Who is choosing?

Group-lunch planners

If tuna is going into several sandwiches, jacket potatoes or salad portions, you need to work out how much usable tuna the recipe calls for. Can count and drained quantity matter more than the word “multipack” alone.

Fast-assembly lunch makers

If you are putting fillings together close to serving time, a no-drain format is worth considering. Check its total quantity too: the John West no-drain packs listed by Tesco Groceries and Joybuy contain three 100g cans.

Packing-liquid checkers

If the tuna will be mixed with a dressing or added directly to a dish, decide whether spring water, brine or sunflower oil suits the recipe. Read the ingredients and nutrition panel for the exact variant rather than treating the liquids as interchangeable.

What matters when buying?

Concern What to check Who this matters to
Usable quantity Compare can count and net quantity, then check drained quantity where stated. Work from the amount your recipe needs. If I am making lunch for several people, I need enough tuna for the planned dishes without assuming every can yields the same amount. About 62% of consumers put portion planning and pack quantity first.
Packing liquid Check whether the exact variant uses spring water, brine or oil, and read its ingredients and nutrition panel. For a dish where the packing liquid affects the finished flavour or texture, I want to choose it deliberately. Packing-liquid and recipe fit come first for about 23% of consumers.
Preparation and leftovers Check for a no-drain format and follow the pack’s instructions for storing tuna after opening. When several fillings must be assembled near serving time, I want less draining and a clear plan for opened cans. Quick preparation and leftover handling are the main concern for about 15% of consumers.

What should you avoid overlooking?

  • Assuming every multipack contains the same amount

    Listings from Tesco Groceries and Sainsbury’s include three-can and four-can formats with different can sizes. The number of cans alone cannot tell you how much tuna will be available after draining.

    Work out the recipe quantity, then check the exact pack’s net and drained quantities before choosing how many packs to buy.

  • Treating oil-packed and water-packed tuna as nutritionally identical

    For the John West no-drain variants listed by Tesco Groceries and Joybuy, the spring-water version states 0.9g fat per 100g and the sunflower-oil version states 6.9g per 100g.

    Choose the packing liquid for the dish you are making and compare the nutrition panels on the exact variants.

  • Opening more cans than the lunch needs

    John West product instructions listed by Sainsbury’s, Tesco Groceries and Joybuy say to refrigerate tuna after opening and consume it within two days.

    Open cans as needed, refrigerate leftovers promptly and follow the storage instructions on the pack.

  • Leaving the shop until Easter Sunday

    GOV.UK states that shops over 280 square metres in England and Wales must close on Easter Sunday. A planned visit to a large supermarket there may therefore be too late for the meal.

    Buy the tuna beforehand, or check the opening arrangements for the specific shop you intend to use.

    A closed shop could mean an extra trip or a change to the planned lunch.

Brands to consider

John West

Consider its conventional chunks multipacks alongside smaller no-drain packs when deciding how much tuna and preparation time the lunch requires.

  • Sainsbury’s lists 4 x 125g chunks in brine; Tesco Groceries and Joybuy list 3 x 100g no-drain variants.
  • The spring-water and sunflower-oil no-drain variants have different nutrition figures. Check the exact label, including its warning that bones may remain.

Princes

Its range includes chunks, drained tuna, sandwich tuna and tuna steaks, so the format is worth checking as well as the brand name.

  • Joybuy lists a 4 x 145g Princes chunks multipack in brine for preparing separate lunch portions.
  • For a larger outer-pack listing, confirm how many four-can packs will be delivered before relying on its stated quantity.

Tesco

Its own-label 3 x 80g chunks listings provide a smaller-pack option for a lunch that needs less tuna.

  • Tesco Groceries lists own-label spring-water and brine chunks alongside larger branded multipacks.
  • Check the exact can size and drained quantity before substituting a smaller pack in a group recipe.

Sainsbury's

Its own-label 4 x 145g chunks listings offer spring-water, brine and oil options for different recipes.

  • Sainsbury’s lists several packing liquids in the same four-can format, making the liquid a separate choice from can count.
  • Check the ingredients and nutrition panel of the chosen variant rather than assuming the liquids have the same composition.

Joybuy tuna multipacks

These tuna-chunks multipacks in brine, spring water and sunflower oil offer separate cans for planning an Easter Sunday lunch. Check the drained quantity against your recipe, particularly when comparing different pack configurations.

Morrisons Fad Free tuna chunks in brine, six 145g cans

Morrisons Fad Free Tuna Chunks in Brine, 6 x 145g

Consider this when a group lunch calls for several cans that can be opened as needed. The listing names six 145g cans in brine; check the drained quantity when calculating recipe portions.

Joybuy
Morrisons Fad Free tuna chunks in spring water, six 145g cans

Morrisons Fad Free Tuna Chunks in Spring Water, 6 x 145g

This is a six-can option if spring water suits the lunch recipe and you want to open cans in stages. Each can is listed as 145g; check its drained quantity for portion planning.

Joybuy
Princes tuna chunks in brine, listing titled four 145g cans multiplied by 12 packs

Princes Tuna Chunks in Brine, 4 x 145g x 12 Packs

Consider this listing only if its delivered quantity matches a larger lunch or advance meal plan. Its title states 12 packs of four 145g cans, while its description also refers to a four-pack: confirm the outer-pack count and drained quantity before ordering.

Joybuy
Princes tuna chunks in brine, four 145g cans

Princes Tuna Chunks in Brine, 4 x 145g

Four separate cans suit a lunch prepared in batches or a recipe that does not need every can at once. This brine-packed listing specifies four 145g cans; check the drained quantity for the amount of tuna your dish requires.

Joybuy
Princes tuna chunks in sunflower oil, four 145g cans

Princes Tuna Chunks in Sunflower Oil, 4 x 145g

Choose this format when sunflower oil suits the planned filling or dish. The listing specifies four 145g cans; check the exact nutrition panel and drained quantity rather than treating it as equivalent to a water-packed variant.

Joybuy

Common questions

How much tinned tuna do I need for Easter Sunday lunch?

Start with the amount required by your recipes and check each pack’s can size and drained quantity. Tesco Groceries and Sainsbury’s list multipacks with different can sizes, so a four-pack is not a fixed serving measure.

Should I choose tuna in spring water, brine or sunflower oil?

Choose the packing liquid according to how the tuna will be used in the dish, then read the exact ingredients and nutrition panel. The John West no-drain spring-water variant listed by Tesco Groceries states 0.9g fat per 100g, while the sunflower-oil variant listed by Joybuy states 6.9g per 100g.

What should I do with tuna left after opening a can?

Follow the storage instructions on the exact pack. John West product instructions listed by Sainsbury’s, Tesco Groceries and Joybuy say to refrigerate opened tuna and consume it within two days; opening only the cans needed for lunch can leave the rest unopened.

Will a large supermarket be open on Easter Sunday?

Do not rely on a large shop being open in England or Wales: GOV.UK states that shops over 280 square metres there must close on Easter Sunday. Check the specific shop’s arrangements or buy the multipack before Sunday.