Hosts serving dessert with coffee
If custard is going alongside cake, fruit or crumble, a ready-to-serve can avoids preparation just before guests arrive. Compare fat and sugars per 100g, then check how much the pack suggests serving to each person.
Who is choosing custard?
Hosts planning for leftovers and guests
Portion guidance helps when deciding how many packs to open. The checked Ambrosia and ASDA cans contain milk, and their opened-pack instructions call for refrigeration and use within three days.
What matters when choosing?
Start with the feature that matters most for the gathering, then compare nutrition on the same per-100g basis and check the serving guidance on the pack you choose.
| Concern | What to check | Who this matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Fat per 100g | Compare the fat figures on ready-to-serve cans, rather than relying on “light” or “low fat” wording alone. | If keeping the fat figure in view is my starting point, I need to compare the actual panels: ASDA Groceries lists 0.6g per 100g for Just Essentials and 1.6g for ASDA Light, while Ambrosia lists 2.0g for Low Fat. About 39% of consumers put fat comparison first. |
| Sugars and energy | Read sugars and energy per 100g alongside fat; use the declared serving size when planning portions. | When choosing a custard to serve with dessert, I may care about its sugars or energy figure as much as its fat figure. About 23% of consumers put that combined nutrition check first. |
| Ready-to-serve format | Confirm that the pack is a can, not a carton or a powder that needs preparing. | If friends are arriving soon, I want custard I can serve without making it from powder. Roughly 23% of consumers make the ready-to-serve format their primary concern. |
| Portions and guest needs | Check the stated servings and the exact pack’s milk declaration; follow its opened-pack instructions. | For a small group, I want enough for dessert without opening more than we can use, and I need to account for guests who cannot have milk. About 15% of consumers put portions and guest requirements first. |
What is easy to overlook?
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Assuming “light” also means less sugar
Ambrosia lists 7.4g sugars per 100g for its Low Fat can. ASDA Groceries lists 8.3g for ASDA Light and 8.1g for ASDA Just Essentials, so the names alone do not settle the sugar comparison.
Compare fat, sugars and energy per 100g on the packs you are considering.
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Picking up a carton or powder instead of a tin
Tesco and Sainsbury’s list lighter custard in cartons, while the Bird’s product identified in Sainsbury’s listings is a ready-to-make powder. Neither format is a ready-to-serve tin.
Check the pack format before choosing; use powder only if you are willing to prepare it.
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Overlooking servings and opened-pack storage
Ambrosia describes its 400g Low Fat can as three 130g portions; ASDA Groceries presents each of the two checked 400g cans as two servings. Their opened-pack instructions call for refrigeration and use within three days.
Plan portions before opening a pack, then follow its instructions for transferring and storing any remainder.
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Treating “low fat” as an allergen statement
The checked Ambrosia Low Fat, ASDA Light and ASDA Just Essentials custards contain milk. A fat description or vegetarian label does not establish suitability for a guest with a milk allergy.
Ask guests about allergies and check the allergen declaration on the exact pack before serving.
Brands and product lines to compare
Ambrosia
Ambrosia’s Low Fat Custard comes in a 400g ready-to-serve can; its Light range also includes cartons and snack pots.
- Ambrosia lists 2.0g fat and 7.4g sugars per 100g for the can, with three 130g portions.
- It contains milk. Once opened, the remaining custard must be removed from the can, refrigerated and used within three days.
Asda
ASDA Groceries lists both ASDA Light Custard and ASDA Just Essentials by Custard as 400g ready-to-serve cans.
- ASDA lists 1.6g fat per 100g for Light and 0.6g for Just Essentials. It describes Light as having 50% less fat than its standard equivalent.
- Just Essentials is not presented as a named low-fat variant. Both checked cans contain milk and are presented as two servings.
Tesco
Tesco’s own Light Custard is a 1kg ready-to-serve carton, rather than a tinned option.
- Tesco lists 1.5g fat and 11.3g sugars per 100g for the carton and describes it as having 40% less fat than its standard ready-to-serve custard.
- A carton does not meet a strict tinned-custard requirement.
Sainsbury’s
Sainsbury’s own-brand Lighter Custard is a 500g UHT carton, not a can.
- Sainsbury’s lists 1.5g fat per 100g and describes it as having 50% less fat than its standard custard.
- It lists 11.8g sugars per 100g, contains cows’ milk and must be used within three days of opening.
M&S
The M&S Silky Smooth Custard 400g can is a standard custard option rather than a labelled lighter variant.
- The can offers a ready-to-serve tinned format.
- Marks & Spencer lists 3.7g fat per 100g and milk among its ingredients; its opened-pack instruction is to eat it within two days.
Bird’s
The Bird’s products identified in the checked Sainsbury’s listings are ready-to-make custard powder and sachets.
- This format is an option if preparing custard is part of the plan.
- Powder is not a like-for-like substitute when you need a ready-to-serve can.
Joybuy custard selections
For a ready-to-serve tin, the Ambrosia 400g can fits the stated format. The Ambrosia 1kg carton is a separate option when the gathering calls for more servings and a tin is not essential.
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Ambrosia Low Fat Custard 400g
For a small dessert gathering where a ready-to-serve tin and a comparison of fat and sugars both matter. Joybuy lists a 400g can with 2.0g fat and 7.4g sugars per 100g; Ambrosia gives a guide of three 130g portions. It contains milk. After opening, remove the remainder from the can, refrigerate it and use it within three days.
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Ambrosia Light Devon Custard 1kg
Consider the larger ready-to-serve carton if you expect more dessert servings and do not require a tin. Joybuy lists approximately eight servings, 2.0g fat and 7.4g sugars per 100g. This product contains milk; refrigerate it after opening and use it within three days. Its carton format does not meet a tinned-only preference.
Questions about serving and storage
How do I compare low-fat tinned custards?
Read fat per 100g on each ready-to-serve can, then compare sugars and energy if those also matter to you. The checked product information lists 0.6g fat per 100g for ASDA Just Essentials, 1.6g for ASDA Light and 2.0g for Ambrosia Low Fat; check the current pack when buying.
Does a lower fat figure mean less sugar?
No. Among these three 400g cans, Ambrosia lists 7.4g sugars per 100g for Low Fat, while ASDA Groceries lists 8.1g for Just Essentials and 8.3g for Light. Compare the two nutrition lines separately.
How many portions should I plan for?
Use the pack’s serving guide and the amount you intend to put with each dessert. Ambrosia describes its Low Fat 400g can as three 130g portions; ASDA Groceries presents each checked 400g can as two servings. A larger carton is another ready-to-serve format, but it is not a tin.
What should I do with custard left in an opened can?
Follow that pack’s container and storage instructions. Ambrosia says to remove the remaining custard from its can, refrigerate it and use it within three days. The checked ASDA cans also specify refrigeration and use within three days, with instructions to transfer leftovers to a suitable non-metallic container.
Can I serve these custards to a guest with a milk allergy?
Do not assume suitability from “low fat” or “vegetarian” wording. The checked Ambrosia and ASDA custards declare milk or milk-containing ingredients, so check the exact pack’s allergen information and the guest’s requirements before serving.