Quick meal planners
If the main fish and chips meal is already being prepared, tinned tuna can be kept for a sandwich, jacket-potato filling or cold side that needs little preparation.
Who is stocking tuna for?
Ingredient and salt comparers
These shoppers want to check whether a tin contains spring water, brine or oil, and read its salt figure before adding sauces or other accompaniments.
Format and sourcing comparers
For these shoppers, the choice includes chunks versus larger pieces, whether the tuna needs draining, and which sourcing statement appears on the exact product.
What matters when choosing a tin?
Start with how the tuna will be used alongside the meal, then check the tin's packing liquid, usable quantity and format.
| Concern | What to check | Who this matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Packing liquid and seasoning | Read the ingredients and compare salt and other nutrition values on the same stated basis. | If I am adding tuna to a meal with chips and sauces, I want to decide how much seasoning comes from the tin itself. About 40% of consumers would make packing liquid and label values their primary concern. |
| Usable quantity | Check drained weight rather than relying on the full tin weight when planning portions. | When I am making fillings for several people, I need to know how much tuna remains after draining. For about 30% of consumers, usable quantity would come first. |
| Preparation and texture | Choose between chunks, larger pieces and a product expressly labelled no-drain or drained. | If I need a quick filling, I may prefer less liquid handling; for a side, I may care more about the size of the pieces. About 20% of consumers would prioritise preparation or texture. |
| Sourcing statements | Look for the particular certification or fishing-method statement on the exact tin or product listing. | I want the tuna I choose to carry a sourcing statement I can identify, rather than assuming it applies to every variant from a brand. This would be the primary concern for about 10% of consumers. |
What is easy to overlook?
-
Treating tin weight as the amount of tuna
The packing liquid is included in the full weight. Tesco, for example, lists a drained weight of 102g for its 145g Tuna Chunks in Brine tin.
Plan the filling or side using the drained weight shown for the product you buy.
-
Using brine, water and oil tins interchangeably
The packing medium changes the ingredients and can affect how you season a filling. Salt and other nutrition figures also differ between individual products.
Read each tin's ingredients and compare nutrition figures only when their stated measurement bases match.
-
Applying one sourcing claim to every tin from a brand
A certification or fishing-method statement may relate to a particular product, range or brand programme.
Check the statement on the exact can or its current product listing.
-
Overlooking pregnancy-related tuna guidance
The NHS says people who are pregnant or trying for a baby should have no more than four cans of tuna a week or two tuna steaks a week because tuna contains higher levels of mercury than other fish.
If that guidance applies, consider tuna eaten across the whole week, not just at this meal.
Which brands offer relevant formats?
John West
Its range includes standard tuna chunks and a separately labelled No Drain Tuna Chunks format.
- John West describes its No Drain chunks as usable without draining, which may simplify a quick filling.
- Check the packing medium and pack size on the particular variant; the standard and No Drain products are not the same format.
Princes
Princes lists tuna chunks in spring water as well as drained-tuna and other tuna formats.
- Its named spring-water chunks list tuna and spring water as ingredients.
- Princes makes traceability and fishing-method claims for its canned tuna; inspect the exact can if a particular claim matters to you.
Tesco
Tesco lists own-brand tuna formats that include a 145g Tuna Chunks in Brine tin.
- That named tin has a listed drained weight of 102g, giving a usable quantity for portion planning.
- Tesco states that this product is from an MSC-certified sustainable fishery; check the listing rather than extending the statement to other tins.
M&S
M&S lists named skipjack-tuna chunks in spring water and in sunflower oil.
- M&S describes its spring-water chunks as pole-and-line caught under its Forever Fish policy.
- The spring-water and oil-packed products have different ingredients; compare their individual labels for the filling you plan to make.
Joybuy tuna selections
These tuna chunks cover brine, spring-water, sunflower-oil and no-drain options for fillings or sides alongside a fish and chips night. All contain fish; check the individual pack for ingredients and drained weight.
No image available
Princes Tuna Chunks in Brine, 4 x 145g
Brine-packed chunks for a sandwich filling or cold side. Check the drained weight on the pack when deciding how many tins to open.
No image available
John West No Drain Tuna Chunks in Springwater, 3 x 100g
A no-drain option when you want to put tuna straight into a filling with less liquid handling. Use the pack's stated basis when comparing its nutrition figures with other tins.
No image available
John West No Drain Tuna Chunks in Sunflower Oil, 3 x 100g
Oil-packed, no-drain chunks for a filling or salad when you prefer this packing medium. Compare the label's stated nutrition basis with any water-packed alternative.
No image available
Morrisons Fad Free Tuna Chunks in Spring Water, 6 x 145g
Spring-water chunks in a six-tin pack for cupboard fillings or sides. Check the drained weight of an individual tin when planning portions.
No image available
John West Tuna Chunks in Springwater, 4 x 125g
Spring-water chunks for a mixed filling when you want to add your own seasoning. Use the drained weight on the pack, rather than the full tin weight, to plan the quantity needed.
Questions about tinned tuna
Should I choose brine or spring water for a tuna filling?
Choose spring water if you want to add the filling's seasoning yourself; choose brine if you want seasoning from the packing liquid. Check salt on each product's label rather than assuming every spring-water or brine tin has the same figure.
Does a 145g tin give me 145g of tuna?
Not necessarily: Tesco lists 102g drained weight for its 145g Tuna Chunks in Brine tin. Look for the drained weight of the exact product when planning a filling or side.
What does NHS guidance say about tuna during pregnancy?
The NHS says people who are pregnant or trying for a baby should have no more than four cans of tuna a week or two tuna steaks a week because tuna contains higher levels of mercury than other fish. Its guidance concerns tuna eaten across the week, not just one meal.
Does tinned tuna count as oily fish?
No. The NHS states that fresh and canned tuna do not count as oily fish in its fish-consumption guidance.