Low-fat recipe cooks
If you use tomatoes as a sauce base, compare fat per 100g in the tin and consider oil, cheese, meat or cream separately when planning the finished dish.
Who is comparing these tins?
Shoppers comparing sugars
Compare total sugars per 100g across similar tins without treating the lowest figure as proof of a reduced-sugar claim. The checked M&S, Sainsbury's, Napolina and Tesco chopped tomatoes list values from 2.5g to 4.0g per 100g on their product pages.
Sauce and stew cooks
Plain chunks, tomatoes with herbs and fine pulp offer different starting points for a recipe. Check the ingredients and nutrition of the particular variant you choose.
What should you check on the label?
Start with the per-100g nutrition panel so that different tin and serving sizes do not obscure the comparison; then check ingredients and texture for the dish.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Fat | Compare fat per 100g. The NHS general food-label guide defines low fat as 3g or less per 100g; assess other recipe ingredients separately. | I want a tomato base for low-fat cooking, but the fat in oil, cheese or cream added later matters too. |
| Total sugars | Compare total sugars per 100g between similar tins and read the ingredients. A lower number alone does not establish a ‘reduced sugar’ claim. | When choosing between ordinary chopped tomatoes, I want a like-for-like sugar comparison rather than relying on claim wording that may not appear on the pack. |
| Salt | Check salt per 100g alongside fat and sugars. The NHS guide defines low salt as 0.3g or less per 100g. | Salt matters to my choice as well, particularly if I will season the sauce myself. |
| Texture and seasoning | Check whether the tin contains plain chopped tomatoes, added herbs or a fine pulp; read the exact variant's ingredients and nutrition. | For one dish I may want to add my own herbs; for another, a seasoned tin or finer tomato texture may save a preparation step. |
Common buying mistakes
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Reading total sugars as a reduced-sugar claim
A nutrition panel reports total sugars. A tin with a lower figure than another tin is not necessarily sold with a substantiated ‘reduced sugar’ claim.
Compare similar products per 100g, read their ingredients and check the current pack if claim wording is important to your purchase.
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Judging the whole meal by the tomato tin
A low-fat tomato base does not describe the fat content of a sauce after oil, cheese, meat or cream has been added.
Check the tin's fat value, then account for the other ingredients in the recipe. If you follow a medically prescribed fat limit, use your individual dietary plan.
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Comparing different serving sizes
A half-tin figure and a different manufacturer's serving figure do not provide the same basis for comparing products.
Compare fat, total sugars and salt per 100g first. Use portion information when working out the amount used in your dish.
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Assuming a flavoured or fine-texture tin has the same nutrition as a plain one
Ingredients and declared values belong to the exact variant. Sainsbury's lists 3.5g sugars per 100g for its plain chopped tomatoes and 3.8g per 100g for its Basil & Oregano tin.
Check the flavoured or finely chopped pack you intend to use rather than applying another variant's label to it.
Brand and product references
These examples describe particular tomato products and lines; compare the current label of the tin you are buying.
M&S
Its Italian Tomatoes and Chopped Italian Tomatoes are distinct 400g products with different declared nutrition.
- M&S lists 2.5g total sugars and less than 0.1g fat per 100g for Italian Tomatoes 400g.
- Check which M&S tin you have: its Chopped Italian Tomatoes 400g page instead lists 3.8g sugars and 0.2g fat per 100g.
Sainsbury's
Its checked chopped-tomato products include a plain tin and a Basil & Oregano variant.
- Sainsbury's lists 3.5g sugars per 100g for the plain 400g tin and 3.8g for the Basil & Oregano 390g tin; both list less than 0.5g fat per 100g.
- Use the nutrition and ingredient panel for the particular flavour, as the two products differ.
Napolina
Napolina offers chopped tomatoes in single tins and a four-pack.
- Napolina lists 3.6g sugars and 0.2g fat per 100g for its chopped tomatoes.
- Check the current pack before using these figures for a recipe comparison.
Tesco
The checked Tesco Italian Chopped Tomatoes 400g contains tomatoes, concentrated tomato juice and citric acid.
- Tesco lists 4.0g sugars and 0.2g fat per 100g for this 400g tin.
- Read the current label, as Tesco notes that food products can be reformulated.
Mutti
Mutti describes Polpa as a finely chopped tomato pulp for sauces and longer cooking.
- Mutti's Polpa product page lists 2.8g sugars and 0.2g fat per 100g.
- Compare those manufacturer figures with the exact UK pack, as labels can differ by market.
Joybuy tomato options
These options include chopped tomatoes in single tins and multipacks, finely chopped tomatoes, and a peeled whole-tomato alternative if you are willing to crush or blend them. Use the pack label to compare fat, total sugars and salt for your recipe.
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Mutti Finely Chopped Tomatoes 4 x 400g
A four-tin option when a fine tomato texture suits your sauce. Compare fat, total sugars, salt and ingredients on the exact pack; do not infer a reduced-sugar claim from a nutrition figure.
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KTC Chopped Tomatoes 400g
A single chopped-tomato tin for a recipe that calls for this format. Check its per-100g fat, total sugars and salt alongside the ingredients before choosing it for low-fat cooking.
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Napolina Chopped Tomatoes 4 x 400g
Four chopped-tomato tins for recipes where you want to add your own seasoning. Napolina lists 3.6g total sugars and 0.2g fat per 100g for its chopped tomatoes; check the current pack before comparing it with other tins.
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Laila Canned Chopped Tomatoes 12 x 400g
A twelve-tin chopped-tomato pack for cooking across several meals. Compare the current pack's per-100g nutrition and ingredients with single-tin alternatives; pack size does not establish a lower sugar content.
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Mutti Peeled Tomatoes 400g
These are peeled tomatoes rather than chopped tomatoes: choose this format if you are prepared to crush or blend them for the dish. Check the exact tin's fat, total sugars, salt and ingredients before comparing it with chopped options.
Questions about choosing tinned tomatoes
Does a lower total-sugars figure mean a tin is ‘reduced sugar’?
No. A lower per-100g figure lets you compare the total sugars declared on two labels, but it does not by itself establish a reduced-sugar claim. Check the current pack for any claim rather than assigning one to an ordinary chopped-tomato product.
How do ordinary chopped tomatoes fit into low-fat cooking?
The checked M&S, Sainsbury's, Napolina and Tesco chopped-tomato products list fat below the NHS general low-fat threshold of 3g per 100g. Check the tin you use and account for ingredients added to the meal; if you follow a medically prescribed fat limit, use your individual dietary plan.
Should I compare tins per serving or per 100g?
Use per 100g for a like-for-like comparison of tins. The NHS notes that manufacturers' stated portions may differ from the amount you serve; use portion figures to consider your own recipe after comparing the products.
Are tomatoes with added herbs automatically higher in fat?
No such conclusion follows from the herbs alone. Sainsbury's lists less than 0.5g fat per 100g for both its checked plain chopped tomatoes and its Basil & Oregano variant, although their declared sugars differ. Check the exact flavoured tin's nutrition and ingredients.