Households cooking in batches
If several meals start with tinned tomatoes, comparing salt per 100g helps you choose a base for sauces, chilli, curries and casseroles.
Who is this for?
Shoppers comparing own-label tins
Asda, Tesco and Sainsbury's chopped tomatoes have different listed salt figures. Tin size and instructions for opened leftovers also matter when planning several meals.
Cooks choosing by texture
Chopped and whole plum tomatoes start a recipe differently. Check the salt declaration on the particular tin rather than assuming its format or brand tells you the answer.
What matters when choosing?
Start with a like-for-like salt comparison, then work out which format and quantity your recipes will use.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Salt | Compare the label's salt figure per 100g for the exact product. Check the portion you intend to use and whether salt appears in the ingredients. | I want to compare tins on the same basis before adding stock, sauces or other ingredients to a family recipe. |
| Tomato format | Check whether the tomatoes are chopped or whole plum. Whole tomatoes may need breaking up or blending for the texture a recipe calls for. | For a quick chopped-tomato base, I would choose that format; for a recipe where I can break up whole tomatoes, plum tomatoes are another option. |
| Pack quantity | Count the tins and check their size against the amounts your recipes use. Plan where a multipack will be stored. | A larger pack makes sense for me only if the household will use the tins and their tomato format suits our regular meals. |
| Opened leftovers | Read the exact product's storage instructions. Asda Groceries says to transfer its chopped tomatoes to a covered non-metallic container, refrigerate and use within 4 days; Sainsbury's and Marks & Spencer specify 2 days for the products described here. | If a recipe uses only part of a tin, I need to know whether the remainder fits another planned meal within that product's stated period. |
Buying pitfalls
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Assuming plain tinned tomatoes have similar salt figures
The named products differ: Asda Groceries lists 0.01g salt per 100g for its chopped tomatoes, while the Asda Groceries listing for Mutti finely chopped tomatoes gives 0.30g per 100g and includes salt in the ingredients.
Compare the per-100g declaration on the exact tin rather than relying on the brand, origin or front description.
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Choosing a multipack before choosing the tin
More tins do not establish whether their salt figure or tomato format suits your recipes.
Shortlist suitable products first, then choose a pack count that matches how often you cook with them and the space you have to store them.
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Overlooking the tomato format
Marks & Spencer's organic Italian plum tomatoes are whole, while the Asda product cited here is chopped. Swapping between them can change preparation and sauce texture.
Check whether your recipe calls for pieces or a broken-down sauce, and allow for crushing or blending whole tomatoes if needed.
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Keeping opened tomatoes beyond the pack instructions
Storage periods differ between the named products: Asda Groceries states 4 days for its chopped tomatoes, Sainsbury's and Marks & Spencer state 2 days for theirs, and the Asda Groceries listing for Mutti finely chopped tomatoes states up to 5 days.
Follow the exact tin's instructions, including any direction to transfer unused contents to a covered non-metallic container and refrigerate them.
Brand and product references
These figures describe the named products, not every tin made by each brand.
Asda
Asda Chopped Tomatoes 400g is a chopped-tomato option for family cooking.
- Asda Groceries lists 0.01g salt per 100g and 0.03g per half-can for this product.
- Its instructions say to transfer opened contents to a covered non-metallic container, refrigerate and use within 4 days.
M&S
M&S Organic Italian Plum Tomatoes offer a whole-plum format rather than chopped tomatoes.
- Marks & Spencer lists 0.02g salt per 100g for this product.
- Whole tomatoes may need breaking up; the product instructions say to refrigerate opened contents in a non-metallic container and eat within 2 days.
Sainsbury's
Sainsbury's Chopped Tomatoes Can 400g provides a standard chopped format.
- Sainsbury's Groceries lists 0.07g salt per 100g and 0.14g per half-can.
- Its instructions say to transfer opened contents to a non-metallic container, refrigerate and use within 2 days.
Tesco
Tesco Italian Chopped Tomatoes 400g is another chopped-tomato option for sauces and casseroles.
- Tesco Groceries lists 0.09g salt per 100g and 0.18g per half-can.
- Check the current can label when comparing it with other products.
Napolina
Napolina describes its chopped tomatoes as chunky and offers 400g tins and a 4 x 400g pack.
- The manufacturer's product page lists 0.10g salt per 100g for its chopped tomatoes.
- Choose the chunky format for a recipe that suits it, rather than assuming it has the lowest salt figure among these named products.
Mutti
Mutti finely chopped tomatoes provide a finer tomato format.
- The Asda Groceries listing for the 400g product states that its ingredients are tomatoes (99.8%) and salt.
- That listing gives 0.30g salt per 100g and says to refrigerate opened contents and consume within 5 days.
Tinned tomatoes on Joybuy
These chopped and plum-tomato multipacks offer different quantities and starting textures for a household that cooks with tinned tomatoes regularly. Compare the salt declaration on each exact pack when that is your deciding factor.
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Laila Canned Chopped Tomatoes 12 x 400g
A 12-tin chopped-tomato pack suits a household planning several recipes that use this format.
Check the current can label for salt per 100g and any instructions for opened contents.
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Napolina Chopped Tomatoes 6 x 400g
Six 400g tins offer a chopped-tomato format for households making multiple sauces or similar dishes.
Compare the exact pack's salt declaration and opened-can instructions before stocking up.
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Napolina Chopped Tomatoes 4 x 400g
This four-tin pack is a smaller chopped-tomato stock-up than the six- and twelve-tin options shown here.
Napolina lists 0.10g salt per 100g for its chopped tomatoes in the 4 x 400g format; check the label on the pack you receive.
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Laila Canned Plum Tomatoes 12 x 400g
A 12-tin plum-tomato pack suits recipes where this format works for the household.
Plum tomatoes may need breaking up for a chopped-tomato recipe. Check the exact pack's salt declaration.
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Napolina Peeled Plum Tomatoes 4 x 400g
Four 400g tins provide a plum-tomato option for sauces or stews where you can break up the tomatoes as needed.
Check this pack's salt declaration and opened-can instructions against your other choices.
Frequently asked questions
Which salt figure should I use to compare tins?
Use salt per 100g to compare products on the same basis, then check the amount you expect to use in a recipe. The NHS advises checking food labels when choosing lower-salt foods; its adult guidance includes salt already in food as well as salt added during and after cooking.
Which of the named supermarket tins has the lowest listed salt figure?
Among the named products, Asda Groceries lists 0.01g salt per 100g for Asda Chopped Tomatoes 400g; Marks & Spencer lists 0.02g per 100g for M&S Organic Italian Plum Tomatoes. They are different tomato formats, so choose one that suits the recipe as well as your salt comparison.
Does a larger pack make more sense for family cooking?
It makes sense when you expect to use its tins and the tomato format suits your regular recipes. Compare salt on the exact product first, then consider pack count, storage space and how often you cook with tomatoes.
How long can I keep tomatoes from an opened tin?
Follow the exact product's instructions rather than applying one period to every brand. Asda Groceries specifies up to 4 days for its chopped tomatoes after transfer to a covered non-metallic container and refrigeration; the named Sainsbury's and M&S products specify 2 days, while the Asda Groceries listing for Mutti finely chopped tomatoes says up to 5 days refrigerated.
What if there is no traffic-light label on the front?
Read the nutrition information on the pack to find salt per 100g. Food Standards Agency guidance explains that some supermarkets and manufacturers also display front-of-pack traffic-light information, so its absence need not prevent a label comparison.