Can You Get Your 5 A Day From Soup? Here's What You Need to Know

November 21, 2025 •

3 min read

According to NHS guidelines, a single bowl of vegetable-packed soup can count as one or more portions towards your 5 A Day. This makes soup a convenient and versatile way to boost your daily fruit and vegetable intake. However, the exact number of portions you can get from a single serving depends on key factors like ingredients and preparation.

Quick Summary

It is possible to get several portions of your 5 A Day from soup, particularly when made from scratch with a variety of vegetables and pulses. For store-bought versions, scrutinize the labels for ingredients, salt, and portion claims. The number of portions that a blended soup can contribute is limited.

Key Points

Homemade is best: Making your own soup offers the most control over ingredients, maximizing vegetable variety and portions.
Blending limits portions: A blended soup, like a smoothie, can only contribute a maximum of two portions towards your 5 A Day, regardless of how many vegetables are included.
Read ready-made labels: For store-bought soups, always check the label for the claimed portion count, but also inspect the ingredients list for high levels of salt, sugar, and fat.
Pulses count once: You can count one portion of pulses like lentils or beans in your soup towards your 5 A Day, but only one, even if you add more.
A bowl is not enough: Achieving all five portions from a single soup is improbable; a varied diet of fruits, vegetables, and pulses throughout the day is necessary.

The Essentials of the 5 A Day Rule

Before exploring the role of soup, it’s important to understand the guidelines for achieving your 5 A Day. The recommendation is to consume at least 400g of a variety of fruits, vegetables, and pulses each day, with a single portion being 80g. What you may not know is that there are specific rules for how different types of produce count towards this total.

What Counts as a Portion?

Fresh, Frozen, or Canned Vegetables: An 80g portion counts as one of your 5 A Day.
Dried Fruit: A 30g portion of dried fruit like raisins or apricots counts as one portion, but is best consumed with a meal due to its high sugar concentration.
Pulses: A 30g portion of dried pulses (which becomes 80g once cooked), such as lentils, chickpeas, or beans, counts as one portion. However, only one portion of pulses can be counted per day.
Blended or Juiced Fruits and Vegetables: A smoothie or blended soup can only count as a maximum of two of your 5 A Day, no matter how many fruits and vegetables are included. This is because blending can release sugars more quickly and fibre is broken down.

Homemade Soup: The Ultimate 5 A Day Tool

Making your own soup is the most effective way to maximize your 5 A Day intake. By controlling the ingredients, you can pack in a wide variety of vegetables and ensure you are getting the full benefits without added salt or fat often found in pre-made versions. A single large serving can easily contain two to three portions or even more.

Maximizing Your Soup’s 5 A Day Potential

Use a Wide Variety: Incorporate different vegetables and pulses into your base. For example, a chunky vegetable soup with carrots, onions, celery, and lentils can easily rack up multiple portions.
Add Leafy Greens: Stir in a handful of spinach, kale, or frozen peas towards the end of cooking. This not only adds an extra portion but also preserves the vibrant colour and nutrients.
Get Creative with Garnish: Top your soup with fresh herbs like coriander or parsley, or add some blanched broccoli florets for texture and a nutritional boost.

The Verdict on Ready-Made Soups

Ready-made soups can also contribute to your 5 A Day, but they require careful selection. The key is to read the labels thoroughly, as not all soups are created equal.

What to Look for on the Label

Vegetable Content: Check the ingredients list to see what vegetables are included and how high they are on the list. Some soups may only contain one or two portion-sized vegetables.
Nutritional Information: Be wary of high salt, sugar, and saturated fat content. These are often added to enhance flavour but can diminish the health benefits of the soup.
Claim Discrepancies: A soup claiming one portion of a specific vegetable may still contain an unhealthy amount of salt or fat from other ingredients like cream or bacon.

Homemade vs. Ready-Made Soup: A Nutritional Comparison


Feature	Homemade Soup	Ready-Made Soup
Portion Control	Full control to add multiple varieties	Limited by manufacturer; often one or two portions max
Salt/Sugar Content	Can be adjusted or eliminated	Often high; requires careful label checking
Variety of Vegetables	Easy to include many types	Usually limited to a few main vegetables
Cost	Often more cost-effective per portion	Can be more expensive per portion
Convenience	Requires prep time and cooking	Quick and convenient
Blending Effects	Can limit portion count if heavily blended	Heavily blended versions can limit portion count

Conclusion: Can you get your 5 a day from soup?

Yes, you can get multiple portions of your 5 A Day from soup, but it is highly unlikely you could achieve all five from a single bowl, particularly a heavily blended one. Homemade soup offers the most control over ingredients, variety, and nutritional content. By making your own, you can ensure a significant and healthy contribution to your daily intake. For convenience, ready-made soups can help, but you must be a savvy shopper, scrutinizing labels for vegetable volume and hidden salt and sugar.

Ultimately, soup is an excellent, versatile, and delicious tool for boosting your fruit and vegetable consumption, but it works best as part of a varied diet. To meet your full 5 A Day, combine a generous, veggie-packed bowl of soup with other fruits and vegetables throughout the day.

To learn more about what counts towards your 5 A Day and the recommended portion sizes, visit the official NHS website.

Frequently Asked Questions

No, it is not possible to get all five portions from a single serving of soup. Blended soups, in particular, are limited to a maximum of two portions, and for non-blended soups, a full five portions would require an extremely large quantity of different vegetables, which is not typically feasible.

No, standard potatoes do not count towards your 5 A Day. However, root vegetables like sweet potatoes and parsnips can count.

Yes, many store-bought vegetable-based soups count as one portion. However, it is crucial to check the packaging to verify the claimed portion count and check the nutritional information for high salt or fat content.

To increase portions, use a wide variety of different vegetables and pulses. Add different types of greens, legumes, and root vegetables to the pot. Remember that pulses and blended vegetables have specific rules for counting.

Yes, frozen vegetables are an excellent and affordable way to add portions to your soup. They are typically flash-frozen at their peak freshness and retain their nutritional value.

The two-portion limit exists because blending breaks down the cell walls of the fruit and vegetables, releasing sugars and making them more easily absorbed by the body. To get the full benefits of fibre and a slower sugar release, whole or unblended produce is preferred.

Adding a portion of lentils or other pulses can contribute one portion to your 5 A Day count. However, even if you add more pulses, only one portion from pulses can be counted per day.