Who each option suits

Fat-first dessert shoppers

If your main comparison is fat per 100g, consider cartons as well as cans. ASDA Groceries lists 1.4g per 100g for its 500g 30% Less Fat Custard; Tesco Groceries lists 1.5g for Tesco Reduced Fat Custard.

Shoppers who want a metal can

If “tinned” means a can rather than any ready-to-serve custard, Sainsbury’s lists Ambrosia Low Fat Custard in a 400g can. Its listed fat figure is 1.8g per 100g.

Hosts comparing more than fat

If sugars and energy matter alongside fat, check those lines separately. ASDA Groceries lists 7.4g sugars and 78kcal per 100g for the Ambrosia Light 500g carton, alongside 2.0g fat per 100g.

What to check before buying

For a fakeaway dessert, settle any firm requirement for a metal can before comparing nutrition per 100g. Pack size, allergens and instructions after opening can then decide between otherwise suitable options.

Concern What to check Who this matters to
Fat per 100g Compare fat and saturates on the nutrition panels per 100g, rather than relying on “light” or “reduced fat” wording. If fat is my main criterion, I want to compare the custards on the same per-100g basis. About 38% of consumers would put that need first.
Can and pack size Check whether the pack is a metal can or a carton, its net weight and its instructions after opening. I want a genuine tin, or a pack I can finish without leaving much custard over. That would be the primary concern for about 25% of consumers.
Sugars and energy Read sugars and kcal per 100g alongside fat; consider how much custard you plan to serve. Fat is not the only figure I want to compare for dessert. Roughly 25% of consumers would prioritise the balance of sugars, energy and fat.
Allergens and handling Read the current pack for allergens, heating directions and refrigerated storage instructions after opening. Before serving guests or saving leftovers, I need to know whether the custard is suitable and how to handle it. For about 12% of consumers, that would come first.

Common buying mistakes

  • Treating lighter-sounding labels as identical

    The listed fat figures differ: ASDA Groceries gives 1.4g per 100g for ASDA 30% Less Fat Custard, while Sainsbury’s gives 1.8g for Ambrosia Low Fat Custard Can. The wording on the front does not replace a like-for-like nutrition check.

    Compare fat, saturates, sugars and energy per 100g, then consider the amount you expect to pour.

  • Assuming ready-to-serve means tinned

    The ASDA and Tesco reduced-fat products discussed here are cartons; Sainsbury’s lists Ambrosia Low Fat Custard 400g as a metal can. That distinction matters if the container itself is part of your choice.

    Check the pack format before using fat figures to decide between products.

  • Opening a large pack for one dessert

    A 1kg carton may suit several servings, but an opened pack has different storage requirements from an unopened cupboard pack.

    Choose a size that fits your plans and follow its refrigeration and use-by instructions after opening.

    Unused custard can go to waste if you cannot use the opened pack within the stated period.

  • Overlooking the allergen label

    The ASDA, Tesco and Ambrosia custards discussed here contain milk. Allergen suitability should be checked before serving, regardless of the fat figure.

    Read the current physical pack, including any precautionary allergen information, for every guest who needs it.

Brands and retailer ranges to consider

Ambrosia

Ambrosia offers the 400g Low Fat Custard Can as well as Light custard in carton formats.

  • Sainsbury’s lists 1.8g fat per 100g for the 400g can, making it relevant when a metal tin is essential.
  • ASDA Groceries lists 2.0g fat per 100g for the Ambrosia Light 500g carton, alongside 7.4g sugars and 78kcal per 100g; its carton format does not meet a literal tin requirement.

ASDA

ASDA 30% Less Fat Custard is a 500g ready-to-serve carton.

  • ASDA Groceries lists 1.4g fat and 0.7g saturates per 100g for this product.
  • It is not a metal tin, and ASDA Groceries lists 12g sugars per 100g. The product contains milk.

Tesco

Tesco Reduced Fat Custard comes in a 1kg carton, a format to consider when planning several servings.

  • Tesco Groceries lists 1.5g fat per 100g for this product.
  • Tesco Groceries also lists 11.3g sugars per 100g. Consider whether you can use the 1kg pack after opening; it contains milk.

Sainsbury’s

Sainsbury’s lists Ambrosia Low Fat Custard Can 400g; this is an Ambrosia product, not a Sainsbury’s own-label comparison.

  • Its listing identifies the metal-can format and gives 1.8g fat per 100g.
  • The listed product contains milk. Compare the physical pack if other nutrition figures are decisive.

M&S

M&S Custard is a chilled alternative for a shopper considering a different format.

  • It provides a chilled option alongside the cupboard-stable products in this article.
  • Ocado lists 4.7g fat and 2.9g saturates per 100g for M&S Custard. Check its chilled-storage and allergen information before serving.

Bird’s

Bird’s has a ready-to-serve low-fat carton listed by Tesco Ireland.

  • Tesco Ireland lists 1.1g fat per 100g for its Bird’s Low Fat Ready To Serve Custard listing.
  • That Irish product listing does not establish the nutrition or availability of a current UK pack. Check the specific UK product before comparing it with the UK listings above.

Joybuy custard selections

These Joybuy selections cover a 1kg Ambrosia Light carton for planned multiple servings and a 400g Ambrosia Low Fat can for shoppers who specifically want tinned custard.

Ambrosia Light Devon Custard 1kg

Ambrosia Light Devon Custard 1kg

Consider this 1kg carton when planning custard for several fakeaway desserts rather than a single small serving. It is not a metal tin; check the current pack’s nutrition panel rather than assuming figures from the 500g Ambrosia Light carton apply to this size. Contains milk; refrigerate after opening and follow the pack’s instructions for using leftovers.

View on Joybuy
Ambrosia Low Fat Custard 400g can

Ambrosia Low Fat Custard 400g Can

Choose this format if a metal can matters more than selecting the lowest fat figure among the compared products. Sainsbury’s lists 1.8g fat per 100g for the matching Ambrosia 400g can. It contains milk; after opening, transfer leftovers out of the can, refrigerate them and follow the pack’s instructions for use.

View on Joybuy

Questions about choosing custard

Which custard has the lowest listed fat figure if I do not need a tin?

Among the UK products compared here, ASDA Groceries lists the lowest fat figure for ASDA 30% Less Fat Custard 500g, at 1.4g per 100g. Tesco Groceries lists 1.5g per 100g for Tesco Reduced Fat Custard 1kg. Both are cartons, so check pack size as well as fat.

Which of these custards comes in a metal can?

Ambrosia Low Fat Custard Can is listed by Sainsbury’s as a 400g metal-can product with 1.8g fat per 100g. It meets a literal tin requirement, although the ASDA and Tesco cartons above have lower listed fat figures per 100g.

Does choosing a lower-fat custard also mean less sugar?

No: check the two nutrition lines separately. ASDA Groceries lists 7.4g sugars per 100g for the Ambrosia Light 500g carton, compared with 12g for ASDA 30% Less Fat Custard; Tesco Groceries lists 11.3g for Tesco Reduced Fat Custard.

Can I serve these custards to someone with a milk allergy?

The ASDA, Tesco and Ambrosia products discussed here contain milk, so they are not suitable for someone with a milk allergy. Read the current physical pack’s ingredients and allergen information before serving any product.

What should I do with custard left after fakeaway night?

Follow the particular pack’s instructions for refrigeration and use after opening; the checked ASDA, Tesco and Ambrosia products specify use within three days. For the Ambrosia can, transfer leftovers out of the can before refrigerating them.