Students making several dinners
A multipack can supply separate tins for pasta, rice or jacket potatoes. Check the drained weight per tin and whether you are likely to use the whole pack before its best-before date.
Who might choose each format?
Students buying for one meal
A single tin avoids taking home several cans when you only need tuna for one dinner. Check its drained weight rather than relying on the net weight printed prominently on the can.
Students comparing labels beyond pack size
If salt or sourcing information matters to you, compare the nutrition panel and fishing-method statements on the specific product. Brine and spring water do not, by themselves, establish which tin has less salt.
What should you check before choosing?
Decide how many tins you will use, then compare the amount of drained tuna and the labels on the products that fit your meals.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Drained tuna | Find the drained weight, not just the net can weight. Tesco Groceries lists four 102g drained tins in its 4 x 145g brine pack. | I want to know how much tuna will actually go into each dinner. |
| Pack format | Check the number of tins and the net and drained weight of each. Match a single tin or multipack to the meals you expect to make. | One tin suits tonight’s meal; several separate tins would suit my plans for more dinners. |
| Protein label | Compare protein per 100g on the same basis. ASDA Groceries lists 25g per 100g drained for its own-label brine four-pack; Tesco Groceries lists 24.9g per 100g drained for its brine four-pack. | I use tuna in pasta or rice and want to compare what the labelled portions provide. |
| Salt and liquid | Read salt per 100g on each product. Sainsbury’s lists 0.42g for its brine four-pack, while Marks & Spencer lists 0.75g for its 160g spring-water product; check the stated nutrition basis when comparing them. | For my recipe, I may prefer brine or spring water, but I do not want to guess the salt value from the liquid. |
| Sourcing | Look for a statement about the exact product’s species, fishing method or certification. Sainsbury’s describes its brine four-pack as pole-and-line caught and sourced from MSC-certified fisheries. | Clear sourcing information matters to me, so I will check the tin rather than assume it applies across a brand. |
What is easy to overlook?
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Using net weight as the amount of tuna
The net weight includes packing liquid. Tesco Groceries specifies 102g drained tuna per tin for one of its 145g net-weight four-packs.
Use the drained weight when comparing how much fish different tins provide.
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Guessing salt content from the packing liquid
A brine tin is not necessarily higher in labelled salt than a spring-water tin. Sainsbury’s brine four-pack lists 0.42g per 100g, while Marks & Spencer’s spring-water product lists 0.75g per 100g.
Choose the liquid for the meal you are making, and read the exact product’s nutrition panel for salt.
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Overlooking the label after opening
Fish is an allergen, and product warnings may say that bones remain. Storage instructions also vary between tins.
Check the tin for allergen and bone warnings. Refrigerate leftovers in a covered, non-metallic container and follow that product’s stated use-by period after opening.
Which product lines are worth comparing?
These are references for checking particular tins and labels, not a judgement about every product from each brand.
ASDA
ASDA Groceries lists both a Just Essentials 145g single tin and an ASDA 4 x 145g pack of skipjack tuna chunks in brine.
- The two formats suit different plans for the number of dinners.
- Compare the drained quantity on the exact pack; its net can size includes brine.
Tesco
Tesco Groceries lists an own-label 4 x 145g brine pack with 102g drained tuna per tin.
- The stated drained weight makes the amount per tin clear.
- Its listed salt is 1.00g per 100g; compare the label if salt matters to you.
Sainsbury’s
Sainsbury’s lists an own-label 4 x 145g brine pack and states that the tuna is pole-and-line caught and sourced from MSC-certified fisheries.
- The product page provides specific fishing-method and sourcing information.
- Apply those statements to this product, rather than assuming they describe every Sainsbury’s tuna tin.
Princes
Princes lists tuna chunks in brine in several pack sizes, including 145g singles and 4 x 145g packs.
- The range offers a choice of single-tin and multipack formats.
- Check the exact variant and its drained weight before comparing it with an own-label tin.
John West
John West sells tuna in several formats. A 4 x 125g brine pack on Joybuy is a different can size from the 4 x 145g brine pack listed by Tesco Groceries.
- The Tesco-listed 4 x 145g product carries John West’s Track Your Can traceability message.
- Do not transfer that product’s quantities or label values to a different pack size.
M&S
Marks & Spencer describes its 160g spring-water tuna as pole-and-line caught under its Forever Fish policy.
- The product page states its packing liquid and fishing method.
- Check the particular tin’s drained weight and nutrition panel when comparing it with a brine multipack.
Tinned tuna options on Joybuy
These single tins and four-packs offer formats to consider for one dinner or several. Use each listing and pack label to check drained weight and nutrition details before comparing different can sizes.
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John West Tuna Chunks in Springwater 4 x 125g
Four separate 125g tins offer a spring-water option for several meals. Check the drained weight per tin when comparing them with larger cans.
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Morrisons Fad Free Tuna Chunks in Brine 145g
This single 145g brine tin suits a meal that calls for one can rather than a multipack. Check its drained weight and the allergen and bone warnings on the label.
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Morrisons Fad Free Tuna Chunks in Spring Water 145g
This single 145g tin is a spring-water alternative for one meal. Read its salt label rather than assuming spring water has less salt than brine.
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John West Tuna Chunks in Brine 4 x 125g
The four 125g brine tins provide separate cans for several meals. Joybuy lists 25g protein per 100g for this product; check the pack’s drained weight before comparing it with a 4 x 145g format.
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Princes Tuna Chunks in Brine 4 x 145g
This brine four-pack provides separate 145g tins for repeat meals. Check drained weight per tin and the pack’s protein label when comparing it with other four-packs.
Frequently asked questions
How do I compare how much tuna is in each tin?
Use the drained weight, because net weight includes the packing liquid. For example, Tesco Groceries states that each tin in its 4 x 145g brine pack contains 102g of drained tuna.
Is spring-water tuna always lower in salt than brine tuna?
No. Sainsbury’s lists 0.42g salt per 100g for its brine four-pack, while Marks & Spencer lists 0.75g per 100g for its 160g spring-water product. Compare the exact nutrition panels and their stated measurement bases.
Does tinned tuna count as oily fish?
No. The NHS states that fresh and canned tuna do not count as oily fish.
What does the NHS say about tuna during pregnancy?
The NHS advises people who are pregnant or trying for a baby to have no more than four cans of tuna a week or two tuna steaks a week. Check the size and drained weight of the cans you buy rather than assuming every format is identical.
What should I do with tuna left after opening a tin?
Transfer leftovers to a covered, non-metallic container and refrigerate them. Follow the use-by period after opening on your particular product; Waitrose & Partners, for example, instructs shoppers to use its Essential MSC Tuna Chunks in Brine within two days.