topic Do you use packaged soup mixes? in Recipes

Do you use packaged soup mixes?

Zhills — Tue, 05 Nov 2019 18:50:07 GMT

Do any of you use the packaged soup mixes (not just from QVC)?

What do you add to make them more like homemade or do you serve 'as is'?

Re: Do you use packaged soup mixes?

bluehost — Tue, 05 Nov 2019 18:56:57 GMT

The basis of a great soup doesn't come in cans or packages. It's all about a great stock. No, I don't use packages.

Re: Do you use packaged soup mixes?

Zhills — Tue, 05 Nov 2019 19:02:37 GMT

You are absolutely correct, but at this point in the game it is "Good, Quick and Easy!" No preservatives!

Re: Do you use packaged soup mixes?

Cookie2025 — Tue, 05 Nov 2019 19:06:05 GMT

I use the Bear Creek brand of 'instant' bag soups. I always add more to the soups but they are fine 'as is' too.

Re: Do you use packaged soup mixes?

SandySparkles — Tue, 05 Nov 2019 19:08:55 GMT

I did when my kids were younger for the sake of time and convenience. Nowadays, I make my own and can't even remember the last time I opened a can or package of soup. I usually make enough for several meals because I am not a big fan of food prep. There is nothing more satisfying than a steaming hot bowl of vegetable or lentil soup on a cold winter day. Yum!😋

~~~All we need is LOVE💖

Re: Do you use packaged soup mixes?

AuntG — Tue, 05 Nov 2019 19:25:13 GMT

Only chili mix which I jazz up to our liking.

Re: Do you use packaged soup mixes?

aroc3435 — Tue, 05 Nov 2019 19:38:30 GMT

@Zhills Of course, I prefer homemade but I do use packaged soup mixes, or homemade "copycat" ones on occasion. Since I discovered the Better Than Bouillion brand of soup base I use that, too, especially the low salt version when I can find it.

I also use canned condensed soups too, sometimes, instead of from scratch, in a recipe.

For my version of Lipton's chicken noodle I take four cups of water and measure the appropriate amount of chicken base, powdered or fresh garlic cloves, add 3/4 of a cup of cappelini pasta broken into small pieces and bring to a boil then simmer covered until pasta is almost cooked through then bring up to a vigorous boil again, add one scrambled egg poured through the tines of a fork, stir vigorously and add some dried parsley for "egg drop" soup.

Great quickie when I feel a head cold coming on.

Re: Do you use packaged soup mixes?

RespectLife — Tue, 05 Nov 2019 19:41:01 GMT

No, I never use anything bagged, canned or boxed BUT I stopped making my own broth/stock for convenience sake.

Too messy, not enough flavor and I loath picking that bird apart! I always felt like I needed to add Better than Boullion anyways to get rich flavor. That is loaded w/ sodium and I have been unable to find the low sodium ones locally.

Wegmans stock is fantastic AND is lower in sodium than Swanson LOW SODIUM broth!

Wouldn't have guessed that!

I LIVE on soup and make it several times during the week.

Re: Do you use packaged soup mixes?

Mj12 — Tue, 05 Nov 2019 19:43:54 GMT

@aroc3435 that sounds wonderful and easy - love the addition of the egg. Thanks!

Re: Do you use packaged soup mixes?

shoptilyadropagain — Tue, 05 Nov 2019 19:52:46 GMT

I buy the Lipton Beefy Onion Soup Mix to throw in the crock pot with cubed steaks, beef broth and cream of celery soup. It makes a gravy for the cubed steaks. I don't use any other soup mixes and use this one but not for actually making soup.

Re: Do you use packaged soup mixes?

deepwaterdotter — Tue, 05 Nov 2019 20:14:19 GMT

@bluehost wrote:
The basis of a great soup doesn't come in cans or packages. It's all about a great stock. No, I don't use packages.

I agree.

Re: Do you use packaged soup mixes?

ID2 — Tue, 05 Nov 2019 20:49:49 GMT

I make great stock AND use a pkg for a starter for my soup. We live among the Amish and they put out great homemade pkgs of soup mix. I use that but add much more to make a pot of soup that lasts a full week. Mmmmm.

Re: Do you use packaged soup mixes?

GAQShopr53 — Tue, 05 Nov 2019 21:40:09 GMT

In the past I have used the packaged soup mixes but now I actually make my soups from scratch. When I used the packaged mixes I would add other items/vegetables to the recipe to give it a more homemade twist.

