Food expert Kathryn Bruton has explained when own-brand tinned tomatoes are fine to buy and when it is worth spending more on a pricier variety. She compared cheap and expensive options in a supermarket, with prices ranging from 47p to £1.60.
Checking the Tomato Percentage
In a TikTok video, Bruton examined three tins of tomatoes: an inexpensive own-brand option, a mid-range product, and a costlier item. She explained that the easiest way to judge quality is by looking at the percentage of tomatoes in each tin.
She revealed that the own-brand option contains 65 per cent tomatoes, while both alternative products contain 99 per cent. "I would say it depends on what you're using them for," she noted. "Soups and stews, I would save in this scenario. If you're making something where tomato is the main flavour, I think this is where it's worth spending your money."
Passata and Puree Comparisons
Bruton also compared containers of passata, a smooth tomato sauce made from sieved tomatoes. Showing four different options, she said: "If you look at the ingredients labels on these, they all just say tomato and citric acid. So really, for me, if you're spending or saving, I would just save."
She then examined two tomato puree options: a Tesco own-brand product at 59p and a branded alternative priced at £1.50. "They both have exactly the same concentration of tomatoes," she noted. "So both of them are tomato puree, double concentrated, 28 per cent. So this is a really good place to save." Holding up the branded option, she finished: "Ditch this one."
Recipe Context
Bruton created the video following a comment on a previous clip where she showed a recipe for a simple pasta sauce that can be prepared at home in minutes. The recipe includes olive oil, garlic, basil, a 400g tin of chopped tomatoes, parmesan, salt, pepper, and reserved cooking water from the pasta.
Her guidance suggests that shoppers can save money on own-brand options for dishes where tomato is not the main flavour, while spending more may be worthwhile when tomato is the key ingredient.
