For the a cold winters day meal to warm the soul it’s hard to go past a crispy grilled cheese and a bowl of delicious tomato soup. It’s such an easy meal to cook which makes it an ideal bite for a lunch on the go or even as a family dinner for those nights you just can’t be bothered cooking. As delicious as this combo is though, is it nutritious? Is a grilled cheese and tomato soup healthy for you?
A grilled cheese with tomato soup is the type of meal you could eat for days on end without really getting sick of it. For me, especially in the colder winter months, love settling in for a night of Netflix with a bowl of tasty tomato soup and my favorite cheese and onion grilled cheese in hand.
For someone who enjoys this delicious meal a few days a week, could they be confident they were getting a good range of nutrients that it would be considered a healthy meal?
To answer in a nutshell, It really depends on what sort of tomato soup and grilled cheese you’re having however generally speaking a grilled cheese with tomato soup isn’t the healthiest meal option but it also isn’t the unhealthiest as you’ll get a basic range of carbs and vegetables to fuel your day. If enjoyed in moderation there’s nothing wrong with a yummy grilled cheese and tomato soup for lunch.
Is Grilled Cheese With Tomato Soup Good For You?
There is a big difference between different types of tomato soups and grilled cheese that can be the decider in determining if it’s healthy or not. For example, a can of store bought tomato soup with a grilled cheese on white bread with a slice of American cheese may not be the healthiest meal however a bowl of mums homemade hearty soup with a multigrain and mozzarella grilled cheese would be much better for you.
Canned Tomato Soup With Classic Style Grilled Cheese
Canned Tomato soup is definitely a convenient option and all though it’s a much less healthy choice than homemade soup it still isn’t the worst for you. A can of Campbells famous canned tomato soup comes in at 1,356KJ and has 4 serves of vegetables in every can, however the bigger issue would be that it also contains 865mg of sodium which is a fair bit of salt considering the recommend daily intake is around 1,500mg-2,300mg a day.
If you pair this with a classic grilled cheese sandwich comprising of 2 slices of white bread along with 2 slices of American cheese and some butter for toasting you’d be roughly adding another 1,100mg of sodium taking the total sodium intake to over 85% of your recommended daily intake.
A can of Tomato Soup with a classic grilled cheese isn’t the worst for you and still provides you with some good nutrients however it’s high sodium content makes it a dicey call to label it as ”healthy”
A More Healthy Option
A much healthier alternative can come from opting for a homemade tomato soup and using less processed ingredients in the grilled cheese sandwich. It does require a little more effort all though it’s worth it as a homemade tomato soup using fresh tomatoes like this one is a much heartier option that still tastes fantastic.
The great thing about homemade soup is that you’re getting that yummy rich tomato taste with all the good stuff without all the extra salt and additives of canned tomato soup. You can expect about 100mg of sodium from a cup of homemade tomato soup which is much less than the Campbells soup.
When it comes to the grilled cheese, before whipping out the trusty sandwich maker, consider opting away from the processed American cheese for a more natural cheese such as Mozzarella or Provolone which will contain less fat. In addition to this you can also choose a healthier style of bread such as A Wholemeal slice which has loads more fibre, vitamins and minerals than standard white bread.
To Conclude
Is a grilled cheese and tomato soup a healthy meal? While it isn’t the healthiest meal for you it certainly isn’t the worst either. A can of tomato soup with a classic grilled cheese offers basic nutrition but can also be rather high in salt. To make the meal a little bit healthier a bowl of homemade soup along with a grilled cheese using less processed cheese and more nutritious bread goes a long way. Whatever option you go for for the main takeaway is moderation, a bowl of your favorite tomato soup with a crispy grilled cheese is fine for a delicious lunchtime meal here and there.
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