Canned Soup Weights: Calorie Counts, Serving Sizes and Meal Planning Tips

Understanding Canned Soup Weights

Canned soups offer a quick and easy meal or snack anytime. But have you ever wondered just how much a single can of soup weighs? Knowing more about typical canned soup weights can help with meal planning, dieting, and meeting nutritional needs.

Average Weights of Popular Canned Soups

Most canned soups come in two common sizes - approximately 15 ounce cans and 22 ounce cans. Here are the average weights for some favorite canned soup varieties:

• Chicken Noodle - 15 oz can weighs about 1 pound 4 ounces full
• Tomato - 15 oz can weighs around 1 pound 5 ounces full
• Cream of Mushroom - 15 oz can weighs about 1 pound 5 ounces full
• Minestrone - 15 oz can weighs approximately 1 pound 5 ounces full
• Chicken and Rice - 15 oz can weighs about 1 pound 6 ounces full
• New England Clam Chowder - 15 oz can weighs around 1 pound 6 ounces full
• Vegetable - 15 oz can weighs approximately 1 pound 5 ounces full
• Broccoli Cheddar - 15 oz can weighs about 1 pound 6 ounces full
• Chicken Noodle - 22 oz can weighs around 1 pound 11 ounces full
• Tomato - 22 oz can weighs about 1 pound 14 ounces full
• Cream of Mushroom - 22 oz can weighs approximately 1 pound 13 ounces full
• Minestrone - 22 oz can weighs about 1 pound 14 ounces full
• Chicken and Rice - 22 oz can weighs around 1 pound 15 ounces full

Factors Affecting Canned Soup Weights

While these numbers represent averages, there are certain factors that can cause the weight of a canned soup to vary:

• Ingredients - Soups with more solids like beans, pasta, or meat weigh more than broth-based soups.
• Density - Thicker, cream-based soups are heavier than clear broth soups.
• Vegetable to broth ratio - Chunkier soups with more veggies tend to weigh more.
• Fill level - Oversized or underfilled cans affect total weight.
• Broth type - Creamy dairy-based broths add weight compared to meat or veggie broths.
• Brand - Different brands use slightly different can sizes and recipes.

Typical Weights by Soup Type

In general, canned soups fall into the following average weight ranges depending on their make-up:

• Broth-based: 1 pound 2 ounces to 1 pound 5 ounces (15 oz can)
• Cream-based: 1 pound 5 ounces to 1 pound 7 ounces (15 oz can)
• Chunky vegetable: 1 pound 4 ounces to 1 pound 7 ounces (15 oz can)
• Hearty/minestrone: 1 pound 5 ounces to 1 pound 8 ounces (15 oz can)
• Chowder: 1 pound 8 ounces to 1 pound 11 ounces (15 oz can)
• Broth-based: 1 pound 10 ounces to 1 pound 13 ounces (22 oz can)
• Cream-based: 1 pound 12 ounces to 1 pound 15 ounces (22 oz can)
• Chunky vegetable: 1 pound 11 ounces to 1 pound 14 ounces (22 oz can)
• Hearty/minestrone: 1 pound 13 ounces to 1 pound 1 pound (22 oz can)
• Chowder: 1 pound 15 ounces to 2 pounds (22 oz can)

Using Canned Soup Weights for Meal Planning

Knowing the approximate weight of canned soups has several benefits for meal prepping and diet planning:

• Determines if a single can provides one or multiple servings.
• Helps plan portion sizes and supplemental sides.
• Allows balancing soup with other meal components.
• Assists tracking nutritional data like calories, carbs, protein, and sodium.
• Aids grocery shopping and knowing how much is needed.
• Helps maximize weight loss diet results.

Serving Size Guidance

To estimate how many servings are in a can of soup:

• Broth-based: 15 oz can holds 1 to 2 servings; 22 oz can holds 2 to 3 servings
• Cream-based: 15 oz can holds 2 servings; 22 oz can holds 3 servings
• Chunky vegetable: 15 oz can holds 2 servings; 22 oz can holds 3 servings
• Hearty/minestrone: 15 oz can holds 2 servings; 22 oz can holds 3 to 4 servings
• Chowder: 15 oz can holds 2 servings; 22 oz can holds 4 servings

Using this information along with nutrition labels allows planning well-balanced soup meals.

Incorporating Canned Soups into a Healthy Diet

When using canned soup in your diet:

• Enjoy broth-based varieties more often as they tend to be lower in calories, fat, and sodium.
• Look for reduced sodium or low-sodium options.
• Balance sodium content by pairing with fresh sides like salads or roasted vegetables.
• Boost nutrition with add-ins like whole grains, beans, lean protein, or additional veggies.
• Compare brands and select ones with more veggies, fiber, protein, and less preservatives or thickeners like modified food starch.
• Rinse canned beans and chickpeas to reduce sodium.
• Use reduced fat milk or cream instead of heavy cream for creamy soups.
• Avoid using canned soups every day to limit sodium intake.

Canned Soup Weights and Weight Loss

Monitoring canned soup weights can also help maximize results on a weight loss diet.

Tips for Losing Weight with Canned Soup

• Stick to broth-based and lower sodium options which are lower in calories.
• Compare brands and choose lower calorie products.
• Enjoy sensible portion sizes based on the can's weight.
• Add extra veggies to canned soup for more fiber and nutrients that promote fullness.
• Combine soup with lean protein like chicken breast, tofu, or black beans.
• Avoid high carb add-ins like pasta, rice, or bread.
• Count the calories and macros in canned soups when tracking intake.
• Don't rely solely on canned soup - incorporate fresh whole foods too.

Potential Drawbacks of Canned Soup for Weight Loss

• High sodium content causes water retention.
• Cream-based and condensed soups are high in calories and fat.
• Packaged add-ins like croutons, noodles and rice boost carbs.
• Preservatives like MSG may increase appetite.
• Not very satiating due to lack of protein, fiber and bulk.
• Portions need to be carefully measured when eating directly from the can.

Knowing the typical weight of canned soups allows choosing products aligned with your health goals.

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult with a healthcare professional before starting any new treatment regimen.