packed tuna.
Read the exact tin's ingredients and nutrition panel, including the basis used for its values, before combining it with the rest of the dish.
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Overlooking guest and leftover checks
Fish is an allergen, and the Ocado listing for M&S tuna steaks warns that bones may remain. Unused tuna also needs handling according to the instructions on its pack.
Check guests' fish allergies and each product label, inspect the tuna during preparation, and follow the tin's opened-product storage directions. If a guest is pregnant, NHS guidance on tuna consumption is relevant when planning the meal.
Brands to consider
These product lines illustrate different pack and tuna formats; check the exact item rather than assuming every product from a brand has the same tin size or packing liquid.
Princes
Princes lists spring-water chunks as single tins and multipacks, including 4 x 145g, 6 x 145g and 8 x 145g formats.
- Several listed pack sizes give hosts a way to match the number of tins to a mixed dish.
- Check the drained weight and packing liquid of the particular Princes pack; the outer format alone does not give the usable quantity.
John West
The cited products include 4 x 125g spring-water chunks and a smaller 3 x 60g No Drain tuna-steak pack in brine.
- The No Drain listing says the tuna can be used without draining.
- The smaller tins need a quantity check when preparing a shared dish for several people.
Tesco
Tesco Groceries lists own-label chunks in brine and sunflower oil as 4 x 145g packs, alongside a 3 x 80g spring-water format.
- The listed formats allow a comparison of tin size and packing liquid within the same own-label range.
- Compare drained quantities on the exact packs rather than treating differently sized multipacks as equivalent.
M&S
M&S lists both chunks and steaks; Ocado lists an M&S 4 x 200g tuna-steak multipack in spring water.
- The steak format is worth considering when the tuna should remain visible in a plated course.
- The cited retailer listing warns that bones may remain; check the physical pack's preparation and storage instructions.
Sainsbury's
The Telegraph identified Sainsbury's own-label tuna in olive oil in June 2026, making it a format to consider for a recipe using the packing oil.
- Olive oil offers a distinct packing-liquid choice for the planned dish.
- Check the current product's pack size, ingredients and drained weight before treating it as a bulk option.
Joybuy tuna multipacks
These multipacks contain chunks for shared dishes such as pasta, fillings and mixed salads. The choices vary by number of tins, tin size and packing liquid; check drained weight on the pack when planning portions.
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Princes Tuna Chunks in Brine, 4 x 145g x 12 packs
For a shared mixed dish requiring many tins, this listing specifies twelve packs of four 145g tins of tuna chunks in brine. Check the drained weight per tin before calculating how much tuna the full purchase will provide.
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Morrisons Fad Free Tuna Chunks in Spring Water, 6 x 145g
For a mixed salad or pasta dish needing several tins, this is a six-pack of 145g spring-water tuna chunks. Use the drained weight on the pack to work out the amount available for serving.
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Princes Tuna Chunks in Brine, 4 x 145g
For a mixed dish needing four tins rather than a larger case, this pack contains four 145g tins of chunks in brine. Check each tin's drained weight for the recipe and its nutrition panel when planning the other ingredients.
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Princes Tuna Chunks in Sunflower Oil, 4 x 145g
For a mixed recipe intended to use oil-packed tuna, this pack contains four 145g tins of chunks in sunflower oil. Check the drained weight for portions and the exact pack's nutrition panel when deciding how its oil fits the dish.
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John West Tuna Chunks in Springwater, 4 x 125g
For a mixed recipe using four smaller tins, this spring-water pack contains four 125g tins of tuna chunks. Compare its drained weight with larger-tin packs before settling on the number needed for the dinner.
Common questions
Should I choose tuna steaks or chunks for an anniversary dinner?
Choose steaks if the tuna should remain in larger, visible pieces in a composed salad or plated dish. Choose chunks if it will be folded into pasta, fishcakes, fillings or another mixed recipe.
Does net weight tell me how much tuna a multipack provides?
No: net weight includes packing liquid, so use drained weight to plan the tuna available for the recipe. A Joybuy listing for Princes spring-water chunks states 102g drained tuna in each 145g net tin; check the figure on the exact pack you choose.
What should I do with tuna left after opening a tin?
Transfer unused tuna to a suitable container, refrigerate it and follow the time limit on its physical pack. Product instructions can differ, and the cited M&S retailer listing contains conflicting time limits, so do not apply another tin's instructions to it.
Does pregnancy change the tuna check for a dinner guest?
Yes. NHS guidance says pregnant people should have no more than four cans of tuna or two tuna steaks in a week because tuna can contain mercury. That weekly guidance concerns the guest's tuna consumption beyond this single meal.
What allergen should I check before serving tuna?
Tuna contains fish, which the Food Standards Agency identifies as an allergen. Ask about guests' fish allergies and check the current ingredient and allergen statement on every product used in the meal.