Parents making one family meal
If a young child eats the same sauce or casserole as everyone else, check the ingredients used throughout the meal as well as the tomato tin. The NHS advises checking food labels and not adding salt to a child’s food.
Who is this for?
The useful choice depends on both the recipe and the child’s response to the way tomatoes are served.
Shoppers comparing salt between tins
The per-100g salt figure lets you compare different pack sizes on the same basis. A front-of-pack claim or familiar brand name does not replace that number.
Families adjusting sauce texture
Finely chopped, chopped and whole plum tomatoes need not look or feel the same in a finished sauce. NHS child-feeding guidance suggests offering foods in different forms, including mixed into a sauce, without pressuring a child to eat.
What should you check?
Start with salt per 100g, then choose a tomato format that suits the dish and check the other ingredients going into it.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Salt comparison | Read salt per 100g on each exact tin. The NHS low-salt classification is 0.3g or less per 100g; check the current pack when buying. | I want to compare tins fairly, even when their can sizes or suggested portions differ. |
| Tomato texture | Check whether the tomatoes are finely chopped, chopped or whole. Consider whether the recipe allows you to crush or blend them. | Visible pieces may be a barrier in our usual sauce, or a chunkier version may already be familiar. |
| Salt claims | Read the nutrition panel even when the tin says ‘no added salt’. Compare the number per 100g and check the ingredients list for added salt. | I want to know what the tin actually contains, rather than treating ‘no added salt’ as ‘zero salt’. |
| The whole recipe | Check the labels of other packaged ingredients, such as stock or sauces. The NHS advises against adding salt to a child’s food. | One lower-salt ingredient does not tell me how much salt is in the finished family meal. |
What can trip you up?
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Reading ‘no added salt’ as ‘salt-free’
Waitrose & Partners lists Mr Organic Italian Organic Chopped Tomatoes as ‘no added salt’, yet its nutrition panel shows 0.03g salt per 100g. The claim and the salt figure answer different questions.
Use the per-100g figure to compare tins, including those without a front-of-pack salt claim.
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Assuming chopped tomatoes have similar salt figures
The product information from Marks & Spencer, Waitrose & Partners and Napolina gives different per-100g values for the tomato products discussed below. An NHS low-salt classification does not mean their figures are identical.
Compare the exact product and variant you plan to use, particularly when switching between plain and flavoured tomatoes.
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Choosing a texture solely for its salt number
A tin with a lower salt figure may not suit a sauce if its pieces are a texture the child currently avoids. Healthier Together NHS suggests trying foods in different forms, including mixed into a sauce.
Consider finely chopped tomatoes for smaller pieces, or use a chunkier format where visible tomato is already accepted. Offer the meal without pressure.
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Stopping the salt check at the tomato tin
Stock, cheese, cured meat or a prepared sauce can also contribute salt to the finished dish. The tomato figure describes the tomatoes, not the complete recipe.
Check labels for the other packaged ingredients and follow NHS advice not to add salt to the child’s food.
Brand and product references
These figures describe the named products, not every tomato tin sold under each brand; use the current pack label for your final comparison.
M&S
Marks & Spencer lists its Chopped Italian Tomatoes at 0.02g salt per 100g.
- A chopped format to consider when small tomato pieces suit the recipe.
- Check the label of the exact M&S tin rather than applying this figure to other products in the range.
Waitrose
Waitrose & Partners lists Waitrose Finely Chopped Tomatoes at 0.02g salt per 100g.
- The finely chopped format provides smaller pieces than a chunky chopped product.
- Use the current pack for nutrition and storage instructions.
Mr Organic
Waitrose & Partners lists the Italian Organic Chopped Tomatoes 4 x 400g pack as ‘no added salt’, with 0.03g salt per 100g.
- The label gives a numeric salt figure alongside the no-added-salt claim.
- ‘No added salt’ does not mean that the nutrition panel will show zero salt.
Napolina
Napolina describes its Chopped Tomatoes as chunky and gives a salt figure of 0.10g per 100g.
- Visible tomato pieces may suit a meal in which that texture is already accepted.
- Check flavoured or otherwise different variants separately; do not assume they share this figure.
Mutti
Waitrose & Partners lists Mutti Finely Chopped Tomatoes at 0.30g salt per 100g and includes salt in the ingredients.
- A finely chopped pulp format for recipes where that texture is wanted.
- Its listed figure is at the NHS low-salt cut-off, so compare it with other tins if reducing salt is the main aim.
Tinned tomato options on Joybuy
These chopped and whole plum tomato options offer different starting textures for family sauces. Compare the current salt label and consider any preparation needed to make the sauce familiar to your child.
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Laila Canned Chopped Tomatoes 12 x 400g
A chopped-tomato option for a sauce or stew when pieces suit the meal. This is a 12-can pack; compare salt per 100g on the current cans and consider whether the quantity fits your plans.
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Napolina Chopped Tomatoes 4 x 400g
Napolina describes its chopped tomatoes as chunky, so consider them where visible pieces suit the sauce. This pack contains four 400g tins; Napolina gives a salt figure of 0.10g per 100g for its chopped tomatoes, which you should check against the current pack.
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Laila Canned Plum Tomatoes 400g
A single 400g tin of plum tomatoes for recipes where you can prepare the tomatoes to suit the sauce. These are not labelled as finely chopped; check the current tin’s salt figure before comparing it with chopped options.
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Laila Canned Plum Tomatoes 12 x 400g
Whole plum tomatoes are a starting point when the recipe allows you to adjust the tomato texture. This 12-can pack differs from the single Laila plum-tomato tin; check its own salt label and whether you will use the quantity.
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Napolina Peeled Plum Tomatoes 4 x 400g
A four-tin pack of peeled plum tomatoes for a recipe that uses whole tomatoes or allows you to change their texture during preparation. Do not apply the salt figure for Napolina’s chopped tomatoes to this different product; read this pack’s label.
Common questions
How can I identify a low-salt tin of tomatoes?
Compare the salt figure per 100g on the nutrition label. The NHS classifies food with 0.3g salt or less per 100g as low in salt; using the same measure matters when tins have different sizes or suggested portions.
Does ‘no added salt’ mean a tin contains no salt?
No. A no-added-salt claim can sit alongside a non-zero figure on the nutrition panel: Waitrose & Partners lists Mr Organic Italian Organic Chopped Tomatoes as ‘no added salt’ and shows 0.03g salt per 100g. Read the number when comparing products.
Should I choose finely chopped or chunky tomatoes for a fussy eater?
Choose a form that works with the child’s familiar meals rather than assuming one texture will suit every child. Finely chopped tomatoes have smaller pieces, while Napolina describes its chopped tomatoes as chunky. Healthier Together NHS suggests offering foods in different forms, including mixed into a sauce.
What if adults want more salt in the meal?
Keep the child’s portion separate before adding salt to adult portions. The NHS advises not adding salt to a child’s food and checking the labels of food products used in their meals.