BBQ hosts planning portions
If you are serving several people, the drained weight tells you how much fruit is available for your recipe. Choose a tin size you can use rather than leaving opened fruit behind.
Who is this for?
Grill-ready pineapple buyers
If you want little preparation at the barbecue, choose slices for intact grilled pieces or chunks for skewers and mixed dishes.
Shoppers checking the packing liquid
If you prefer fruit in juice or water to fruit in syrup, read the ingredients and nutrition label on the particular tin before choosing.
What matters when choosing?
Decide how you will serve the fruit, then compare drained weights and pack sizes among tins of the same fruit and packing liquid.
| Concern | What to check | Who this matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Usable fruit quantity | Compare labelled drained weights, then consider how much the recipe needs. | When feeding a group, I want enough fruit to serve without choosing a tin mainly for its liquid. About 36% of consumers put usable fruit quantity first. |
| Cut for the recipe | Choose slices for intact grilled pieces or chunks for skewers and mixed sides. | If the fruit is going straight onto the grill, I want a cut that needs little preparation; about 29% of consumers prioritise the right shape for their recipe. |
| Packing liquid | Read the ingredients and the nutrition declaration per 100g when comparing juice, water and syrup. | For a side or dessert, I would rather check the packing liquid than assume all tins have similar ingredients. Roughly 21% of consumers make that their primary concern. |
| Portions and leftovers | Match the pack size to the guest count and read its after-opening instructions. | At a smaller gathering, I want to use what I open and know how to store any remainder. Portion planning comes first for about 14% of consumers. |
Buying pitfalls
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Choosing by tin size alone
The stated tin weight includes liquid, while the drained weight describes the fruit available after draining. A larger tin can also leave more than your gathering will use.
Compare drained weights for similar products and plan the quantity around your recipe and guests.
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Buying a cut that does not suit the dish
Chunks need support over grill grates, while slices will need cutting if the recipe calls for small pieces.
Use slices for intact grilled pineapple; choose chunks for skewers or mixed sides, with skewers or a grill-safe tray when cooking small pieces.
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Treating juice and syrup as interchangeable
The packing liquid changes the ingredients of the dish. The NHS advises choosing tinned fruit in juice rather than syrup when cutting down on sugar.
Check the ingredients and per-100g nutrition declaration, especially if a recipe calls for the liquid as well as the fruit.
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Preparing ready-to-eat fruit beside raw meat
Fruit can be contaminated by utensils or surfaces used for raw meat. Food Standards Scotland advises keeping raw meat separate from other foods at barbecues.
Use separate plates, boards and utensils for ready-to-eat fruit. Do not add to cooked food a marinade that has touched raw meat.
Brands to consider for tinned fruit
Tesco
Tesco Groceries lists own-label pineapple slices and chunks in juice, including 227g and 425g formats.
- The listed formats let you compare cuts and pack sizes for different barbecue recipes.
- Check the current listing and drained weight for the exact tin you intend to use.
Sainsbury's
Sainsbury's lists own-label pineapple chunks in fruit juice at 425g and slices in juice in 227g and 425g formats, alongside Del Monte options.
- These listed cuts offer a way to choose between intact grilled pieces and fruit for mixed dishes.
- Check the precise format and drained weight rather than assuming tins of similar size contain the same quantity of fruit.
Princes
Princes Food and Drinks describes pineapple chunks and slices in juice in 227g and 432g formats.
- Princes lists pineapple, pineapple juice and citric acid as ingredients for its chunks in juice.
- Choose the cut for your dish; the ingredients alone do not establish a taste or value advantage.
Del Monte
Del Monte offers prepared pineapple formats; Del Monte Europe describes a 435g pineapple spears in juice product.
- The spear format offers another shape to consider when planning how to serve the fruit.
- Check the exact product, packing liquid and drained weight, as one format's details do not apply to every Del Monte tin.
Pineapple options on Joybuy
These pineapple slices and chunks in juice suit different barbecue preparations: slices for intact grilled pieces and chunks for skewers or mixed sides. Match the pack size to what you expect to use.
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Del Monte Pineapple Slices in Juice 435g
Choose this 435g tin when you want pineapple slices for intact grilled pieces with little cutting.
Check the drained weight against the quantity your recipe needs, and follow the tin's instructions for any fruit left after opening.
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Del Monte Pineapple Slices in Juice 435g, 6-pack
This six-pack of 435g tins offers slices for several planned servings of intact grilled pineapple.
Consider whether you will use all six tins; once a tin is opened, follow its storage instructions for the remainder.
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Princes Pineapple Chunks with Juice 432g
Choose these 432g pineapple chunks for skewers or mixed sides rather than a recipe needing intact rings.
Use skewers or a grill-safe tray when cooking small pieces over grates. Check the drained weight if the recipe calls for a particular quantity of fruit.
Frequently asked questions
Does tinned fruit count towards 5 A Day?
Yes. The NHS says 80g of canned fruit counts as one portion and advises choosing fruit in natural juice or water with no added sugar or salt.
Should I use fruit in juice or syrup for a barbecue dessert?
Choose juice or water if reducing added sugar is your priority; the NHS advises juice rather than syrup for tinned fruit. If the recipe specifically calls for a sweeter liquid, check the ingredients and nutrition declaration of the tins you are considering.
How should I keep pineapple after opening the tin?
Follow the instructions on the exact product. For example, the Joybuy listing for Princes Pineapple Slices in Juice 227g says to put leftovers in a sealed container, refrigerate them and use them within two days; instructions for another product may differ.
Does ready-to-eat fruit need special care at a barbecue?
Keep it separate from raw meat and anything that has touched raw meat. Food Standards Scotland advises using different plates, boards and utensils for raw and cooked meat; apply the same separation when preparing fruit to serve without further cooking.