Cooks choosing how much salt to add
If tomatoes form the base of a pasta sauce, chilli, soup or casserole, a plain tin lets you add herbs, garlic or chilli separately. Compare the tin’s declared salt per 100g before seasoning the finished dish.
Who this choice matters to
Everyday supermarket shoppers
Brand names and pack designs do not tell you which standard chopped tin has the lower declared salt figure. Check the nutrition panel on the exact product, including whether it is plain or flavoured.
Cooks using only part of a tin
If dinner calls for less than a full tin, check its instructions for transferring, refrigerating and using the remainder. The stated period after opening can differ between products.
What to check before buying
Start with the recipe’s tomato format, then compare salt on the same per-100g basis. Pack size and instructions after opening matter if you are unlikely to use a whole tin at once.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Declared salt | Compare salt per 100g on like-for-like tins; use the serving figure for the portion you plan to use. The NHS defines low salt on a food label as 0.3g or less per 100g. | I want to compare similar tomato tins without mistaking a smaller serving figure for a lower salt concentration. |
| Plain or seasoned | Read the ingredients and salt line for the exact variant. ASDA Groceries lists 0.01g salt per 100g for its plain chopped tomatoes and 0.10g for its chopped tomatoes with herbs. | If I am adding my own herbs and aromatics to a sauce, a plain tin gives me control over that seasoning. A flavoured tin is an option when its ingredients and salt figure suit the recipe. |
| Tomato format | Check whether the tin contains chopped or whole peeled tomatoes. If the recipe calls for a chopped base, decide whether you are willing to crush or cut whole tomatoes. | For a quick chopped-tomato sauce, I would choose the format the recipe calls for. For a stew where I can break up the tomatoes, a peeled tin may also work. |
| Leftovers | Check the tin size and its instructions for storage after opening. Food Standards Scotland advises following the label’s opened-pack directions; use-within periods vary by product. | When I need only part of a tin, I want to know how to store the rest and whether I can use it within the period printed on the pack. |
Common buying mistakes
-
Comparing only the salt per serving
Serving sizes can differ between tins, so those figures may not describe the same quantity of tomatoes.
Compare the per-100g salt figures first. Then use the serving information to consider how much of the chosen tin your recipe uses.
-
Assuming the herb version matches the plain tin
Variants within one range can have different salt declarations. ASDA Groceries lists 0.01g per 100g for its plain chopped tomatoes and 0.10g for its version with herbs.
Check the ingredients and nutrition panel of the exact tin. If you want to choose the seasoning yourself, consider plain tomatoes and add herbs separately.
-
Buying several tins without considering leftovers
A multipack does not change how the contents of an opened tin should be stored or how soon they should be used.
Match the pack to how often you cook with tomatoes. Follow each product’s instructions for transferring and refrigerating any remainder.
-
Judging salt by the brand or pack design
Named standard chopped tins carry different declared figures: ASDA Groceries lists 0.01g, Marks & Spencer 0.02g, Sainsbury’s 0.07g, Tesco 0.09g and Napolina 0.10g salt per 100g for the respective products discussed here.
Use the nutrition panel on the tin you buy, particularly if its recipe or labelling has changed.
Brand and product-line references
These figures refer to named chopped-tomato products, not every tomato tin made by each brand.
ASDA
ASDA’s plain 400g chopped tomatoes offer a tomato base for cooks who prefer to add their own seasoning.
- ASDA Groceries declares 0.01g salt per 100g for the plain chopped tomatoes.
- Its chopped tomatoes with herbs are a separate variant, declared at 0.10g salt per 100g.
M&S
M&S Chopped Italian Tomatoes are a plain 400g chopped-tomato option for sauces and other cooked dishes.
- Marks & Spencer declares 0.02g salt per 100g for this product.
- Check the exact pack’s label when shopping; this figure does not describe every M&S tomato variant.
Sainsbury’s
Sainsbury’s Chopped Tomatoes Can 400g is a standard chopped option for recipes that call for a ready-chopped base.
- Sainsbury’s declares 0.07g salt per 100g for the named tin.
- Check the product’s current availability before planning a meal around it.
Tesco
Tesco Italian Chopped Tomatoes 400g provide a standard chopped format for comfort-dinner recipes.
- Tesco declares 0.09g salt per 100g and 0.18g per half-can serving for this tin.
- Check the physical pack’s nutrition panel, as product recipes and labels can change.
Napolina
Napolina describes its standard chopped tomatoes as chunky and suitable for thick sauces.
- Napolina declares 0.10g salt per 100g for its standard chopped tomatoes.
- Its chopped tomatoes with herbs are a different product, declared at 0.20g salt per 100g.
Tinned tomato options on Joybuy
These options include chopped tomatoes for sauces, soups and casseroles, alongside whole peeled or plum tomatoes for recipes where you can use or break up that format. Compare salt on the exact pack; a figure for one tomato product should not be applied to another.
No image available
Laila Canned Chopped Tomatoes 12 x 400g
For meals that regularly use chopped tomatoes, this bundle contains twelve 400g tins. Check the salt per 100g on the pack, and plan how you will store any contents left after opening a tin.
No image available
Napolina Chopped Tomatoes 4 x 400g
For a sauce that calls for chopped tomatoes, this bundle contains four 400g tins. Napolina declares 0.10g salt per 100g for its standard chopped tomatoes; check the individual pack and follow its directions after opening.
No image available
Mutti Peeled Tomatoes 400g
For a recipe in which you can break up whole tomatoes, this 400g peeled-tomato tin is an alternative to a chopped tin. Check this variant’s own salt figure per 100g rather than using a figure from another Mutti product.
No image available
Laila Canned Plum Tomatoes 400g
For a sauce or stew where whole plum tomatoes suit the preparation, this is a single 400g tin rather than a chopped-tomato multipack. Read its own per-100g salt declaration and opened-pack instructions.
No image available
KTC Peeled Plum Tomatoes 400g
For a recipe that can use peeled plum tomatoes, this 400g tin offers a different format from ready-chopped tomatoes. Check the pack’s salt per 100g and its storage directions if you expect to have leftovers.
Questions about salt and storage
What does ‘low salt’ mean on a UK food label?
The NHS defines low salt as 0.3g or less per 100g of food. When comparing similar chopped-tomato tins, read their per-100g figures first because the stated serving sizes may differ.
Does a tin with herbs have the same salt figure as the plain version?
Not necessarily. ASDA Groceries declares 0.01g salt per 100g for its plain chopped tomatoes and 0.10g for its chopped tomatoes with herbs. Check the exact variant’s label; a plain tin also lets you add herbs separately.
How should I store chopped tomatoes left in an opened tin?
Follow that product’s instructions for transferring and refrigerating the remainder. The named ASDA, M&S and Sainsbury’s products give different use-within periods after opening, so check the tin rather than applying one period to every brand. Food Standards Scotland likewise advises checking the label’s storage instructions.