For a night-shift snack, compare tinned soups by kcal and salt per 100g, then work out the figures for the amount you will actually eat. A lighter soup can suit a short break, but a half-can serving may be too small to stand in for a planned meal. Check the exact tin’s allergens and storage instructions before taking it to work.
If you want a hot snack rather than a large meal during a break, portion size matters as much as the type of soup. Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals NHS Trust advises that smaller snacks or a light meal during night breaks may be preferable to one large meal.
A per-100g figure helps you compare different tins, while the labelled serving tells you less if you expect to eat more than that amount. The NHS notes that nutrition labels give values per 100g and sometimes per portion.
Check the ingredients and suitability statement on the exact tin. Soup recipes differ: the Heinz Chicken Noodle product listed by ASDA identifies wheat, egg and celery, while Campbell's lists wheat and milk in its Cream of Mushroom soup.
Start with a comparable per-100g figure, then check the portion you plan to eat and whether the soup will work during your break.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Calories and portion | Compare kcal per 100g, then use the tin size and labelled serving to calculate the amount you intend to eat. Check whether a condensed soup’s figures are stated as sold or as consumed. | I want a snack-sized portion, not a half-can figure mistaken for the whole tin. |
| Salt | Read salt per 100g and for your intended portion alongside kcal. The NHS defines low salt as 0.3g or less per 100g; a 'low fat' label answers a different question. | If I eat the whole can, I want to know its total salt as well as its calories. |
| Break-time practicality | Check the preparation instructions, access to suitable heating equipment and what the label says about storing any opened remainder. Consider whether the portion fits around your other planned food. | A hot soup is useful only if I can prepare it during my break and deal with leftovers as instructed. |
| Ingredients | Read the exact tin’s ingredient, allergen and vegetarian-suitability statements; do not transfer them from another flavour or product line. | I need the soup to fit my ingredient requirements, regardless of its calorie figure. |
A 400g tin labelled with values for a 200g serving contains two of those servings. Eating it all doubles the listed per-serving figures.
Check both the serving weight and tin weight, then calculate the figures for the portion you expect to eat.
Fat and salt are separate label entries. Tesco’s Low Fat Lentil & Vegetable Soup lists 0.47g salt per 100g, above the NHS definition of low salt at 0.3g or less per 100g.
Compare kcal and salt on the same per-100g basis, then check both for your intended portion.
Campbell's gives Cream of Mushroom nutrition per 100g as consumed. Added ingredients can change the figures for the finished serving.
Check the stated preparation basis and account for anything you add.
An opened tin may need refrigeration before the remainder can be used. Tesco instructs buyers of its Low Fat Lentil & Vegetable Soup to transfer unused contents to a non-metallic container, cover and refrigerate them.
Check your break-room facilities and follow the storage instructions on the soup you choose.
These examples show why the exact soup and its label matter more than the brand name alone.
Tesco’s Low Fat Lentil & Vegetable Soup is a 400g tinned option.
Heinz Chicken Noodle and Cream of Tomato illustrate different calorie figures within the brand’s tinned soups.
Campbell's Cream of Mushroom is a condensed soup that can be prepared as soup or used in cooking.
M&S has a tinned-soup range and describes hob and microwave preparation on its range page.
These options include savoury tins for a hot break and a sweet, ready-to-eat soup. Choose by the kind of snack you want, then check the portion and label.
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A noodle soup to consider when you want a small hot portion on a break. ASDA Groceries lists 32 kcal per 100g and 64 kcal per half can for this Heinz soup; that half can also contains 1.2g salt. It contains wheat, egg and celery, so check the current tin before eating.
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This ready-to-eat, sweet dessert-style soup suits a different snack preference from a savoury hot soup. The 200g can makes the pack size clear; check its current nutrition and ingredient label, including sugars and salt, against the amount you intend to eat.
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A bean-and-vegetable soup to consider if you prefer that style of hot break snack. Use the 400g tin size to work out your intended portion, and check its current salt and allergen information; celery is identified in the product information.
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This parsnip-and-carrot soup offers a savoury option for a break. Check the figures for the amount you plan to eat from the 400g tin, along with preparation and after-opening instructions. The product information identifies celery, milk and wheat allergens.
Compare kcal per 100g first, then calculate the figures for the amount you expect to eat. For example, the Tesco Low Fat Lentil & Vegetable and Heinz soups listed by Tesco or ASDA use half-can portions for their per-serving figures; a whole 400g tin is two such portions.
No: check the salt entry separately. The NHS defines low salt as 0.3g or less per 100g, while Tesco Groceries lists 0.47g per 100g for its Low Fat Lentil & Vegetable Soup.
Consider the soup’s portion alongside the other food you have planned for the shift, rather than treating a low-calorie snack as a full meal. Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals NHS Trust advises regular eating and notes that smaller snacks or a light meal during night breaks may be preferable to one large meal.
Follow that product’s label and make sure you have somewhere suitable to store the remainder. Tesco instructs buyers of its Low Fat Lentil & Vegetable Soup to transfer unused contents to a non-metallic container, cover and refrigerate them, and consume them within four days.
Read the suitability and allergen information on the exact tin before eating. ASDA Groceries identifies wheat, egg and celery in Heinz Chicken Noodle, while Campbell's identifies wheat and milk in its Cream of Mushroom soup; those details should not be assumed for other flavours.