What should you check before buying?
Compare the tomato tins on a common basis, then consider how much of a tin the recipe uses and what else goes into the pan.
| Priority |
What to check |
Your needs |
| Salt in the tomatoes |
Compare salt per 100g on the specific tins. Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust recommends this basis for comparing labels; check the current pack rather than relying on front-of-pack wording alone. |
I want a tomato base whose declared salt fits the meal I am making, without assuming all plain chopped tomatoes have the same figure. |
| Amount used |
Check the tin size and the label’s serving information. A half-tin figure does not describe the contribution from a whole tin. |
If my chilli uses all 400g, I need to account for the whole tin rather than just the stated serving. |
| Other ingredients |
Read the salt labels on stock, bottled sauces and seasoning blends. The NHS suggests herbs, spices, garlic and chilli for flavour instead of routinely adding salt. |
I may choose a lower-salt tomato tin, but I also want to know what the stock, sauce and toppings add to the dish. |
Brand and product references
These declarations apply to the named UK listings, not to every tomato product made by each brand.
ASDA
ASDA Groceries lists its Chopped Tomatoes 400g at 0.01g salt per 100g.
- The listed ingredients are tomatoes, concentrated tomato juice and citric acid.
- Check the label on the particular ASDA tin you buy; this figure applies to the named 400g product.
M&S
Marks & Spencer lists Chopped Italian Tomatoes 400g at 0.02g salt per 100g.
- The declared figure provides a per-100g comparison for this specific tin.
- Follow the current pack information, including its instructions for opened tomatoes.
Sainsbury's
Sainsbury's lists SO Organic Italian Organic Chopped Tomatoes in Tomato Juice 400g at 0.08g salt per 100g.
- The listing also gives 0.15g salt per half-can serving and states that the tin contains two servings.
- The declaration is for the named SO Organic tin, not all Sainsbury's chopped tomatoes.
Tesco
Tesco Groceries lists Italian Chopped Tomatoes 4 x 400g at 0.09g salt per 100g.
- The listing gives a salt figure for comparison on a per-100g basis.
- It is a four-tin pack, so consider whether that quantity suits your planned meals.
Napolina
ASDA Groceries lists Napolina Chopped Tomatoes in a Rich Tomato Juice 400g at 0.10g salt per 100g.
- The listing also declares 0.20g salt per half-can serving.
- Its opened-tin instructions say to refrigerate and use within two days.
Mutti
ASDA Groceries lists Mutti Finely Chopped Tomatoes 400g at 0.30g salt per 100g.
- The finely chopped format is a relevant distinction if texture matters to your sauce.
- Its declared salt is higher than the other named products above; check how the figure fits the whole recipe.
Joybuy chopped-tomato options
These chopped-tomato tins offer single-tin and multipack formats for a Mexican-style tomato base. Compare the salt declaration on the current pack before choosing one for a lower-salt meal.
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Laila Canned Chopped Tomatoes 12 x 400g
A chopped-tomato base for meals you plan to season yourself. This pack contains twelve 400g tins; consider whether you will use the quantity, and check the salt declaration and storage directions on the current pack.
Joybuy
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Napolina Chopped Tomatoes 4 x 400g
Four 400g tins suit cooking plans that call for chopped tomatoes more than once. Compare the salt declaration on this multipack with other options, and follow its current directions for storing an opened tin.
Joybuy
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KTC Chopped Tomatoes 400g
A single 400g tin may suit a recipe that calls for one can rather than a multipack. Read the current label for salt per 100g and directions for storing any leftovers.
Joybuy
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Mutti Finely Chopped Tomatoes 4 x 400g
The finely chopped format is worth considering when you want that texture in a tomato sauce. This pack contains four 400g tins; check the current salt declaration against your other options and follow the opened-tin storage directions.
Joybuy
Questions about salt and storage
How do I compare salt across tinned tomatoes?
Start with salt per 100g so that different tins are compared on the same basis, as Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust advises. Then check the tin size and serving information to account for the amount your recipe uses.
Does choosing a lower-salt tomato tin make the whole Mexican-style meal low in salt?
No: the tin is only one ingredient. Check stock cubes, bottled sauces, seasonings and toppings as well; the NHS advises checking sauces and stock and suggests herbs, spices, garlic and chilli instead of routinely adding salt.
Is Mutti Finely Chopped Tomatoes lower in salt than the other named tins?
Not on the cited UK product declarations: ASDA Groceries lists Mutti Finely Chopped Tomatoes 400g at 0.30g salt per 100g and ASDA Chopped Tomatoes 400g at 0.01g. Marks & Spencer lists its Chopped Italian Tomatoes 400g at 0.02g per 100g. Compare the current labels when buying, especially if you are choosing a different pack or variant.
How should I store tomatoes left after opening a tin?
Follow the directions on that tin rather than using one time limit for every product. The cited ASDA Groceries listing says to refrigerate opened Napolina tomatoes and use them within two days; Marks & Spencer says to transfer its opened tomatoes to a non-metallic container, refrigerate and eat within three days.
Should I use an online nutrition listing or the tin label?
Use listings to compare products, but check the current tin label before using its salt figure or ingredient list. Sainsbury's warns that products and ingredients can change, so an earlier online description may not match the pack in hand.