Fat-focused lunch shoppers
If fat is your first filter, compare it per 100g and for your intended portion. Read sugars separately: a low-fat description does not tell you the whole nutrition profile.
Who these options suit
Portion planners
A 150g pot gives you a defined portion without opening a larger pack. If you prefer a can, plan when you will use and refrigerate the remainder.
Shoppers planning several lunches
A ready-to-serve can can cover more than one lunch. Compare its stated servings with the portions you expect to eat and follow the opened-pack storage instructions.
What matters when choosing
Start with the nutrition figures on a common per-100g basis, then choose a pack size that fits how many lunches you have planned.
| Concern | What to check | Who this matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Fat content | Compare fat per 100g, then check the figure for your intended portion. Read sugars separately from any light or low-fat wording. | If fat is my first filter for a lunch dessert, I want to compare cans on the same basis without overlooking sugars; about 36% of consumers put fat comparison first. |
| Portions and leftovers | Check the pack size, stated servings and instructions for storing custard after opening. | I may only want one portion today and have no plan for the rest of a can; for about 29% of consumers, managing portions and leftovers comes first. |
| Cupboard convenience | Check unopened storage directions and how many lunches the pack could cover. | Having a ready-to-serve dessert in the cupboard for several lunches matters more to me than a single portion; about 21% of consumers make that their main concern. |
| Sugars | Compare sugars per 100g and for the portion you expect to serve. | If I am choosing a lighter custard but also want to compare sugars, the fat claim alone will not answer my question; sugars are the primary concern for about 14% of consumers. |
Buying pitfalls
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Assuming low fat also means low sugar
The reviewed Ambrosia Light can lists 7.4g sugars per 100g, while ASDA Groceries lists 8.3g per 100g for ASDA Light Custard. A fat claim does not replace a separate sugar check.
Read both figures per 100g, then use the portion you intend to serve when comparing their relevance to lunch.
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Leaving custard in an opened can
The reviewed can instructions say to transfer leftovers to a non-metallic container, refrigerate them and use them within three days.
Plan the remaining portions before opening the can, or consider a single-serve pot if you will not use them in time.
Brands to consider
Ambrosia
Ready-to-eat Light custard appears in the reviewed can and pot formats.
- ASDA Groceries lists the reviewed 400g Light can at 2.0g fat and 7.4g sugars per 100g. Ambrosia describes its Light pot as a 150g portion.
- The reviewed products contain milk. Once a multi-serve pack is opened, follow its refrigeration and use-by-opening instructions.
ASDA
Own-label ready-to-serve Light Custard is available in a 400g can.
- ASDA Groceries lists 1.6g fat and 8.3g sugars per 100g for the reviewed Light Custard, with two suggested servings per can.
- The reviewed can contains milk; compare its full label rather than treating the word light as a statement about sugars.
Tesco
Tesco Reduced Fat Custard is a ready-to-serve 400g own-label can.
- Tesco Groceries lists 1.7g fat and 7.4g sugars per 100g for the reviewed can.
- It contains milk ingredients. Check the pack’s serving and opened-can instructions before planning several lunches.
Sainsbury's
Sainsbury's lists a Ready To Eat Lighter Custard in a 500g pack.
- Check its current nutrition and allergen label before comparing it with the reviewed low-fat cans.
Bird's
A preparation-required custard alternative rather than the same opened-and-served can format.
- The reviewed Sainsbury's category includes Bird's custard powder and instant sachets.
- Allow for preparation at lunchtime; do not compare these formats with a ready-to-eat low-fat can without checking the prepared product’s label.
Joybuy custard selections
These selections cover a 400g low-fat custard and a larger 1kg Light custard for lunches planned across several portions. The larger pack is not a tin.
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Ambrosia Low Fat Custard 400g
This low-fat custard suits a lunch where you can plan what to do with the remainder of a 400g pack. Check its serving size, milk declaration and opened-pack instructions before use.
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Ambrosia Light Devon Custard 1kg
This larger pack suits lunches where you expect to use several portions, but it is not tinned custard. Plan how you will store and use the custard after opening, and check the current milk declaration.
Common questions
Does low fat mean low sugar too?
No. Fat and sugars need separate checks: ASDA Groceries lists 2.0g fat and 7.4g sugars per 100g for the reviewed Ambrosia Light can, compared with 1.6g fat and 8.3g sugars per 100g for its ASDA Light can listing.
How many lunch portions are in a 400g can?
Check the particular can. ASDA Groceries lists three 130g servings for the reviewed Ambrosia Light can and suggests two servings for ASDA Light Custard. Your own portion may differ, so decide whether you can use what remains.
How should I store custard left in an opened can?
For the reviewed cans, transfer the remainder to a suitable non-metallic container, cover it, refrigerate it and use it within three days. Follow the instructions on the pack you buy if they differ.
Can I heat ready-to-eat custard in its can?
No. Empty it into a suitable saucepan or microwave-safe container before heating, and follow the pack’s heating instructions; the reviewed ASDA products also instruct users not to boil or reheat them.
Do the reviewed low-fat custards contain milk?
The reviewed Ambrosia Light, ASDA Light and Tesco Reduced Fat products contain milk ingredients. Check the allergen declaration on the specific pack before buying, as formulations can change.