Two people planning a light meal
A can with two stated servings makes it straightforward to compare roughly 200g bowls. Check that the particular soup carries a low-fat claim rather than judging it by its flavour or appearance.
Who is sharing the soup?
Whether a 400g can works for two depends on the portion each person expects and what else they will eat with it.
Vegetarian couples comparing soup styles
If you prefer lentils and vegetables to smooth tomato soup, compare protein, fibre and salt per portion as well as the current vegetarian and allergen information.
Two people also comparing salt
A low-fat choice can still have a salt amount worth comparing. Use the half-can figure when each person will eat half of a 400g can.
What should you compare?
Choose a soup that meets the dietary requirements of both diners, then compare the nutrition for the portion each will actually eat.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Low-fat choice | Look for a low-fat claim on the current can and read its fat value per 100g and per serving. UK Department of Health & Social Care guidance gives a limit of 3g fat per 100g for a low-fat claim on solid foods; do not assume a flavour name establishes whether a soup qualifies. | I want to choose by the particular soup’s label, not assume that tomato or vegetable soup is low in fat. |
| Portions | Check the pack size and stated serving count. If a 400g can is divided equally, each person receives 200g; check whether nutrition is given per half-can. | One can needs to provide the portions we plan to serve, whether the soup is a starter or part of a meal. |
| Salt and other nutrition | Compare salt for each person’s portion alongside fat. If protein or fibre matters to your choice of soup style, compare those values on the same serving basis. | I may choose a lentil or chicken-and-vegetable soup over smooth tomato, but I still want to see its salt per bowl. |
| Ingredients | Read the current ingredients and allergen declaration for both diners. Check any vegetarian statement on the specific product rather than inferring it from the soup’s name. | Either diner may need to avoid an ingredient, so a suitable fat figure is not enough on its own. |
Common buying mistakes
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Assuming tomato soup is low in fat
Tomato flavour does not establish the fat content. Marks & Spencer lists its Cream of Tomato Soup at 3.1g fat per 100g.
Check the fat panel and any low-fat claim on the particular can instead of choosing by flavour or appearance.
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Comparing per 100g figures but not the bowl
A per-100g figure helps compare soups, while a half-can figure shows what each person gets when a 400g can is split equally.
Use the same portion basis when comparing fat, salt, protein and fibre between cans.
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Treating low fat as a complete dietary check
Low-fat soups can have different salt figures and declared allergens. ASDA Groceries, for example, lists 1.3g salt per half-can and milk and barley allergens for Heinz Chicken Broth Soup.
Compare salt per portion and read the current allergen declaration for both diners.
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Using an old product listing as the final label
Ingredients and nutrition can change; Marks & Spencer advises shoppers to read the product label for its soup.
Check the can before purchase and again before serving, particularly when an ingredient matters to either diner.
Brands and product lines to check
These examples show why the choice needs to be made product by product, not by brand name alone.
Tesco
Tesco Groceries lists 400g Low Fat Tomato and Low Fat Lentil & Vegetable soups with nutrition for a half-can portion.
- The listed tomato soup has 0.7g fat per half-can. The lentil-and-vegetable soup has 0.6g fat, 4.0g protein and 2.6g fibre per half-can.
- The listed lentil-and-vegetable soup has 0.93g salt per half-can, so compare more than the fat figures.
Sainsbury's
Sainsbury's lists its 400g Be Good To Yourself Tomato & Spicy Lentil Soup as serving two.
- The listing gives 1.4g fat and 5.6g protein per half-can for a lentil-led option.
- It also gives 0.88g salt per half-can; check that both diners want a spicy lentil soup.
Heinz
The cited Heinz 400g soups include broth, vegetable and chunky chicken-and-vegetable products; their ingredients and portion figures differ.
- ASDA Groceries lists Heinz Chicken Broth at 0.5g fat per half-can and BIG SOUP Chunky Chicken and Vegetable at 1.3g fat and 6.2g protein per half-can.
- ASDA lists 1.3g salt per half-can for the broth and 1g for the chunky soup. Its broth listing declares milk and barley allergens.
M&S
Check M&S soups individually rather than treating cream of tomato as a low-fat choice by name.
- Marks & Spencer lists its Cream of Tomato Soup at 3.1g fat per 100g. Read the current can when assessing that product.
Campbell's
Tesco Groceries lists Campbell's condensed Cream of Mushroom and Cream of Chicken soups in 295g cans.
- For either condensed soup, check the specific can’s preparation directions, servings, fat and salt before considering it for two low-fat portions.
Joybuy soup options
These are two 400g Heinz soups to assess if you plan to share a can. Check each current label for a low-fat claim, serving information and the ingredients that matter to both diners.
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Heinz Chicken Noodle Soup 400g
The 400g can can be divided into two 200g bowls. Check its current serving information, low-fat claim, salt and allergen declaration before choosing it for both diners.
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Heinz Big Soup Sausage & Vegetable 400g
This 400g sausage-and-vegetable soup could be split into two 200g bowls. Check the current can for its low-fat claim, portion nutrition and ingredients before deciding whether it suits both diners.
Questions about soup for two
Can one 400g can serve two people?
Yes, if two 200g portions suit the meal you have planned. Tesco Groceries gives half-can nutrition for its listed 400g Low Fat Tomato and Low Fat Lentil & Vegetable soups, while Sainsbury's states that its 400g Tomato & Spicy Lentil Soup serves two. Check the particular can’s serving information and decide whether you want anything alongside it.
What does a low-fat claim tell me about soup?
It is a regulated nutrition claim, but it does not describe the soup’s salt, protein or ingredients. UK Department of Health & Social Care guidance specifies no more than 3g fat per 100g for a low-fat claim on solid foods; do not apply that solid-food condition to every soup without checking the relevant claim and current product label.
Does low fat mean low salt?
No. Tesco Groceries lists 0.93g salt per half-can for its Low Fat Lentil & Vegetable Soup, and ASDA Groceries lists 1.3g per half-can for Heinz Chicken Broth Soup. Compare salt for the portion each person will eat rather than relying on the low-fat description.