Weekly shoppers planning soup lunches
If you expect to eat a whole tin, use its whole-tin calories rather than a figure stated for half a tin. That leaves you able to account for any bread or other additions when planning a meal under 500 kcal.
Who is this for?
Shoppers comparing salt as well as calories
A low calorie figure does not tell you the salt content of the portion you will eat. Compare salt on the same portion basis, particularly when choosing between a full ready-to-eat tin and a condensed soup.
Households choosing soup for lunches or cooking
A ready-to-eat tin suits a heat-and-serve lunch. Campbell's Condensed Cream of Tomato Soup instead requires dilution and can also be used as a cooking ingredient, according to Campbell's Soup UK.
What matters when choosing soup?
Start with the amount you expect to eat, then check salt, preparation and ingredients on the same tin.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Meal calories | Check kcal per serving and servings per tin. If the tin contains two half-tin servings and you will eat it all, use both servings; count additions separately. | I want the whole meal, not just the labelled soup portion, to stay under 500 kcal. |
| Salt | Compare grams for the amount you will eat, rather than comparing a half-tin figure with a whole-tin figure. The NHS advises adults to have no more than 6g of salt a day. | Calories are not my only consideration; I want to see how much salt my actual portion contains. |
| Preparation | Distinguish heat-and-serve soup from condensed soup. Campbell's Soup UK instructs shoppers to add one tin of water to its condensed tomato soup, with milk and water offered as an alternative. | For a quick lunch, I would rather heat a ready-to-eat tin; for cooking, I may want a condensed one. |
| Ingredients | Read the current ingredient and allergen declaration for the exact soup. Tomato soup is not necessarily dairy-free: the listed ASDA Cream of Tomato contains milk, while Campbell's condensed tomato soup lists milk and celery. | If milk, celery or vegetarian suitability matters to me, I need to check this tin’s label rather than rely on its flavour name. |
Mistakes to avoid
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Reading a half-tin figure as a whole lunch
ASDA Groceries labels its 400g Cream of Tomato Soup at 59 kcal per half tin, or 118 kcal for the whole tin. Its Heinz Cream of Tomato listing likewise gives 102 kcal per half tin, or 204 kcal for the whole tin.
Before comparing tins, decide whether you are likely to eat half or all of each one.
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Counting the soup but not the additions
A soup’s stated calories do not include bread, butter, cheese or croutons served with it. Campbell's option of using milk to dilute its condensed soup also changes the prepared meal’s calories.
If 500 kcal applies to the meal, include everything you plan to serve with the soup.
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Overlooking salt when the calorie figure is low
Salt varies between tins. Action on Salt & Sugar reported in February 2026 that 23% of 481 ready-to-eat soups assessed in UK retailers exceeded the voluntary maximum salt target; that figure describes the assessed products, not shoppers’ preferences.
Compare salt in grams for your intended portion as well as its calories.
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Assuming every tomato soup has the same ingredients or instructions
The listed ASDA and Heinz tomato soups contain milk. Campbell's condensed tomato soup lists milk and celery and must be diluted before heating.
Check the current tin’s allergens and preparation directions, especially when changing brands or recipes.
Relevant soup brands and ranges
Heinz
Its 400g Cream of Tomato is a ready-to-heat, vegetarian-labelled soup.
- ASDA Groceries gives 204 kcal for the whole tin, calculated from two labelled half-tin servings.
- The whole tin contains 2.2g salt and the soup contains milk.
Campbell's
Its 295g Cream of Tomato is condensed soup that can be served as soup or used in cooking.
- Campbell's Soup UK gives 342 kcal for the tin as sold, across two labelled servings.
- It requires dilution; its 2.68g salt per tin is stated for the soup as sold, and optional milk adds calories. It contains milk and celery.
Tesco
Tesco Cream of Tomato Soup is a 400g vegetarian-labelled own-brand tin.
- Tesco Groceries lists 116 kcal per half tin, equivalent to 232 kcal for the whole tin.
- Its listed salt is 1.12g per half tin, or 2.24g for the whole tin; check the current packaging for ingredients and allergens.
Sainsbury's
Its 400g Tomato & Basil Soup offers a tomato-and-herb option.
- Sainsbury's lists 114 kcal and 0.85g salt per half tin, equivalent to 228 kcal and 1.7g salt for the whole tin.
- The listed ingredients include milk products.
Asda
The listed 400g range includes smooth Cream of Tomato and a Tomato & Three Bean soup.
- ASDA Groceries gives 118 kcal and 1.8g salt for a whole Cream of Tomato tin, and 156 kcal and 1g salt for a whole Tomato & Three Bean tin.
- The two soups have different ingredients and textures; Cream of Tomato contains milk.
M&S
Its tinned-soup range includes tomato, vegetable, bean and chicken varieties, with vegetarian and vegan range filters.
- The M&S Food range offers several soup types to consider for different meals.
- Check the nutrition panel of the particular tin for whole-portion calories and salt before including it in an under-500-kcal meal.
Joybuy tinned soup options
These Joybuy tins offer pea, bean and vegetable choices for a weekly shop. Check the current tin’s nutrition panel for the portion you will eat, especially when adding food alongside it.
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Baxters Super Good Pea, Broccoli & Basil Pesto Soup 400g
A pea-and-broccoli option for a whole-tin lunch. Check the current label for milk if you need to avoid it, and count any accompaniments in the meal total.
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Suma Organic Tuscan Bean Soup 400g
A bean soup to consider when you want something other than smooth tomato. Compare whole-tin salt as well as calories, and check the current label for celery if relevant.
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Suma Pea & Vegan Ham Soup 400g
A pea soup with ham-style pieces. If you need a vegan product or must avoid milk, check the current ingredient and allergen declaration before relying on the name; also compare salt for the portion you will eat.
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Baxters Vegetarian Country Garden Soup 400g
A vegetable-and-rice choice for a cupboard lunch. Check the current label for milk if relevant, and follow the tin’s heating directions.
Questions about tinned soup
How can I tell whether my soup meal is under 500 kcal?
Use the kcal for the amount of soup you will eat: where a tin contains two half-tin servings, count both if you will finish it. Add the calories from milk used in preparation and from bread, butter, cheese or other accompaniments when assessing the whole meal.
Does a lower-calorie soup also contain less salt?
Not necessarily. Compare salt for the same amount of soup as well as kcal: ASDA Groceries lists 118 kcal and 1.8g salt for its whole 400g Cream of Tomato tin, while its whole 400g Tomato & Three Bean tin has 156 kcal and 1g salt.
Does Campbell's condensed tomato soup need diluting?
Yes. Campbell's Soup UK instructs you to add one tin of cold water, or use half milk and half water, before heating. If you use milk, include it when calculating the prepared meal’s calories and check its suitability for anyone avoiding milk.
Which label details matter when choosing a tin?
Check energy and salt for the portion you intend to eat, then read the ingredients and allergen declaration for that exact tin. Preparation instructions also matter: a ready-to-eat soup and a condensed soup are not served on the same basis.