Pancake makers avoiding added sugar
If you want to avoid syrup, the packing medium is a useful starting point. Check the ingredients and total-sugars line as well: a no-added-sugar label does not mean sugar-free.
Who is choosing a Pancake Day topping?
Families sharing a batch
A larger tin of sliced fruit can be divided between pancakes. Compare drained fruit quantity and the stated serving size, not just the weight printed on the front of the can.
Shoppers wanting individual portions
Fruit pots offer separate portions with little preparation. Check each pot’s size, sugars and ingredient list if sweeteners affect your choice.
What matters when choosing?
For Pancake Day fruit toppings, narrow the choice by packing medium, then compare the nutrition panel and the amount of fruit you expect to use.
| Concern | What to check | Who this matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Avoiding added sugar or syrup | Check whether the fruit is packed in juice or syrup, then read the ingredients and any sugar claim on the exact pack. | If I want fruit without syrup on my pancakes, I need the packing medium and ingredients to guide the choice, rather than assuming a front-of-pack phrase settles it. About 33% of consumers put avoiding added sugar or syrup first. |
| Total sugars and portions | Compare sugars per 100g and per stated serving where available; decide how much fruit and juice will go on each pancake. | For a carefully sized topping, the amount I serve matters as much as the number on a per-100g panel. Keeping total sugars and portions in view is the primary concern for about 27% of consumers. |
| Preparation and format | Compare slices or chunks for sharing with individual pots; check drained weight when comparing tins. | When several pancakes need topping at once, I may prefer a tin of ready-cut fruit; for one portion, a pot may be easier to use. About 20% of consumers prioritise preparation and portion format. |
| Usable fruit and leftovers | Compare drained quantity and serving information, then check the opened-storage instructions. | If I am opening a tin for a household meal, I want enough fruit for the pancakes and a plan for what remains. Usable quantity and leftovers come first for about 20% of consumers. |
Common label and serving mistakes
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Treating “in juice”, “no added sugar” and “reduced sugar” as the same claim
These phrases answer different questions. For a UK “reduced sugar” claim, the food-claim rule published by legislation.gov.uk requires at least 30% less sugar than a similar product; juice packing alone does not establish that comparison.
Read the ingredients and sugars per 100g. Use a reduced-sugar claim only when it appears on the product and the required comparison applies.
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Comparing tins without considering the serving
Tesco Groceries lists 9.7g sugars per 100g for its peach slices in juice, while Sainsbury’s lists 11.0g per 100g for its juice-packed peach slices. The amount spooned onto a pancake still determines the size of the serving.
Compare the panels on the products you are considering, then decide how much fruit and packing liquid you will use.
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Opening a large tin without a leftover plan
A sharing-size tin may leave fruit after the pancakes are served. Opened-storage instructions vary by product.
Check the can label, transfer leftovers to a suitable covered container and refrigerate them as instructed.
Fruit left unused beyond the pack’s opened-storage period may go to waste.
Brands to consider
Del Monte
A branded range with juice-packed fruit options, including peach slices listed by Sainsbury’s.
- Useful if you want to compare different fruit formats within one brand.
- Check each product’s packing medium; the brand also appears on light-syrup listings.
Princes
Princes lists peach slices with juice in 410g and 220g sizes.
- The two listed sizes give shoppers a choice of tin format.
- Compare the nutrition panel and the amount of drained fruit on the size you choose.
Tesco
Tesco’s 410g peach slices in juice are one own-brand option for a shared topping.
- Tesco Groceries lists 9.7g sugars per 100g for this product.
- Tesco also lists light-syrup peach options, so check the exact tin.
Sainsbury’s
Sainsbury’s lists a 411g own-brand peach tin in fruit juice.
- Its product listing gives a sugars figure and a serving basis for comparison.
- The retailer also lists peaches in light syrup; the two products should not be treated as interchangeable.
Asda
Asda lists 411g peach slices in fruit juice as an own-brand tin.
- The product listing identifies peach and grape juice from concentrate among its ingredients.
- Check the current label’s serving and opened-storage instructions for the tin you buy.
M&S
The M&S tinned-fruit category lists rhubarb chunks and grapefruit segments.
- These offer fruit types to consider if peaches are not essential to your topping.
- Compare the individual product’s packing medium and nutrition panel rather than treating the category as a like-for-like peach option.
Joybuy fruit options for pancakes
These Joybuy options cover juice-packed peach slices, individual peach pots, pineapple chunks and mixed fruit. Choose by the fruit and portion format you want, then check the current pack if a sugar claim or serving figure is decisive.
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Morrisons Peach Slices in Juice 220g
The 220g tin is a smaller sliced-peach option for a few pancakes. Check its sugars panel and drained quantity if either will determine your serving.
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Del Monte Peach Slices in Juice 415g
This 415g tin provides sliced peaches for a shared pancake topping. Compare the drained quantity and serving information on the can before deciding how much to use.
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Dole Peaches in Juice 4 x 113g
Four separate 113g pots may suit pancakes served one portion at a time. If choosing them for no-added-sugar wording, check the current ingredients for sweeteners and compare total sugars too.
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Princes Pineapple Chunks with Juice 432g
Choose this 432g tin if pineapple chunks appeal more than peach slices as a pancake topping. Check the drained quantity and sugars on the can when comparing it with other fruits.
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Del Monte Fruit Cocktail in Juice 415g
This 415g tin is an option when you want mixed fruit rather than one fruit type on the pancakes. Use the current label to compare sugars and decide on a serving size.
Frequently asked questions
Does “no added sugar” mean tinned fruit has little sugar?
No. Tesco Groceries lists Nature’s Finest peaches as no added sugar while showing 12.1g sugars per 100g. Read the total-sugars line and ingredients alongside the claim.
When can a product be labelled “reduced sugar” in the UK?
The food-claim rule published by legislation.gov.uk requires at least 30% less sugar than a similar product for a “reduced sugar” claim. A tin being packed in juice rather than syrup does not, by itself, establish that comparison.
Does fruit packed in juice always have less total sugar than other options?
No such conclusion follows from the packing medium alone. Compare sugars per 100g on the exact products and consider the juice you will serve; the NHS notes that sugars in fruit juice count as free sugars.
What should I do with fruit left after Pancake Day?
Follow the opened-storage instructions on that product’s label. Transfer unused fruit from the can to a suitable covered container, refrigerate it and use it within the period stated for that product.