Families comparing lower-fat desserts
Compare total fat and saturates without overlooking sugars or the amount of custard served. Nutrition figures per 100g make different pack sizes easier to compare.
Who these choices suit
Families planning portions and leftovers
A pot provides a fixed serving; a tin or family carton lets you choose the amount. For a larger pack, check how the remainder must be stored and when it needs to be used.
Allergy-aware households
Read the ingredients and allergen information on the exact current pack. The lower-fat ready-to-serve examples covered here list milk; do not assume that every custard has the same egg declaration.
What matters when choosing
Start with the nutrition table and intended serving, then choose a format whose portioning and opened-pack instructions work for your household.
| Concern | What to check | Who this matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Fat and saturates | Compare both figures per 100g on the ready-to-serve product or prepared mix. | If reducing fat is my priority, I need to look beyond the word “light” and check the figures for the custard I would serve. About 45% of consumers put fat and saturates first. |
| Sugars and serving size | Check sugars per 100g and for the portion you intend to serve; note whether the pack fixes that portion. | When I serve a child from a tin or carton, I choose the amount, while a pot has a defined serving. For about 36% of consumers, sugars in the portion served are the primary concern. |
| Allergens and opened packs | Read the current ingredients and allergen declaration; follow the exact pack’s refrigeration and use-by-after-opening instructions. | If a child has an allergy, I need to establish whether this particular custard is suitable before comparing its nutrition. Allergen and ingredient checks come first for about 19% of consumers. |
Mistakes to avoid
-
Taking “light” as the whole nutrition picture
A reduction against a brand’s standard custard does not tell you how much sugar is in the serving. Tesco lists 1.5g fat and 11.3g sugars per 100g for its Light Custard 1kg carton.
Compare fat, saturates and sugars per 100g across the products you are considering, then check the serving you plan to give.
-
Assuming every custard contains egg
Egg and milk are separate allergens. The lower-fat ready-to-serve examples covered here list milk ingredients, while Bird’s Low Fat Instant Custard lists milk and a may-contain warning for soya and wheat. A category-wide assumption cannot establish suitability for an individual child.
For an allergy, check the ingredients and allergen information on the exact current pack before serving.
-
Choosing a large pack without planning the leftovers
Ambrosia’s Light 400g can and the Tesco and Sainsbury’s family cartons covered here instruct consumers to refrigerate after opening and use within three days.
Check the pack’s own instructions and choose a size you can use within its stated period.
Custard left unused beyond that period may need to be discarded.
-
Mistaking instant mix for ready-to-serve custard
Bird’s Low Fat Instant Custard requires boiling water and whisking; a ready-to-serve tin, carton or pot does not require that preparation.
Choose the mix only if preparing it fits tea time. If serving without mixing matters, choose a ready-to-serve format.
Brands to consider
Ambrosia
Ambrosia offers Light ready-to-serve custard in a 400g can and a 1kg carton.
- Ambrosia lists 2.0g fat and 7.4g sugars per 100g for its Light 400g can.
- The can contains milk ingredients; Ambrosia instructs consumers to remove any remainder from the can, refrigerate it and use it within three days.
Tesco
Tesco’s Light ready-to-serve range includes a 1kg carton and 150g pots.
- Tesco lists 1.5g fat and 0.8g saturates per 100g for the 1kg carton; a pot provides a defined 150g serving.
- Tesco lists 13.8g sugars per Light pot. The 1kg carton contains milk and must be refrigerated and used within three days of opening.
Sainsbury’s
Sainsbury’s offers a 500g ready-to-eat Lighter Custard carton.
- Sainsbury’s lists 1.5g fat and 0.8g saturates per 100g for this carton.
- The same product lists 11.8g sugars per 100g and milk as an allergen; it must be refrigerated and used within three days of opening.
Bird’s
Bird’s Low Fat Instant Custard is a mix, not a ready-to-serve tin or carton.
- Bird’s lists 1.1g fat and 9.1g sugars per 100g as prepared.
- It requires boiling water and whisking. Bird’s lists milk ingredients and a may-contain warning for soya and wheat.
M&S
M&S Silky Smooth Custard provides a standard canned-custard reference, rather than a lower-fat example.
- M&S lists 3.7g fat and 2.6g saturates per 100g for this specific product.
- It contains milk; M&S instructs consumers to refrigerate it after opening and eat it within two days.
Joybuy custard selections
These ready-to-serve Ambrosia options cover a 400g tin and a larger carton. Choose between them by the format and amount you expect to serve.
No image available
Ambrosia Low Fat Custard 400g
Choose this ready-to-serve can if tinned custard is the format you want. Ambrosia lists 2.0g fat, 1.0g saturates and 7.4g sugars per 100g. It contains milk; after opening, remove any remainder from the can, refrigerate it and use it within three days. Check the current pack’s allergens before serving.
No image available
Ambrosia Light Devon Custard 1kg
Consider this ready-to-serve carton when several servings are needed and you can use the remainder promptly. Ambrosia describes it as having 30% less fat and sugar than its standard Devon Custard; that comparison does not establish how it compares with other brands. It contains milk. Refrigerate after opening, use within three days and check the current pack’s allergens before serving.
Common questions
Does “light” custard automatically have less sugar?
No. A “light” claim can compare a product with that brand’s standard version without telling you which of several products has less sugar. Check sugars per 100g and in the serving you intend to give, alongside fat and saturates.
Does tinned custard always contain egg?
Do not assume that it does. The ingredient information for the lower-fat products discussed here lists milk but does not establish an egg ingredient across the category. If an allergy affects the choice, read the exact current pack’s ingredients and allergen declaration before serving.
How long can I keep custard after opening it?
Follow the instruction on your exact pack. Ambrosia’s Light can and the Tesco and Sainsbury’s family cartons discussed here specify refrigeration and use within three days of opening; the M&S standard can specifies two days.
Is a single pot always the easier portion choice?
A pot fixes the serving size, but it does not remove the need to check its nutrition. Tesco lists 13.8g sugars for a 150g Light Custard pot. With a tin or carton, compare the nutrition per 100g and consider the amount you will actually serve.