Canteen buyers comparing salt labels
Compare ready-to-serve custards on a per-100g basis, rather than assuming that a Light variant has less salt than a standard one.
Who needs to make this choice?
Lunch-service operators
Consider whether a ready-to-serve can fits hot or cold service, and plan refrigerated storage for any contents left after opening.
Menu planners weighing several label values
Look at sugars, fat and saturates alongside salt when deciding whether an ambient custard or a chilled alternative fits the menu.
What matters when buying?
For ready-to-serve custard at a workplace lunch service, start with comparable per-100g labels, then check handling and the other nutrition values that matter to your menu.
| Concern | What to check | Who this matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Salt per 100g | Compare current salt declarations on the same per-100g basis; keep pots and cans distinct when specifying the pack. | If salt is my main menu criterion, I need a comparable figure before choosing a custard. About 45% of consumers put the salt declaration first. |
| Service and storage | Check the serving method and the pack's refrigeration and use-up instructions after opening. | For a busy lunch service, I need a format the team can serve and store as instructed. About 33% of consumers prioritise that workflow. |
| Other nutrition values | Compare sugars, fat and saturates per 100g alongside salt, particularly when considering a Light or chilled recipe. | When the whole menu has several nutrition considerations, the salt figure alone does not settle my choice. About 22% of consumers make that wider label comparison their primary concern. |
What can lead to the wrong choice?
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Assuming Light means less salt
Ambrosia says its Light Devon Custard has 30% less sugar and fat than standard Ambrosia Devon Custard, but lists 0.12g salt per 100g for Light and 0.11g for the standard can.
Compare the salt line separately if salt is the deciding factor.
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Calling a small label difference 'reduced salt'
A lower salt number on one product does not, by itself, establish a qualifying comparative nutrition claim.
State the declared salt per 100g unless the proposed claim and its product comparison have been checked against the applicable rules.
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Comparing unlike serving figures
Pack sizes and suggested portions can differ, making their per-serving numbers a poor starting point for a direct label comparison.
Compare salt per 100g first, then use the planned canteen portion to assess each serving.
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Overlooking the opened can
Ambrosia's standard 400g can contains milk ingredients. Its instructions say to refrigerate remaining contents after opening and consume them within three days.
Keep current ingredient and allergen information available for service, and plan how opened cans will be stored and used within their stated period.
A pack that cannot be used within its post-opening period may leave custard to discard.
Brands and product lines to consider
Tesco
Tesco Custard Pot 400G is a ready-to-serve pot for buyers considering an alternative to a can.
- Tesco Groceries lists 0.10g salt per 100g for this pot.
- It is a pot, not a tin; confirm that its format fits the canteen's service plan.
Ambrosia
Ambrosia has standard and Light ready-to-serve Devon Custard cans in the investigated 400g range.
- Ambrosia lists 0.11g salt per 100g for its standard can and 0.12g for its Light can.
- According to Ambrosia, Light has 30% less sugar and fat than its standard Devon Custard; that comparison is not a lower-salt claim. Check milk ingredients and each can's opened-pack instructions.
Bird's
Bird's Original Custard Powder is a preparation option, rather than ready-to-serve tinned custard.
- The preparation method allows the amount of milk and added sugar to be varied.
- It requires preparation. Bird's lists 0.15g salt per 100g when prepared with semi-skimmed milk; a different recipe needs its own assessment.
M&S
M&S Collection Madagascan Vanilla Luxury Custard is a chilled alternative, not an ambient tin.
- Marks & Spencer lists 0.08g salt per 100g for this custard.
- It needs chilled storage and lists 13.6g fat and 8.2g saturates per 100g. Consider those values and the storage requirement before substituting it for a tin.
Joybuy custard selections
These Ambrosia 400g variants offer options to consider for workplace lunch service. Compare the current label and handling instructions for the exact variant you intend to use.
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Ambrosia Strawberry Flavour Devon Custard 400g
Consider this strawberry-flavour variant if the menu calls for it rather than standard custard. Check the current pack's salt per 100g, milk-allergen information and instructions for any contents left after opening before putting it into lunch service.
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Ambrosia Devon Custard 400g
This ready-to-serve standard can suits a lunch service that wants custard served hot or cold. Ambrosia and the Joybuy product information list 0.11g salt per 100g. It contains milk; refrigerate remaining contents after opening and consume them within three days, as instructed.
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Ambrosia Low Fat Custard 400g
Consider this variant when comparing the menu's fat and salt requirements separately. Do not use its Low Fat name as evidence of a lower salt figure: check the current pack's per-100g declaration, milk-allergen information and opened-pack instructions.
Common questions
Can a canteen call a custard 'reduced salt' because its label shows a smaller number?
A smaller number alone is not enough to establish a comparative nutrition claim. Use the declared salt per 100g for a straightforward comparison, and check the applicable claim requirements and qualifying comparator before using 'reduced salt' on a menu.
Which investigated ready-to-serve option lists the least salt per 100g?
Tesco Groceries lists 0.10g salt per 100g for Tesco Custard Pot 400G, compared with Ambrosia's 0.11g for its standard 400g can and 0.12g for its Light 400g can. The Tesco product is a pot, not a tin; check the current labels before ordering.
Does Ambrosia Light contain less salt than the standard can?
Not according to Ambrosia's figures for the investigated 400g cans: Light lists 0.12g salt per 100g and standard lists 0.11g. Ambrosia's stated 30% reduction for Light concerns sugar and fat relative to its standard Devon Custard.
How should the canteen handle leftover custard from an opened can?
Follow the instructions for the exact pack. The Joybuy information for Ambrosia Devon Custard 400g says to refrigerate remaining contents after opening and consume them within three days; keep its milk-allergen information available for service.