I would use the broccoli and cheese and chicken noodle soup mixes. Overall, they were not that bad but by the time I added all the additional items I could have just made a from scratch soup.

Re: Do you use packaged soup mixes?

Katmary — Tue, 05 Nov 2019 22:12:47 GMT

I 've received these as gifts, they usually end up sitting in the pantry until the spices stick together and I have the throw them out. They're actually pretty good if I add extras to them but tend to forget about them and make things from scratch.

Re: Do you use packaged soup mixes?

grandma petes — Tue, 05 Nov 2019 22:13:26 GMT

There are some really good soup mixes out there. I use them from time to time to save time, but I love to cook, so I make my own soups.
You can always jazz up the soup mixes/canned soups with some additional herbs, a dash of cream, some fresh cut up veggies and maybe diced chicken.
If you use Cream of Mushroom soup for casseroles, there are some amazing and easy recipes for it on Pinterest. It takes no time to put together....and it beats the canned stuff hands down.

But my hubby still loves his childhood faves...Campbell's Vegetable Beef and Bean With Bacon....so they are ones we still love.😊

Re: Do you use packaged soup mixes?

mustang66lady — Tue, 05 Nov 2019 22:15:04 GMT

@Zhills

When I first starting making soup, I was intimidated by my Mother's homemade soup. I never watched her prepare it and I know she didn't use a recipe. So I used the Bear Creek packages as a starter and then added more. I think my soups end up being more stew like than soup like. I literally clean out the veggie drawer in a lot of soups! Now I make all kinds of soup and no longer use the Bear Creek packages. Do what you feel comfortable with, and go on from there. I always have a couple of bags of frozen "soup veggies" in my freezer for the winter months and I make my own stock but also keep a couple of chicken, beef and veggie stock cartons on my shelf as well. I freeze my stock in 4 cup containers, but sometimes I need a tad more stock and don't want to defrost anothter 4 cup container-would prefer to use part of a store bought box of stock and freeze what I dont' use. The good thing about soup is it is very forgiving and you will get the hang of it as you go along.

Re: Do you use packaged soup mixes?

sfnative — Tue, 05 Nov 2019 23:54:07 GMT

Never. There's too much garbage in soup mixes. I eat "clean" and in order to do so, wouldn't touch anything like that with a 10' pole.

Re: Do you use packaged soup mixes?

jannabelle1 — Wed, 06 Nov 2019 00:03:45 GMT

The only packaged soup I use are Lipton. I grew up with Lipton chicken noodle soup when I was sick, and I still love it. And, I use Lipton onion soup mix as a seasoning and in dips. I've tried a few of the other more hardy soup mixes and didn't like them at all.

Re: Do you use packaged soup mixes?

Coquille — Wed, 06 Nov 2019 00:33:38 GMT

@RespectLife wrote:
No, I never use anything bagged, canned or boxed BUT I stopped making my own broth/stock for convenience sake.

Too messy, not enough flavor and I loath picking that bird apart! I always felt like I needed to add Better than Boullion anyways to get rich flavor. That is loaded w/ sodium and I have been unable to find the low sodium ones locally.

Wegmans stock is fantastic AND is lower in sodium than Swanson LOW SODIUM broth!
Wouldn't have guessed that!

I LIVE on soup and make it several times during the week.

@RespectLife I make my own but I would love to find a real low sodium product. I wish there was a Wegmans near us. We used to go to Wegmans when we would visit our daughter in college. What a fantastic store. I felt like a kid in a candy store.

Re: Do you use packaged soup mixes?

Carmie — Wed, 06 Nov 2019 02:01:38 GMT

I have never used a soup mix. I doubt anyone here would eat it. First, too much salt for me and not enough " goodies" in it for my husband. He likes thick chunky soup.

I make homemade soup from bones often and freeze some for later in 1qt freezer bags and lay them flat. When frozen, I stand the bags up like a books in a plastic bin. I probably have six or seven different flavors of soup in my freezer now and will add to it when the weather gets colder.

I also have frozen bone broth and stock. I would never use a carton or can of stock.