It's Mint! (Heinz Big Soup)

Member Name: Foxy-Lady

Product:	Heinz Big Soup
Date:	25/01/08 (650 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Filling

Disadvantages: Doesn't quite look like the photo on the tin!

When it's cold, miserable and wet outside I love nothing more than sitting down to enjoy a delicious, warming bowl of soup for my lunch. I like to make my own soups with various ingredients and often make large batches so I can freeze some for future use. Sometimes, there just isn't enough time to prepare though and when hunger strikes you need to do something about it! I therefore tend to keep a few tins of ready made soup on standby in case of emergencies.

The last time I wanted to stock up, my eye was drawn to a particular range - Heinz Big Soups. I'm a fan of Heinz' standard soups such as traditional Cream of Tomato amongst other flavours. These Big Soups look a bit different though. Attractive looking labels adorn the tins which are a standard green across the range. The individual flavours are then distinguished and emphasized by a scrumptious looking bowl of steaming soup, beneath the Big Soup branding. There are quite a few varieties to choose from such as Chicken & Leek and Beef & Vegetable but Minted Lamb Hotpot sounded instantly appealing - "Tender pieces of lamb...sprinkling of chopped mint" - so I added a couple of tins to my basket.

The pack photography looked so nice that I was really looking forward to trying it. So much so that the next time soup was on the menu, I didn't even consider making my own - I just opened my Heinz Big Soup tin!

At first glance, the product looked just like a rustic style vegetable soup but then my nostrils kicked in and I could smell the meaty content, followed by a distinctive hint of mint. Tastebuds suitably tempted, I prepared the soup. It's so quick and convenient...heck, you don't even need a can opener as they've included one of those ring pull thingies! Simply empty the contents of the tin into a saucepan and gently heat through. A microwave can also be used, taking roughly 3 minutes preparation time.

Settled in front of the fire, watching the rain fall outside, I tucked into my bowl of steaming hot soup which of course was accompanied by some thick, crusty bread. This is an optional extra, I hasten to add, and not actually included with the tin!

First impressions? Very tasty! The lamb certainly adds flavour to the product making it seem somewhat heartier than some other soups. The taste of mint is also just right in my opinion. A lovely balance has been achieved as the mint is not too overpowering - something which could've easily occurred.

The soup itself is thick with a very nice texture and consistency. Chunky vegetables are in abundance...big cubes of wholesome potato, large pieces of carrot (a bit too soft for my liking), peas and diced onions. The veg equates to roughly 38% of the soup. On a more negative note, I did find myself slightly disappointed by the lamb content. Although the flavour is there, the bits of lamb floating in the soup are in short supply and the pieces that are in existence are only small. The ingredients state that the meat makes up 8% of the total soup content which isn't a large amount, but referring back to the product photography, it most definitely features much bigger pieces of lamb!

I can forgive the measly meat portion though as the taste of the soup is still delicious. With no artificial colours, flavours or preservatives I'm even more attracted to the product. I do find myself a tad confused when reading the nutrition information though. 116 calories per 200g serving we are told. But hang on a minute...that's only half of the 400g tin. Am I therefore led to believe that one tin contains two portions? Not on your nelly...I need a full tin (plus that crusty bread) to get my fill!

So, using my own calculations you will find 232 calories per tin, along with 5.2g of fat. And for those with allergies, gluten and wheat are also present unfortunately.

On the whole, I think Heinz Big Soups (Minted Lamb Hotpot in particular as it's scrummy) are great value for money at around 84p per tin. They are so much more substantial than other available soups - for example, the Heinz Cream of Tomato that I mentioned earlier. The chunky content creates a very filling soup...really satisfying as a lunch or snack. Perfect for a miserable Winter's day!

Summary: A tasty, satisfying soup