A low-fat tin suits shoppers who want ready-to-serve custard in a can, but the fat claim alone does not tell you the energy or sugars in your serving. Compare labels per 100g and for the amount you plan to serve. If a carton is acceptable, it gives you another format to consider, but check its own nutrition panel rather than assuming it matches a tin.
If total and saturated fat are your starting points, compare ready-to-serve custards on a per-100g basis. Check energy and your intended portion as well; the words ‘low fat’ do not describe every part of the nutrition panel.
If you plan dessert around a particular serving, look at the energy and sugars in the amount you will actually dish up. A stated portion may be smaller than the amount you use from a 400g can.
If a tin is not essential, you can compare a light carton with tinned options. Ambrosia’s claim of less sugar and fat for its 500g Light carton uses its standard Devon Custard as the comparator, not every custard on the shelf.
Decide whether you need a tin before comparing nutrition: a light carton may meet a different pack-format need. For either format, use per-100g figures to compare products and the amount you intend to serve to assess your portion.
| Concern | What to check | Who this matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Total and saturated fat | Compare both figures per 100g across ready-to-serve custards, then read the energy figure too. | If I want a tin but start by reducing fat compared with a richer recipe, I need to see both total and saturated fat on the label. About 42% of consumers put that need first. |
| Energy and sugars per serving | Check kcal and sugars per 100g, then use the pack figures for the amount you plan to serve. | When I dish up custard with another dessert, the amount on my plate matters more to me than the manufacturer’s stated portion. For about 33% of consumers, serving-level energy and sugars are the primary concern. |
| Sugar and fat when format is flexible | Confirm that a carton suits you; read its nutrition panel and the named product behind any reduction claim. | If I can use a carton instead of a tin, I want to consider sugar and fat together rather than choose by fat alone. That combined need comes first for about 25% of consumers. |
Fat, energy and sugars are separate entries on a nutrition label. A low-fat description does not tell you the other two figures for the serving you intend to eat.
Compare energy, fat, saturates and sugars per 100g, then check the figures for your portion.
A figure per 100g and one per stated portion do not describe the same quantity unless that portion weighs 100g. The NHS notes that a manufacturer’s portion may differ from the amount you eat.
Compare products on the same per-100g basis, then work from the label to the amount of custard you plan to serve.
Sainsbury’s lists 89 kcal, 1.8g fat and 11.1g sugars per 100g for Ambrosia Low Fat Custard Can 400g. Joybuy lists 78 kcal, 2.0g fat and 7.4g sugars per 100g for its similarly named 400g product.
Use the nutrition panel on the exact can you receive before calculating its contribution to a serving.
The cited Ambrosia Low Fat Custard contains milk. Its instructions also call for the remaining contents to be removed from the can and refrigerated after opening.
Read the allergen declaration and storage directions on your pack, particularly if you expect to use one can over several servings.
Ambrosia has a ready-to-serve Low Fat Custard 400g can. Its separate Light range also includes a 500g carton for shoppers who do not need a tin.
Tesco Groceries lists Reduced Fat Custard in 500g and 1kg sizes within its light and low-fat custard range.
M&S Silky Smooth Custard is a 400g canned, whole-milk option for comparing a richer recipe with low-fat tins.
These options cover a low-fat custard tin and a light custard carton. Choose the carton only if the pack format works for you, and check each product’s own nutrition panel for your intended serving.
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Consider this ready-to-serve can if tin format and a low-fat description are your starting points. Joybuy lists 78 kcal, 2.0g fat, 1.0g saturates and 7.4g sugars per 100g for this product. Sainsbury’s lists different figures for a similarly named 400g can, so check the nutrition panel on the pack you receive before using those values for a portion calculation. Joybuy lists milk as an allergen.
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Consider this 1kg carton if you are willing to choose a format other than a tin. Use its own label to compare fat, sugars and energy for the amount you plan to serve; do not apply figures or reduction claims for a different pack size to this product. Check its milk allergen declaration and follow its instructions for storing any remainder.
No. It describes fat, not the energy or sugars in the amount you serve. Compare those entries per 100g across products, then use the pack’s figures for your intended portion.
Use the total-fat and saturated-fat figures per 100g for each custard. The NHS explains that nutrition information is given per 100g or 100ml and may also be shown per portion; portion figures are useful only when you account for the amount they represent.
Yes. Joybuy lists milk as an allergen for its Ambrosia Low Fat Custard 400g product, and Sainsbury’s lists milk ingredients for its similarly named can. Check the declaration on the exact pack before purchase if milk is an allergen concern.
For the cited 400g can, remove any remainder from the can, refrigerate it and use it within three days. Follow the directions on your exact pack if they differ.
No. The cited Ambrosia instructions call for the custard to be emptied into a saucepan or suitable microwaveable container before heating. Follow the heating directions on the pack.