Who these choices suit

Family-dessert planners

If you want custard ready to serve with several portions of dessert, compare a tin’s fat and saturates per 100g as well as its stated serving size.

Nutrition-label comparers

If lower fat is only one part of your weekly-shop decision, read the sugars figure alongside fat and saturates rather than relying on front-of-pack wording.

Custard-powder shoppers

If you are willing to make custard, compare prepared nutrition using the specified milk and allow for the extra preparation.

What to check when buying

For a weekly shop with lower-fat custard in mind, decide which need comes first, then compare nutrition on the same per-100g basis.

Concern What to check Who this matters to
Fat in a ready-to-serve tin Check fat and saturates per 100g. The NHS low guides for foods are no more than 3g fat and 1.5g saturates per 100g. When dessert needs to be ready from the cupboard, I want a tin that fits my lower-fat priority. About 50% of consumers put that ready-to-serve, lower-fat need first.
The wider nutrition label Compare sugars per 100g and the amount you expect to serve, not just a fat claim. The NHS low-sugar guide for foods is no more than 5g sugars per 100g. A lower-fat label would not settle my choice if I also wanted to compare sugars in a regular dessert. For about 30% of consumers, that wider label check is the primary need.
Control over preparation Check whether the product is powder or ready-to-serve, and which milk the prepared nutrition figures assume. If I can make custard rather than open a tin, choosing the milk used matters more to me than immediate serving. Preparation control comes first for about 20% of consumers.

Buying pitfalls

  • Reading “light” as low in every nutrient

    A relative fat claim does not tell you whether a custard also meets a low-sugar guide. Tesco Groceries lists 7.4g sugars per 100g for Ambrosia Low Fat Custard, above the NHS low-sugar guide of 5g per 100g.

    Read the per-100g figures for fat, saturates and sugars separately before deciding which matters to your shop.

  • Comparing powder with a tin as though both are ready to serve

    Bird’s Original Custard Powder needs preparation. Tesco Groceries gives its prepared nutrition using semi-skimmed milk, so those figures do not describe the dry powder or every way of making it.

    Compare prepared values on their stated milk basis, and choose powder only if making the custard fits your plans.

  • Overlooking portions and opened-tin storage

    Ambrosia Low Fat Custard 400g lists three 130g portions. Joybuy’s product information says to remove any remaining custard from the can after opening, refrigerate it and consume it within three days.

    Consider how much you will serve at once and whether you can use the remainder within that period.

  • Relying on an older allergen listing

    The Ambrosia low-fat product contains milk, while the Bird’s powder listing says it may contain milk. Allergen statements matter particularly when a product is bought as part of a repeat weekly shop.

    Check the current pack label for allergens before purchase and use, especially where an allergy is involved.

Brands to consider

Ambrosia

Ambrosia Low Fat Custard 400g is a ready-to-serve tinned option that can be served hot or cold.

  • Tesco Groceries lists 2.0g fat and 1.0g saturates per 100g, within the NHS low guides for both nutrients.
  • It also lists 7.4g sugars per 100g and contains milk. The tin states three 130g portions.

Bird’s

Bird’s Original Custard Powder is an alternative when you would rather prepare custard than buy a ready-to-serve tin.

  • Tesco Groceries lists 1.5g fat and 1.0g saturates per 100g when it is prepared with semi-skimmed milk.
  • It requires preparation; on that same prepared basis, it lists 9.5g sugars per 100g and may contain milk.

Tesco

Tesco Ready To Serve Custard provides own-label formats to compare when planning portions for a weekly shop.

  • Tesco Groceries lists ready-to-serve 400g and 1kg formats in its custard range.
  • Check the chosen product’s current fat, saturates and sugars per 100g before treating it as a lower-fat option.

M&S

M&S Silky Smooth Custard is a whole-milk tinned alternative for shoppers who are not prioritising a low-fat label.

  • Its whole-milk format offers a different choice from the Ambrosia low-fat tin.
  • Marks & Spencer lists 3.7g fat and 2.6g saturates per 100g, above the NHS low guides for both nutrients.

Ready-to-serve custard on Joybuy

This ready-to-serve custard is relevant if your weekly-shop priority is a tinned option with fat and saturates within the NHS low guides; check sugars, milk ingredients and how you will use the opened tin too.

Ambrosia Low Fat Custard 400g

Ambrosia Low Fat Custard 400g

A ready-to-serve tin for a weekly shop where lower fat matters and the custard may be served hot or cold.

  • Per 100g: 2.0g fat, 1.0g saturates and 7.4g sugars.
  • Contains milk; check the current pack allergen statement.
  • After opening, remove leftovers from the can, refrigerate and consume within three days.
View on Joybuy

Common questions

What does “low fat” mean on a custard label?

For foods, the NHS low-fat guide is 3g fat or less per 100g; its low-saturates guide is 1.5g or less per 100g. Compare custards on the same per-100g basis rather than judging by tin size.

Is low-fat custard also low in sugar?

Not necessarily. Tesco Groceries lists 7.4g sugars per 100g for Ambrosia Low Fat Custard, above the NHS low-sugar guide for foods of 5g or less per 100g. Check the sugars figure separately from fat.

Can custard powder replace a lower-fat tin?

Custard powder is an option if you are prepared to make it, but it does not replace the convenience of a ready-to-serve tin. Tesco Groceries lists Bird’s Original Custard Powder at 1.5g fat, 1.0g saturates and 9.5g sugars per 100g when prepared with semi-skimmed milk; compare those figures only on that preparation basis.

What should I check before serving or storing an opened tin?

Check the current pack for allergens and storage instructions. Ambrosia Low Fat Custard contains milk, and Joybuy’s product information says to remove leftovers from the can after opening, refrigerate them and consume them within three days.