New parents keeping a cupboard meal ready
A tin can be useful when cooking time is limited. Compare calories for the portion you will eat, then decide whether it needs an accompaniment to make a meal.
Who is this for?
Shoppers wanting more from the soup itself
If soup is the main part of a quick meal, compare protein per can rather than choosing by calories alone. The checked lentil recipes provide more protein per can than the checked plain tomato examples on their product labels.
Vegetarian or vegan shoppers checking allergens
Vegetarian tomato soup is not necessarily milk-free. The checked M&S Tomato and Basil and Spiced Lentil and Tomato soups are labelled vegan, but anyone avoiding an allergen should check the exact product’s current declaration.
What should you check?
Start with the calories for your intended portion, then compare what the soup contributes to the meal and how you will prepare and store it.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Portion calories | Check the can size and whether energy is stated per 100g or per serving. Tesco Groceries lists 58 kcal per 100g for its 400g Cream of Tomato soup: 232 kcal for the full can. Count bread, butter or toppings separately. | I may eat the whole can, not the half-can serving shown on the label, and want the complete meal to fit my 500-calorie limit. |
| Meal contents | Compare protein for the amount you will eat. Sainsbury’s lists 5.6g per half can for its Tomato & Spicy Lentil soup, or 11.2g per 400g can; M&S lists 2.1g per 100g for Spiced Lentil and Tomato, or 8.4g per can. | When soup is the main part of lunch, I want to know whether to choose a pulse-based recipe or add another protein-containing food. The British Nutrition Foundation suggests including vegetables, a starchy food and a protein source in meals. |
| Salt and allergens | Read salt values for your portion and the current ingredient and allergen declarations. Tesco Groceries lists 0.56g salt per 100g for its Cream of Tomato soup, or 2.24g per 400g can; checked cream-of-tomato recipes contain milk. | A vegetarian label does not answer my milk-allergy question, and a per-100g salt figure may not describe the amount I will eat. |
| Heating and leftovers | Check the pack’s microwave or hob directions and its instructions after opening. The checked Sainsbury’s soups specify two days for refrigerated, transferred leftovers; Tesco’s checked Cream of Tomato specifies four days. | I need a quick way to heat lunch and clear instructions if I use only part of the can. |
Common buying mistakes
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Reading a half-can figure as a whole meal
A 400g can contains two 200g portions. Calories shown for half a can also exclude any bread, toppings or milk you add.
Work out the calories for the amount of soup you expect to eat, then count accompaniments separately against your 500-calorie meal target.
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Choosing by the lowest calorie figure alone
M&S lists 0.9g protein per 100g for Tomato and Basil soup, or 3.6g per 400g can. Its Spiced Lentil and Tomato soup lists 8.4g per can, and Sainsbury’s Tomato & Spicy Lentil lists 11.2g.
If soup will be the main part of a meal, compare its protein and consider what else you plan to serve, counting the accompaniment’s calories too.
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Assuming vegetarian means milk-free
Some checked vegetarian cream-of-tomato soups contain milk. Salt also needs checking for the amount eaten: Tesco Groceries lists 0.56g per 100g for its Cream of Tomato soup, or 2.24g per can.
Read the current allergen declaration and calculate salt for your intended portion rather than relying on a front-of-pack description.
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Using another soup’s leftover instructions
The checked Sainsbury’s soups specify use within two days after opening, while the checked Tesco Cream of Tomato specifies four days. Both call for leftovers to be transferred from the can and refrigerated.
Follow the storage and use-within instructions on the tin you open.
Relevant brand examples
These examples show how recipes and labels can differ within the tinned-soup choices considered here; compare the particular tin rather than relying on a brand name.
Tesco
Tesco Cream of Tomato is a 400g vegetarian cupboard-soup example with nutrition shown per 100g and half can.
- Tesco Groceries lists 58 kcal per 100g, equivalent to 232 kcal for the full can, and provides heating and opened-can instructions.
- The full can contains 2.24g salt based on Tesco’s per-100g label and contains milk.
Sainsbury’s
The checked Sainsbury’s examples include 400g Cream of Tomato and Tomato & Spicy Lentil soups.
- Sainsbury’s lists 98 kcal and 5.6g protein per half can for the lentil recipe: 196 kcal and 11.2g protein for the full can.
- The checked products specify transferring and refrigerating leftovers, then using them within two days.
M&S
The checked M&S 400g range includes Tomato and Basil, Spiced Lentil and Tomato, and Cream of Tomato recipes.
- M&S lists 34 kcal per 100g for Tomato and Basil and 43 kcal per 100g for Spiced Lentil and Tomato: 136 kcal and 172 kcal per can respectively.
- The checked Cream of Tomato contains milk. Check the current allergy information even for recipes labelled vegan.
Heinz
Heinz Cream of Tomato 400g is the checked branded classic tomato-soup example.
- Sainsbury’s lists 51 kcal per 100g for this Heinz soup, equivalent to 204 kcal per can.
- It contains milk and provides 3.2g protein per full can, based on the 0.8g per 100g listed by Sainsbury’s.
Campbell’s
The checked Campbell’s Cream of Tomato is a 295g condensed soup that calls for one can of water to be added.
- Tesco Groceries lists 116 kcal per 100g as sold, equivalent to about 342 kcal for the full 295g can before additions.
- If you prepare it with optional milk, count that milk separately and check the resulting meal against your dietary requirements.
Joybuy soup option
This Joybuy option is a 400g tinned bean soup for a quick cupboard meal. Check its current whole-can nutrition alongside anything you plan to serve with it.
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Suma Organic Tuscan Bean Soup 400g
This 400g bean soup is an option when you want pulses in a quick meal. Compare the pack’s whole-can calories and salt with your plans for the meal; if celery is relevant to you, check the current allergen declaration.
Questions about choosing soup
How do I check whether my soup meal stays under 500 calories?
Use the calories for the amount of soup you will eat, then add any accompaniments separately. For a 400g can, multiply a per-100g figure by four if no full-can figure is shown: Tesco Groceries lists 58 kcal per 100g for Cream of Tomato, which is 232 kcal for the can before bread or toppings.
Which soup should I consider when it is the main part of lunch?
Consider a lentil-based soup if you want more protein from the soup itself. Sainsbury’s lists 11.2g protein per 400g can for its checked Tomato & Spicy Lentil soup, while M&S lists 8.4g for Spiced Lentil and Tomato; the British Nutrition Foundation also suggests including a protein source, vegetables and a starchy food in meals.
Are vegetarian tomato soups always vegan or milk-free?
No. The checked Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Heinz and M&S Cream of Tomato soups contain milk. Check the current ingredient and allergen information for the exact tin, particularly if you need to avoid an allergen.
How should I store soup left in an opened can?
Follow that product’s storage instructions and transfer leftovers from the can as directed. The checked Sainsbury’s soups specify a covered, refrigerated container and use within two days; Tesco’s checked Cream of Tomato specifies a covered, refrigerated container and use within four days.