Consumers planning dessert portions
If you count the calories in a dessert or accompaniment, the useful figure is for the amount you pour, not automatically the serving suggested on a 400g tin.
Who needs to compare portions and labels?
Consumers comparing sugar and fat
If you are choosing between lighter and standard ready-to-serve custards, compare sugars, fat and saturates per 100g rather than relying on the product name.
Consumers managing leftovers
If you are unlikely to finish a tin at one meal, check both its labelled portions and its instructions for storing the remainder after opening.
What matters when choosing a tin?
Start with comparable per-100g figures, then consider your serving and whether the rest of the tin fits your routine.
| Concern | What to check | Who this matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Calories in the portion | Compare kcal per 100g, then calculate the figure for the amount you intend to eat. Ambrosia lists 78 kcal per 100g, Sainsbury's Stamford Street Co. 72 kcal and Tesco Ready To Serve 96 kcal. | If I serve only part of a tin, I need the calories for what goes into my bowl. About 42% of consumers put the calories in their actual portion first. |
| Sugars and fats | Compare sugars, fat and saturates per 100g. Ambrosia Low Fat lists 7.4g sugars and 2.0g fat; Stamford Street Co. lists 8.7g sugars and 0.9g fat. Tesco Ready To Serve lists 2.6g saturates per 100g. | When choosing between lighter and standard custards, I want to compare the label figures rather than rely on the name. About 33% of consumers make sugars and fats their primary concern. |
| Portions and leftovers | Read the serving size and post-opening instructions on the tin. Ambrosia's 400g Light can lists three 130g portions and up to three days refrigerated after opening; Sainsbury's Stamford Street Co. lists two 200g servings and use within one day after transfer to a non-metallic container. | If I am eating alone, I need a plan for the custard left after one serving. About 25% of consumers put portioning and leftovers first. |
Common mistakes with 400g tins
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Treating the whole tin as the labelled portion
These 400g tins list two or three servings. Tesco describes half a tin as a 193 kcal serving; a whole tin is roughly twice that labelled amount.
Decide how much you will serve and use the nutrition panel to calculate the figures for that amount.
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Reading 'low fat' as 'low sugar'
Ambrosia Low Fat lists 7.4g sugars per 100g. The NHS describes 5g total sugars or less per 100g as low, so a lower-fat name does not establish that this custard is low in sugar.
Check sugars per 100g and the quantity in your intended serving separately from the fat figure.
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Comparing products without considering serving size
Stamford Street Co. lists fewer calories per 100g than Ambrosia Low Fat, but their labelled servings differ: Sainsbury's uses 200g, while Ambrosia uses 130g. Their labelled servings therefore are not a like-for-like calorie comparison.
Compare products per 100g first, then calculate the nutrition for the same amount of each custard if that is what you would eat.
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Overlooking instructions after opening
The time allowed for refrigerated leftovers differs between the Ambrosia Low Fat and Stamford Street Co. tins. Sainsbury's also instructs shoppers to transfer its custard to a non-metallic container.
Check the purchased tin's instructions before opening it, particularly if you plan to use it across several meals.
Relevant custard brands
Ambrosia
Ambrosia's 400g canned range includes standard Devon Custard, a Light version and a cream-based Deluxe version. Their nutrition figures should be compared by the particular tin, not by the brand name alone.
- Ambrosia lists 78 kcal, 7.4g sugars and 2.0g fat per 100g for its Light can.
- Its 7.4g sugars per 100g exceed the NHS guide of 5g or less per 100g for a low-sugar food; check the milk allergen declaration too.
Stamford Street Co. (Sainsbury's)
Sainsbury's lists a 400g ready-to-eat custard under its Stamford Street Co. range, with a half-tin labelled serving.
- Its label lists 72 kcal and 0.9g fat per 100g.
- It also lists 8.7g sugars per 100g, and Sainsbury's instructs shoppers to use refrigerated leftovers within one day after transferring them to a non-metallic container.
Tesco
Tesco Ready To Serve Custard is a standard 400g dairy custard with a labelled half-tin serving.
- Tesco provides a 193 kcal figure for its 200g half-tin serving.
- Its label lists 96 kcal and 2.6g saturates per 100g; consider those figures alongside the amount you intend to serve.
A single-tin option on Joybuy
This 400g ready-to-serve Ambrosia tin is an option for consumers comparing nutrition per 100g and planning their own serving size.
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Ambrosia Low Fat Custard 400g
This ready-to-serve tin suits a comparison based on the nutrition in the amount you plan to serve.
The Joybuy listing gives 78 kcal, 7.4g sugars, 2.0g fat and 1.0g saturates per 100g. The custard contains milk; check the actual tin's allergen declaration and serving guidance before using per-portion figures. Refrigerate opened contents and use within the stated three-day period.
Questions about single-tin custard
Is a 400g tin of custard one portion?
Not according to the labels of these tins. Ambrosia's Light can lists three 130g portions, while the Stamford Street Co. and Tesco tins each label half a can, 200g, as a serving. Use the serving size as a reference and calculate nutrition for the amount you actually eat; check the purchased tin's label for its current guidance.
Does low fat mean low sugar?
No. Ambrosia Low Fat lists 7.4g sugars per 100g, above the NHS guide of 5g total sugars or less per 100g for a low-sugar food. Compare the sugar and fat entries separately.
How should I store leftover custard?
Follow the instructions on the tin you buy. Ambrosia Low Fat says to refrigerate opened contents and use them within three days. Sainsbury's Stamford Street Co. says to transfer leftovers to a non-metallic container, refrigerate them and use them within one day.
What should I check if I need to avoid milk?
Check the ingredients and allergen declaration on the actual tin before eating it. The custards discussed here contain milk; a vegetarian description does not mean a product is milk-free.