Cooks comparing salt on everyday tins
If tinned tomatoes regularly go into your pasta sauces, chilli, soups or casseroles, compare the declared salt per 100g before choosing between products.
Who these options suit
Cooks who prefer to season the finished dish
A no-added-salt chopped-tomato base lets you decide how to season a recipe that may also contain stock, cheese, cured meat or condiments. Check its nutrition panel as well as the front-of-pack claim.
Cooks choosing a sauce texture
Chopped tomatoes suit a dish where you want tomato pieces; passata provides a smooth, sieved base. A herb-seasoned tin is another option when basil and oregano fit the recipe.
What to check before buying
Start with the salt figure for the exact product, then choose the texture and seasoning that fit tonight’s dish.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Salt per 100g | Compare nutrition panels using the same per-100g measure. The NHS defines low salt for foods as 0.3g or less per 100g; the amount in your dish also depends on how much you use. | I want to compare tins fairly, rather than rely on serving figures from different pack sizes. I’ll consider the stock, cheese or condiments going into the rest of dinner too. |
| No added salt | Read the claim alongside the declared salt value. Ocado lists Mr Organic Italian Chopped Tomatoes as no added salt, with 0.03g salt per 100g. | When I want to control the seasoning myself, a plain no-added-salt base is useful—but I still want to know what the nutrition panel says. |
| Texture | Choose chopped tomatoes if you want pieces in the sauce. For a smooth, sieved base, check passata instead; compare its own salt panel rather than assuming the format determines the value. | A chunky chilli calls for a different tomato texture from a smooth pasta sauce or soup. |
| Added flavour | Check the ingredients for herbs, onion or garlic. Sainsbury's Basil & Oregano chopped tomatoes declare 0.09g salt per 100g, according to Sainsbury's, but bring those herbs into the dish. | For a quick herb-flavoured sauce, added basil and oregano may suit me; for another recipe, I’d rather choose the flavourings myself. |
Common buying mistakes
-
Reading “no added salt” as a zero-salt figure
The claim describes what has been added, while the nutrition panel gives the product’s declared salt content. Ocado lists Mr Organic Italian Chopped Tomatoes as no added salt and declares 0.03g salt per 100g.
Read both the ingredients and the per-100g nutrition figure when comparing tins.
-
Comparing different serving sizes
A half-pack figure and a per-100g figure describe different quantities, making them poor direct comparisons.
Compare salt per 100g first, then consider how much tomato product your recipe uses.
-
Treating every tomato base as interchangeable
Chopped tomatoes retain pieces, passata is smooth and sieved, and a tin with basil and oregano brings a particular flavour to the meal.
Choose the texture your dish needs and check added ingredients before using a seasoned product in place of plain tomatoes.
-
Checking the tin but not the rest of dinner
The NHS notes that salt in food and salt added during cooking both contribute to an adult’s daily intake.
Taste before adding salt, particularly when the recipe also contains stock, cheese, cured meat or condiments.
Brand and product references
These figures describe the named products, not every tomato product sold under each brand.
Mr Organic
Italian chopped tomatoes for a plain sauce, soup or stew base.
- Ocado lists Mr Organic Italian Chopped Tomatoes as no added salt and declares 0.03g salt per 100g.
- Check the label separately for any other Mr Organic tomato product.
Tesco
Own-label Italian chopped tomatoes for everyday tomato-based cooking.
- Tesco Groceries declares 0.09g salt per 100g for Tesco Italian Chopped Tomatoes 4 x 400g.
- That figure applies to this pack; check other Tesco tomato lines individually.
Napolina
Chopped tomatoes and passata offer different textures for a quick tomato base.
- Napolina lists 0.10g salt per 100g for its chopped tomatoes and 0.12g per 100g for its smooth passata.
- Choose by the texture your recipe needs as well as the salt figure; passata is not automatically lower in salt than chopped tomatoes.
Sainsbury's
Basil-and-oregano chopped tomatoes provide a pre-seasoned base.
- Sainsbury's declares 0.09g salt per 100g for its Chopped Tomatoes with Basil & Oregano 390g.
- The included herbs make this less neutral than plain chopped tomatoes.
Mutti
Finely chopped tomatoes offer another texture for tomato-based dishes.
- Dunnes Stores in Ireland lists 0.30g salt per 100g for Mutti Finely Chopped Tomatoes 400g, equal to the NHS low-salt cut-off for foods.
- Check the current UK pack before using the Irish retailer’s figure to make a UK buying decision.
Joybuy tomato options
These options cover chopped tomatoes for a chunkier dish and an onion-and-garlic passata for a smooth base. Choose the format and added flavours that suit your recipe.
No image available
Napolina Chopped Tomatoes 4 x 400g
Choose chopped tomatoes when you want tomato pieces in a pasta sauce, chilli or casserole. Napolina declares 0.10g salt per 100g for its chopped tomatoes; compare the figure on the pack when buying. The bundle contains four 400g tins.
No image available
Morrisons Passata With Onion & Garlic 390g
Consider passata when your quick dinner needs a smooth tomato base rather than chopped pieces. This 390g version includes onion and garlic, so it is less neutral than plain tomatoes; check its nutrition panel and full ingredients against the dish you plan to make.
Frequently asked questions
What counts as low salt on a UK food label?
The NHS defines low salt for foods as 0.3g salt or less per 100g. Use that per-100g figure to compare tomato products, then consider the quantity your recipe uses.
Does “no added salt” mean a tin contains no salt?
No: check the declared salt value as well as the claim. Ocado lists Mr Organic Italian Chopped Tomatoes as no added salt, while its nutrition panel declares 0.03g salt per 100g. Other products can meet the NHS low-salt definition without a no-added-salt claim.
Should I use chopped tomatoes or passata for pasta sauce?
Use chopped tomatoes if you want pieces in the sauce, or passata if you want a smooth, sieved base. Compare salt on the exact products: Napolina lists 0.10g per 100g for its chopped tomatoes and 0.12g per 100g for its passata.
How should I store leftover tinned tomatoes?
Follow the instructions on your pack. Ocado’s listing for Mr Organic Italian Chopped Tomatoes says to transfer leftovers to a non-metallic container, refrigerate them and use them within 72 hours; instructions for other products may differ.
Can I still season a dish made with low-salt tomatoes?
Yes, but taste the finished dish before adding salt and account for ingredients such as stock or cheese. For people trying to cut down on salt, the NHS suggests using herbs and spices for flavour instead of adding more salt.