Who this is for

Lunch shoppers watching saturated fat

If you want a pastry occasionally, compare fat and saturated fat rather than assuming that plain or all-butter makes it suitable for an everyday lunch.

Portion-conscious convenience buyers

Check the actual piece size, calories and pack format. Sainsbury’s lists a sampled croissant at 40g per piece, while Waitrose lists a sampled all-butter croissant at 68g per serving.

Shoppers managing allergies or intolerances

Use the current pack label or retailer allergen information before buying, particularly for wheat or gluten, milk and egg declarations and any cross-contact warnings.

What to compare before buying

A small plain croissant

When it fits: Choose this only when you specifically want a pastry and can treat it as one part of lunch.

Trade-off: Sainsbury’s sampled plain croissant lists 22.0g fat and 11.2g saturates per 100g, above the NHS high thresholds.

A reduced-fat croissant

When it fits: Consider it when comparing pastries within the same range and you still prefer the croissant format.

Trade-off: M&S says its reduced-fat version has 30% less fat than its own all-butter croissants, but its label still lists 18.1g fat and 12.3g saturates per 100g.

A clearly labelled prepacked option

When it fits: Choose this route when you need to assess the exact ingredients and allergen declaration before purchase.

Trade-off: Recipes and precautionary warnings can vary, so the label on the pack you are buying remains the key check.

Priority What to check Your needs
Fat and saturates Compare fat and saturated fat per 100g; use front-of-pack traffic lights as a quick starting point; check the per-serving figures too. The NHS defines more than 17.5g fat and more than 5g saturates per 100g as high. I want to compare croissants on the same basis before making one a regular lunch choice. A lower-fat claim is worth checking alongside the saturated-fat value.
Portion and format Check the weight of one pastry, calories per piece, pack format and any storage or heating instructions. Compare per 100g when pieces differ in size. I need to know whether I am buying a smaller packaged pastry or a larger bakery serving, and whether it suits a ready-to-eat or planned-at-home lunch.
Allergen information Read the ingredient list, allergen declaration and precautionary statements on the exact item. Ask for current allergen information when buying loose bakery products. I need clear information for wheat or gluten, milk, egg and any product-specific cross-contact warnings before choosing a croissant.

Common buying mistakes

  • Treating a plain croissant like everyday sliced bread

    Plain does not mean low in fat or saturated fat. The NHS advises having foods high in these nutrients less often or in smaller amounts; sampled croissants exceed its per-100g high thresholds.

    Use a croissant as an occasional part of lunch if you want one, rather than relying on it as the usual lunch base.

  • Comparing calories per piece without checking weight

    Pieces can differ substantially in size. Sainsbury’s sampled croissant is 40g and lists 166 kcal per pastry, while Waitrose’s sampled all-butter croissant is a 68g serving with 298 kcal.

    Compare nutrition per 100g first, then use the stated serving size to decide how it fits your portion.

  • Assuming reduced fat removes the saturated-fat trade-off

    M&S states that its Reduced Fat All Butter Croissants contain 30% less fat than its own all-butter croissants, but the listed product still has 12.3g saturates per 100g.

    Read both total fat and saturates, and treat a reduced-fat label as a comparison within a pastry range rather than an automatic everyday-lunch choice.

  • Relying on a remembered recipe for allergy safety

    Croissants commonly declare wheat or gluten, milk and egg, and some products include additional cross-contact warnings. Ingredients and allergen wording can change.

    Read the label on the exact pack at purchase. For loose bakery items, ask for current allergen information rather than relying on the name alone.

Relevant supermarket brand references

M&S

M&S lists standard all-butter and Reduced Fat All Butter Croissants in its food range.

  • M&S states that its reduced-fat croissants contain 30% less fat than its own all-butter croissants.
  • The listed reduced-fat product still provides 18.1g fat and 12.3g saturates per 100g, so compare the full label before treating it as a lower-impact lunch option.

Tesco Finest

Tesco offers Tesco Finest All Butter Croissants alongside standard own-label packs and filled croissant formats.

  • The range gives shoppers a choice of pack sizes and croissant styles.
  • Inspect the current product label when comparing nutrition with other options.

Sainsbury’s

Sainsbury’s offers a plain individually wrapped six-pack alongside all-butter and Taste the Difference croissant lines.

  • The sampled six-pack gives both per-croissant and per-100g nutrition, and its individual wrapping can suit portable lunches.
  • One sampled 40g croissant lists 8.8g fat and 4.5g saturates; per 100g, it lists 22.0g fat and 11.2g saturates.

Waitrose

Waitrose has own-label all-butter, No.1 and counter or packaged croissant options.

  • Its range includes both packaged and bakery-counter formats.
  • A sampled all-butter croissant lists 17.7g fat and 11.8g saturates per 68g serving, with high front-of-pack indicators for fat and saturates.

Lidl

Lidl offers an in-store bakery All Butter Croissant with store-specific availability.

  • Lidl provides allergen information for its listed product.
  • The listing declares milk, wheat and egg, plus possible traces including celery, lupin, mustard, nuts, sesame, soya and other cereals containing gluten.

Joybuy product options

Joybuy product options for a planned, occasional plain-croissant lunch where freezer storage and oven baking are available.

Pret A Manger Butter Croissants 330g

Pret A Manger Butter Croissants 330g

This plain frozen croissant option suits a planned home lunch rather than a ready-to-eat purchase.

It requires frozen storage and baking from frozen for 20 minutes. The stated baked nutrition is 24g fat and 15g saturates per 100g, so it remains an occasional pastry option under the NHS per-100g thresholds.

Contains wheat or gluten, milk and egg, and may contain nuts, sesame and soya. Check the current pack label before purchase if allergies or intolerances are relevant.

Joybuy

Frequently asked questions

Does “medium sliced” describe a croissant?

No. “Medium sliced” is normally a description for sliced loaves, while croissants are sold as individual pastries, multipacks, counter items or frozen bake-at-home products. Compare piece weight, pack format and the current nutrition label instead.

What should I compare first when choosing a croissant for lunch?

Start with fat and saturated fat per 100g, then check calories and the actual serving size. The NHS defines more than 17.5g fat or more than 5g saturated fat per 100g as high; a traffic-light label can help with an initial shelf comparison.

Does “reduced fat” make a croissant suitable for an everyday healthy lunch?

Not automatically. M&S says its Reduced Fat All Butter Croissants have 30% less fat than its own all-butter croissants, but the product still lists 18.1g fat and 12.3g saturates per 100g, above the NHS high thresholds.

Which allergens should I check in croissants?

Check the specific product each time. Sampled products declare wheat or gluten, milk and egg, while some include nut warnings or wider cross-contact statements. In England, Northern Ireland and Wales, food businesses must provide allergen information for both prepacked and non-prepacked food.

Can I freeze or heat a croissant for lunch?

Follow the instructions on the exact pack. A sampled Sainsbury’s croissant is ready to eat, may be warmed and can be frozen before its best-before date, but it should not be reheated once cooled. Frozen bake-at-home croissants have different storage and cooking instructions.