Salt-label comparers
If salt is the priority for an Easter dessert, compare the declared amount per 100g rather than assuming that a lighter recipe contains less.
Who this choice matters to
Family dessert planners
For custard served with cake, crumble or pie, a ready-to-serve pack can simplify preparation. Pack size and instructions for opened leftovers matter when planning portions.
Recipe-control shoppers
If you are willing to make custard from powder, you can choose the milk and sugar used. Powder is a different format from ready-to-serve tinned custard.
What to check when buying
Start with salt per 100g for ready-to-serve products, then consider how much you will serve. A light recipe, convenient pack and made-from-powder option answer different needs.
| Concern | What to check | Who this matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Declared salt | Compare salt per 100g on the exact ready-to-serve pack, then check the amount for the portion you intend to serve. | If salt is my main consideration, I need a like-for-like label comparison before choosing custard for dessert. About 40% of consumers put declared salt first. |
| Ready-to-serve convenience | Check pack size and whether the custard can be served hot or cold; follow its instructions after opening. | When several people are having Easter pudding, I want custard I can serve without making it from powder and a pack I can use in time. Ready-to-serve convenience comes first for about 30% of consumers. |
| Light recipe | Identify which nutrient the light claim compares, and read the salt declaration separately. | If I am choosing a lower-fat or lower-sugar recipe, I do not want to mistake that description for a salt comparison. About 20% of consumers prioritise the light recipe. |
| Preparation control | Allow for the milk and sugar needed to make powder; use prepared nutrition figures only with their stated preparation method. | When I have time to make custard, choosing the preparation ingredients matters more to me than opening a ready-to-serve pack. Preparation control is the primary need for about 10% of consumers. |
Common buying mistakes
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Reading “light” as “less salt”
Ambrosia describes its Light Devon Custard as having 30% less fat and sugar than its standard Devon Custard. Its declared salt is 0.12g per 100g, compared with 0.11g per 100g for the standard product.
Check the salt line on the exact pack. Treat “reduced salt” as a separate claim rather than an implication of lower fat or sugar.
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Comparing unequal stated portions
Ambrosia gives a 130g portion for its standard custard, while Sainsbury's gives a 125g portion for Ready To Eat Custard. Their per-portion figures therefore describe different quantities.
Use salt per 100g for the initial comparison, then consider the quantity you expect to serve.
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Opening more custard than you can use
Ambrosia and Sainsbury's instruct shoppers to refrigerate their reviewed custards after opening and consume them within three days.
Plan pack sizes around the portions needed and follow the current pack's instructions for leftovers.
Custard left beyond its stated opened-pack storage period may have to be discarded.
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Treating powder like a ready-to-serve tin
Bird's Original Custard Powder requires preparation. Its published salt figure of 0.15g per 100g is for custard prepared with semi-skimmed milk, not for the dry powder or every possible recipe.
Choose powder if making custard suits your plans, and compare prepared values only on their stated basis.
You also need milk and sugar to prepare it according to Bird's instructions.
Relevant brands for reference
Ambrosia
Ambrosia's 400g standard and Light Devon Custard cans are ready-to-serve options with separate nutrition declarations.
- Ambrosia lists 0.11g salt per 100g for standard Devon Custard and 0.12g for Light Devon Custard.
- The Light comparison concerns fat and sugar, not salt. Both products contain milk ingredients; follow their opened-pack storage instructions.
Sainsbury's
Sainsbury's Ready To Eat Custard is a 500g ready-to-serve product that can be served hot or cold.
- Its product information lists 0.15g salt per 100g and 0.19g per 125g serving.
- Sainsbury's describes its Lighter Custard as 50% less fat than its standard custard, but lists 0.15g salt per 100g for the Lighter product too.
Bird's
Bird's Original Custard Powder is a made-from-powder option, not ready-to-serve tinned custard.
- Preparation lets you choose the milk and sugar used.
- Bird's lists 0.15g salt per 100g when prepared with semi-skimmed milk; that figure depends on the stated preparation method.
Ready-to-serve custards on Joybuy
These Ambrosia 400g custards suit an Easter dessert that calls for a ready-to-serve option. Compare the salt declaration for each flavour and recipe on its current pack; a place in this selection is not a reduced-salt claim.
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Ambrosia Devon Custard 400g
A ready-to-serve custard for a hot or cold Easter dessert when declared salt is the main comparison. Ambrosia lists 0.11g salt per 100g and 0.14g per 130g portion; this is not a reduced-salt claim. It contains milk. After opening, remove leftovers from the can, refrigerate them and consume within three days, as instructed.
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Ambrosia Low Fat Custard 400g
This ready-to-serve can is an option when the lower-fat recipe is the priority, with salt checked separately. Its product information lists 0.12g salt per 100g; low-fat wording is not a reduced-salt claim. It contains milk. Remove leftovers from the can, refrigerate them and consume within three days of opening, as instructed.
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Ambrosia Strawberry Flavour Devon Custard 400g
A ready-to-serve strawberry-flavoured custard for a hot or cold dessert. Check the current can's salt declaration before comparing this variant with standard or low-fat custard; do not treat its flavour as a salt indicator. It contains milk, and its product instructions call for refrigeration after opening and consumption within three days.
Questions about tinned custard
Does “Light” tinned custard contain less salt?
Not necessarily. Ambrosia describes its Light Devon Custard as having 30% less fat and sugar than standard Devon Custard, but lists 0.12g salt per 100g for Light and 0.11g for standard. Check salt on the exact pack rather than using “Light” as a substitute for that figure.
How should I compare salt when serving different portions?
Compare ready-to-serve custards per 100g first, then use the amount you plan to serve to assess each portion. The stated portions are not always the same size: Ambrosia uses 130g for its standard custard, while Sainsbury's uses 125g for Ready To Eat Custard.
Can opened custard be kept throughout the Easter weekend?
Follow the limit on the particular pack. Ambrosia Devon Custard and Sainsbury's Ready To Eat Custard instruct shoppers to refrigerate after opening and consume within three days; Ambrosia also instructs shoppers to remove remaining custard from the can.
Should I check milk ingredients before serving custard?
Yes. The reviewed Ambrosia and Sainsbury's ready-to-serve custards contain milk ingredients. Check the current pack's ingredients and allergen information for the exact product before serving it.