I tried Aldi and Lidl’s cheap tomato soups and one was a clear winner

It will be the perfect meal to warm up during the autumn and winter cold spells

04:00, 21 Sep 2025Updated 08:05, 21 Sep 2025

The soup was delicious – paired with some crusty buttered bread(Image: Reach PLC)

With a chill in the air, it’s time to swap out certain summer dishes for something hot, hearty and satisfying. There’s nothing quite like a meal that not only warms you up but is also surprisingly healthy.

As a frequent home worker, having an entire kitchen at my disposal opens up so many possibilities for a midday meal. The days of reaching into the fridge for a soggy sandwich or wilted salad are long gone – and this meal isn’t so outlandish that it couldn’t be taken to the office too.

One dish that comes to mind during autumn and winter that doesn’t break the bank and offers endless variations is a delicious, steaming bowl of soup. Granted, it might not be the most glamorous of meals, but it certainly soothes the soul and satisfies hunger without resorting to unhealthy options.

I decided to try out some of the most affordable options available, and one will definitely be added to my regular meal rotation. The UK’s cheapest supermarkets – Aldi and Lidl – both offer pots of soup that make for a budget-friendly meal.

Both are priced similarly (between £1.59 and £1.69). There were cheaper tinned options costing under £1, but my local Lidl had every variety except tomato when I went shopping, reports the Daily Record.

Soup can be a perfect quick meal to enjoy when the weather gets cold(Image: Reach PLC)

It didn’t seem fair to pit two different types of products against each other, so I chose a safe middle-of-the-road option that was still just as affordable. Shoppers could splurge a bit more and opt for the deluxe versions, but sometimes the basics don’t need sprucing up to be special.

First off, Lidl’s £1.59 soup was decent in terms of flavour but I instantly knew it wouldn’t be my cup of tea once I tipped it from the 600g plastic tub into a bowl. It might have just been my batch, but lots of tomato chunks fell out and the soup itself had quite a thick consistency.

I’m not a big fan of this and prefer a smoother soup. However, after overlooking this, I actually quite enjoyed the taste of this meal – although I couldn’t completely finish my portion as the lumps were just too much.

Skip the soggy sandwich and office fridge wars with a hearty dish you can make in minutes(Image: Getty)

Next, I discovered a real gem at Aldi. Despite being 10p pricier (£1.69), the tomato soup poured from its milk carton-style container into the bowl without a lump in sight – already off to a better start than its supermarket rival!

I paired it up with some crusty buttered bread and it was a delightful meal that took on a robust and flavoursome tomato taste, and was so satisfying I skipped dessert. If I were having this after work, I reckon this would be scrumptious alongside a cheese toastie.

Soup is typically a very cost-effective meal, particularly if you’re working with a tight food budget for the week. Dividing the Aldi soup two ways (as the packet suggests) would work out at about 85p per dish – not including any extras like bread.