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Original poster

Do people REALLY only eat half a carton of fresh soup?

212 replies

sprigatito · 02/01/2026 20:00

I’m struggling to get my head around this! I’ve seen on MN several times lately that people eat half of a carton for a meal, and I know the calories are given that way on the packaging, so officially it’s a serving…but I’ve never met anyone in real life who doesn’t eat the whole carton! I’ve lost 4.5 stone this year and I eat soup most evenings for dinner. I don’t overeat generally. My soups are mostly homemade, but I do use fresh supermarket ones sometimes, and half a carton really would be a miserable little puddle in the bottom of the bowl! Is it really, honestly normal? And…why?

YABU: half a carton is ample. You’ve lost sight of what a normal bowl of soup looks like
YANBU: nobody actually does that. It’s soup, not golden syrup with extra chunks of pork fat.

OP posts:
Thenose · 02/01/2026 20:30

I don't think I'd fit 600ml in my soup bowls.

Catwoman8 · 02/01/2026 20:30

EatSleepDreamRepeat · 02/01/2026 20:26

I've just googled and half a chicken soup covent garden is 143 calories. I usually have homemade soup. I calorie count (about 1800) and would have about 250 cals of homemade soup plus farmhouse bread about another 250 cal to make a 500 cal lunch. I would definitely eat the whole portion

The calories are low, it is the salt content you have to watch with these.

onetrickrockingpony · 02/01/2026 20:29

I’m actually shocked and didn’t know people would eat the whole thing.

half here, with a slice of bread and a small piece of cheese.

And if DH asks me if I want a cup of tea after I say no because I’m already full of liquid..

EatSleepDreamRepeat · 02/01/2026 20:26

I've just googled and half a chicken soup covent garden is 143 calories. I usually have homemade soup. I calorie count (about 1800) and would have about 250 cals of homemade soup plus farmhouse bread about another 250 cal to make a 500 cal lunch. I would definitely eat the whole portion

MassiveBackstory · 02/01/2026 20:23

I am quite greedy (not by MN standards, just by normal standards!) and I usually have half. I think I probably want to eat 2/3 but don’t want to have 1/3 left for next day so opt for 1/2. The other day I brought 2 cartons to my Mum and Dad for lunch and my mum tried to serve one carton between the three of us! But she is definitely more conformist to MN standards of appetite…

GreyCarpet · 02/01/2026 20:22

Half a carton.

If its a tin of heinz tomato then still half.

Liverly · 02/01/2026 20:22

Half but could eat it all and try not to

carpetfluffs · 02/01/2026 20:20

Sometimes I have half but with lots of bread and other bits.

My favourite soup costs nearly £4, I can’t afford a whole pack!

Barney16 · 02/01/2026 20:18

For lunch half a carton and bread or toast.

Catwoman8 · 02/01/2026 20:17

sprigatito · 02/01/2026 20:10

Yes, I mean the 600g ones! I have approximately the same measure of my homemade soup - it looks like a well-filled soup bowl, not excessive.

Show quote history

Yeah I would typically half one of those and have 2 slices of toast with it for lunch. I could easily eat a full carton , but it does me for 2 lunches if I split it.

tilypu · 02/01/2026 20:16

Half, because the whole thing doesn't fit in my bowl, and two bowls seems excessive. But as others have said, it's not really quite enough.

CandiedPrincess · 02/01/2026 20:16

Half is definitely a portion, but with a slice of bread.

gamerchick · 02/01/2026 20:16

It's more the salt content in them rather than the calories for me. Much better to make your own I think.

CissOff · 02/01/2026 20:15

For lunch, I would use 2 of the Covent Ones for 3 lunches. One is too much, half isn’t enough. Same goes for those fresh filled pasta.

Sohelpmegod25 · 02/01/2026 20:14

Oh the whole thing absolutely

Half carton soup eaters at work leaving it in the fridge is a constant issue too as
it sits there and goes mouldy!

SoManyDandelions · 02/01/2026 20:14

I'd eat half, but with a couple of slices of bread and butter.

AhBiscuits · 02/01/2026 20:14

I tend to have tins, which are 400g, or homemade. I eat loads but 600g seems like a little bit too much.

user2848502016 · 02/01/2026 20:13

If I was having it for my main meal with no bread or anything with it I’d have a whole carton

NotARealWookiie · 02/01/2026 20:13

I would have the whole thing AND bread.

however I actually think with Covent Garden about 3/4 of the carton is the right size portion. I just don’t want be left with 1/4 carton so eat the whole thing.

BeMellowAquaSquid · 02/01/2026 20:13

I split a carton of M&S soup purely because the bowls we have at work aren’t big enough for a whole pot. I need room in that bowl of tomato soup for my cheese sandwich!

miamo12 · 02/01/2026 20:12

Fresh soup? We share between the two of us but it’s only going to be lunch and we will have bread too

Arlanymor · 02/01/2026 20:12

I have a mug with a toastie. So half.

DarkForces · 02/01/2026 20:11

Dh and I share a tin or carton between us. He'd have it with a sandwich and I'd have it with a slice of bread.

TomatoSandwiches · 02/01/2026 20:11

Half for me, I have a cup full, about 300ml?

mindutopia · 02/01/2026 20:11

Yes, definitely would only have half, but with some crusty bread and butter unless it was a pretty hardy soup. A full one is definitely too much and I’m not a teeny tiny eater.

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