Just the thought of a warm bowl of soup, whether you spend all day simmering a pot from scratch or order from a gourmet soup delivery service, can bring up so many thoughts and feelings.
Everyone has a favorite soup. Whether it’s an Italian Wedding soup that your grandmother used to make, or a quick bowl of chicken soup when you’re feeling under the weather, it’s the perfect food. And while it is a popular dish among many people year-round, it’s especially popular during the winter months. You can bring soup to parties, or drop it off at someone’s door when they are sick. But making soup a regular part of your diet year-round has many benefits, so here’s why you should eat soup whether it’s hot or cold outside.
Soup can Save you Money
When you’re looking for budget-friendly meals, soup can go a long way. Not only is it nutritious, but one big pot can last your family several meals. It saves time when you’re not always cooking, and you can use scraps and other less ideal meats to make it. Additionally, it’s the perfect meal to make for a friend. Send soup when someone is sick, has a baby, or is recovering from surgery, and needs help preparing meals. You can even customize soup very easily to fit certain dietary needs like when someone is vegan or gluten-free. These simple and affordable meals go a long way.
There are Countless Varieties of Soup
In western countries, we typically eat soup for lunch or dinner and we usually eat it hot. In other places around the world, however, soup is eaten for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. And there are also cold soup varieties that you can eat even when it’s too hot outside. With countless varieties of soups that include local animals, vegetables, and broth, there are plenty of ways to enjoy a bowl of soup. Think beyond cereal for breakfast for instance and enjoy a warm bowl of leftover soup instead.
You can look beyond your usual ingredients and figure out different ways to change up your routine instead. Make a Chicken and rice soup instead of a chicken noodle soup. Add turmeric and garlic to soups you wouldn’t normally. Try a delicious Thai-inspired soup using galangal and coconut milk in the broth.
Soup Can be a Complete Meal
Want to make an easy one-pot dish? Try making soup. It’s a complete meal with meat, vegetables, and all the essential nutrients you need. You can make a thick, hearty chili soup, or a rustic vegetable soup with potatoes. Add in some rice or noodles if you want, or serve it alongside a slice of bread. Making soup a regular part of your diet means that you can also enjoy it any time of the day and for any meal.
It’s a Healthy Food
When you struggle to eat a balanced diet, adding soup into the mix is the perfect solution. It’s healthy, you can add extra veggies, and flavorful meats, and get your belly full easily. By adding lots of vegetables you get a lot of great nutrition, plus they are high in fiber and low in calories. Since a healthy diet should include at least 5 servings of fruits and vegetables, you can easily get most of them in a single bowl of soup. Most people overlook this healthy food, but if you’re trying to lose weight, eating soup a day is a great option.
It Can be Stored for a Long Time
You can freeze soup, can soup, and even keep it in your refrigerator for a few days. This means that there are multiple ways to store soup for a long time. Placing soup in a freezer bag, or sealed container and removing the air will help your soups last a long time. You can even double seal it to prevent freezer burn. Leave enough soup in the fridge to eat for 2-3 days, then freeze the rest. Soup is easy to thaw on the stovetop to reheat for a meal whenever you need something quick and easy for dinner when you get home.
Making Soup is Easy
Making soup from scratch is easy and can be done in less time than it takes to run out and buy a box of soup. Plus, making soup allows you to control the ingredients that go into your dish. Cook up your meat, and add broth or water to the mix.