Heinz Tomato Soup review

What's in the tin

Heinz lists tomatoes at 89%, water, modified cornflour, sugar, rapeseed oil, dried skimmed milk, salt, cream, milk proteins, citric acid, spice extracts and herb extract. The allergen line is short: contains milk.

Per 100g, Heinz gives 51 kcal, 2.1g of fat with 0.2g saturated, 6.8g of carbohydrate of which 4.8g is sugars, and 0.8g of protein. A 400g tin is therefore about 204 kcal and just over 3g of protein, which is why it works as a lunch alongside bread, not a full meal by itself.

Why a case makes sense

The most reliable food store is the one you rotate. A soup the whole family already likes is easy to keep turning over: take the oldest tin for lunch, put the newest at the back. A case of 24 sits on a shelf for months and keeps the store topped up without a special trip. At two tins a week, a case is twelve weeks of lunches, which is about the right pace to stay well inside the dates, and the government's Be Ready checklist and our emergency food guide both start from foods you already eat.

Tomato soup is also gentle, familiar food for someone unwell or for children who refuse anything unusual, which counts for a lot in a stressful week. Check the best-before dates on the case when it arrives and write the earliest one on the box, so you know which tins to use first and when to start eating into them.

The limits

It is low in protein and energy, so a store built only on soup will leave people hungry. Pair it with bread, crackers or something richer in protein. It contains milk, so it is no good for a dairy allergy, and like most soups it is meant to be heated, which puts it in the store for days when you can still cook. Cooking without power covers heating tins safely if the electricity is off.

Once a tin is open, the Food Standards Agency says to transfer what's left to a covered container, refrigerate at 0 to 5°C and eat within 48 hours.

How it compares

On the comparison the Stagg Dynamite chilli carries 536 kcal in a 400g tin, more than twice the soup. Heinz Baked Beanz give 336 kcal from 415g with more protein. John West sardines in tomato sauce are a small, protein-rich tin you can eat cold. The soup's strengths are familiarity and the size of the case.

Our verdict

Buy the case if your household already eats tomato soup and you want the store to look after itself. Skip it if you won't get through 24 tins well within their dates, or anyone at home avoids dairy; a few extra tins in the weekly shop does the same job.

How many calories in a tin of Heinz Cream of Tomato soup?

Heinz gives 51 kcal per 100g, so a 400g tin is about 204 kcal. That makes it a light meal, best with bread.

Does Heinz Cream of Tomato soup contain milk?

Yes. Heinz's allergen statement is 'contains milk', from dried skimmed milk, cream and milk proteins.

Is tinned soup good for an emergency food store?

As part of one. It rotates easily and is familiar, but it is low in calories and protein, so pair it with richer tins such as beans, chilli or fish.

How long does opened soup keep in the fridge?

The Food Standards Agency says to move it out of the tin into a covered container, keep it between 0 and 5°C and eat it within 48 hours.