Choose dinner-party tuna by its labelled salt per 100g, not by the words “spring water” alone. Sainsbury’s lists 0.12g salt per 100g drained for its spring-water chunks, while the Tesco, M&S and Princes spring-water products discussed here list higher figures. Chunks suit dishes where the tuna is mixed through; if distinct pieces matter more for a platter or plated salad, consider a steak format but check its own salt label.
For tuna pasta, salads or canapé fillings, compare the salt per 100g on the tuna label before choosing a tin. The Sainsbury’s and Tesco spring-water listings show why the packing liquid alone cannot settle that choice.
A steak format may suit a plated salad or platter where the pieces remain visible. The Princes and M&S steak products listed here have higher salt figures than Sainsbury’s spring-water chunks, so weigh presentation against the salt label.
Ask about fish allergy and check the pack for bone warnings. If a guest is pregnant or trying for a baby, NHS guidance on weekly tuna consumption is also relevant when planning the menu.
Start with the tuna’s salt figure, then choose a format that works in the dish and check what else will be served with it.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Salt on the label | Compare salt per 100g on the exact tins, noting whether a figure refers to drained tuna. Sainsbury’s lists 0.12g per 100g drained for its spring-water chunks; Tesco lists 0.90g per 100g for its spring-water chunks. | I’m making a shared dish where limiting salt matters, so I want the tuna’s own label to guide the choice rather than its packing liquid. |
| Serving format | Choose chunks for a dish where tuna is mixed through, or consider steak for visible pieces. Princes lists 0.85g salt per 100g drained for its spring-water steak; M&S lists 0.83g per 100g for its steak. | For pasta or a filling, chunks work with my planned texture. For a plated salad, I may favour distinct pieces if the steak tin’s salt figure suits the dish. |
| Other ingredients | Check dressings, sauces and other salty additions as well as the tuna. The NHS suggests lemon, herbs, garlic, chilli or pepper for flavour instead of adding salt. | I want to control the salt in the finished dish, not just choose a tin and then overlook the ingredients mixed with it. |
| Sourcing information | Look for an MSC ecolabel or a stated catch method on the particular tin if that information matters to you; do not assume one product’s claim applies across a range. | If sourcing is part of my decision, I want a claim I can check on the product I buy. |
| Guest considerations | Check the fish allergen declaration and any bone warning on the pack. For guests who are pregnant or trying for a baby, consult NHS guidance on weekly tuna limits. | Before serving a shared dish, I need to know whether tuna is appropriate for my guests and whether an alternative is needed. |
Sainsbury’s spring-water chunks list 0.12g salt per 100g drained, while Tesco’s spring-water chunks list 0.90g per 100g. The liquid description does not tell you the salt figure.
Compare the per-100g nutrition panels on the exact tins you are considering.
Salty sauces, cheese, olives, capers or added seasoning can change the salt content of a tuna salad or filling.
Taste before adding salt. The NHS suggests flavouring food with lemon, herbs, garlic, chilli or pepper instead.
Steak pieces may be useful in a platter, but Princes lists 0.85g salt per 100g drained for its spring-water steak and M&S lists 0.83g per 100g for its steak.
Choose the format for the dish you are making, then check whether that particular tin meets your salt preference.
Tuna is fish, and some product labels warn that bones may remain. The NHS also gives weekly tuna limits for people who are pregnant or trying for a baby.
Ask about fish allergy before serving, follow the pack’s warnings and plan another option when a guest needs one.
Salt figures below belong to the named products, not every tin made by the brand.
Own-label tuna chunks in spring water.
Own-label tuna chunks in spring water.
Tuna in chunk and steak formats, including products packed in spring water or brine.
Own-label spring-water tuna in chunk and steak formats.
Branded tuna range that includes a no-drain steak in spring water.
This spring-water tuna chunk option is a format to consider for a dinner-party salad or pasta dish. Check its pack’s salt figure before choosing it for a reduced-salt recipe.
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The chunk format is an option for tuna mixed into a dinner-party salad or pasta dish. Compare the salt per 100g on the exact pack before choosing it for a reduced-salt recipe, and check its allergen and bone warnings before serving.
No. Sainsbury’s lists 0.12g salt per 100g drained for its spring-water chunks, while Tesco lists 0.90g per 100g for its spring-water chunks. Compare the salt figure on each tin rather than relying on the packing liquid.
Choose chunks when the tuna will be mixed into pasta, a salad or a filling; consider steak when you want more distinct pieces on a plate. If reducing salt matters, check the chosen format’s label: the Princes and M&S spring-water steaks listed here have higher salt figures than Sainsbury’s spring-water chunks.
Try lemon, herbs, garlic, chilli or black pepper, and taste the finished dish before adding salt. These are among the flavouring alternatives suggested by the NHS; check sauces and other additions too.
Check with the guest when planning the menu. NHS guidance says people who are pregnant or trying for a baby should have no more than four cans of tuna or two tuna steaks a week because tuna contains higher levels of mercury than other fish.
Tuna is fish, so check guests’ fish allergies before serving a shared dish. Read the exact pack for its allergen declaration and bone warning: Tesco and M&S warn that bones may remain in their listed tuna products.