Takeaway diners replacing a starter
If you would otherwise order a fried or crispy starter, soup is an alternative to consider in its place. Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust includes soup among lighter Chinese and Thai starter choices.
Who is this choice for?
Shoppers comparing tomato soups
If calories matter to your choice, compare the amount you plan to eat on the same basis across cans. A low-fat description alone does not tell you which portion has fewer calories.
Takeaway diners watching salt
If you are considering soup alongside a takeaway, check its salt per portion as well as its calories. Sauces and other parts of the order also matter to the meal you put together.
What should you compare?
Decide what the soup will replace before comparing labels for the amount you expect to serve.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Place in the meal | Decide whether soup replaces a starter, side or part of the order. Consider the takeaway portion and sauces too. | I want a warm starter, not an extra course added to my usual order. Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust suggests soup as a lighter Chinese or Thai starter choice. |
| Calories and portion | Check kcal per serving, the stated serving size and how much of the can you will eat. Compare different soups on the same portion basis. | If I serve a whole can, a half-can figure will not describe my bowl. In ASDA Groceries listings for three 400g tomato soups, the declared half-can portions range from 59 to 102 kcal. |
| Salt | Read salt for the portion you will eat; compare it alongside calories rather than assuming the lowest-calorie soup also has the least salt. | I would rather keep the soup’s salt contribution in view when choosing takeaway sauces. ASDA Groceries lists 0.8g to 1.1g salt per half can across the three tomato soups compared here. |
| Ingredients | Check the current can’s ingredients and allergen declaration. Do not treat a vegetarian label as a milk-free label. | When I need a milk-free option, I cannot choose by calories or a vegetarian description alone: the three ASDA Groceries tomato-soup listings compared here identify milk. |
What can catch you out?
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Adding soup without changing the takeaway order
Soup still adds to the meal if the starter, sides and main course stay the same.
Choose which part of the order it will replace before you order; otherwise, consider leaving it out.
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Choosing by calories alone
The three tomato soups listed by ASDA Groceries contain 0.8g to 1.1g salt per declared half-can serving, and the lowest-calorie one does not have the lowest salt figure.
Compare both figures for your portion, then consider the sauces and other dishes in the order.
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Comparing one serving but eating another
A per-100g or half-can figure may describe less soup than you put in your bowl.
Check the can’s serving information and compare products using the amount you intend to eat.
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Assuming vegetarian means milk-free
The ASDA and two Heinz tomato soups compared here are described as vegetarian but contain milk.
If you need to avoid milk, read the current ingredients and allergen declaration before choosing.
Relevant brand references
ASDA
ASDA Cream of Tomato Soup 400g is a retailer own-label example for comparing declared half-can portions.
- ASDA Groceries lists 59 kcal and 0.9g salt per half can for this product.
- It contains milk; these figures do not describe ASDA’s other soups.
Heinz
The standard and No Added Sugar Cream of Tomato 400g cans offer two distinct recipes to compare.
- ASDA Groceries lists 68 kcal and 0.8g salt per half can for No Added Sugar, against 102 kcal and 1.1g for standard Cream of Tomato.
- Both products contain milk; check the exact variant rather than applying either set of figures to other Heinz soups.
Tesco
Tesco’s low-fat tinned-soup category lists a 400g tomato soup and a 400g lentil and vegetable soup.
- The two named soups give you different flavours to investigate.
- Check the exact can’s calories, salt, ingredients and serving size before comparing it with another soup.
Sainsbury's
Sainsbury's Cream of Tomato Soup 400g is another own-label tomato soup with a declared half-can serving.
- Sainsbury's lists 114 kcal and 0.89g salt per half can for this product.
- It contains milk; its figures apply to this can, not the wider range.
Joybuy soup options
These mushroom, corn and parsnip-and-carrot soups are options to consider in place of a takeaway starter. Compare the portion you would serve and check each can’s label before choosing.
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Heinz Cream of Mushroom Soup 400g
A mushroom soup to consider instead of a takeaway starter. Check how much of the 400g can you will serve, and check the current allergen information if milk or wheat matters to you.
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Itoen Special Rich Corn Potage Soup 185g
A corn soup to consider in place of a starter. Use the current can to check nutrition for the amount you will drink and its ingredients if milk or chicken-derived flavouring matters to you.
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Crosse & Blackwell Best of British Spicy Parsnip & Carrot Soup 400g
A parsnip-and-carrot soup to consider instead of a takeaway starter. Check nutrition for your portion of the 400g can and review the current allergen declaration if milk, wheat or celery matters to you.
Common questions
Should I have tinned soup as well as my usual Chinese takeaway?
Consider having it instead of a starter or side, rather than adding it to an unchanged order. Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust includes soup among lighter Chinese and Thai starter choices and advises considering takeaway portion sizes.
Does low fat mean a tinned soup has fewer calories?
Not necessarily; compare kcal for the amount you will eat. GOV.UK advises comparing nutrition labels, while ASDA Groceries lists 102 kcal per half can for standard Heinz Cream of Tomato and 59 kcal per half can for ASDA Cream of Tomato.
How do I compare salt when serving soup with a takeaway?
Compare salt for the portion you will actually serve, then consider the rest of the meal. ASDA Groceries lists 0.8g to 1.1g per half can across the three tomato soups discussed here; MyHealthLondon NHS recommends a maximum of 6g salt a day for adults.
Are the tomato soups compared here milk-free?
No. The ASDA Cream of Tomato, Heinz No Added Sugar Cream of Tomato and standard Heinz Cream of Tomato products discussed here contain milk. Check the current can’s ingredients and allergen declaration before buying for a milk-free diet.
What should I do with soup left in an opened can?
Follow the storage instructions on that can, including the specified container, refrigeration and use-by period for leftovers. Instructions can differ between products, so check before saving a portion for another meal.