January is National Soup Month, which fits nicely with this cold winter weather that is finally here. Nothing warms you up better on a cold evening than a steaming hot bowl of hearty soup or stew. Soup also offers an easy way to eat smart by following the MyPlate building blocks to create a healthy, balanced meal. Finally, soup can be an affordable meal that fills you up for less money and saves time in the kitchen.
Nothing beats a warm bowl of soup on a cold day.
Comfort in a Bowl
There are few meals that compare to a simple bowl of tomato soup and a grilled cheese. From childhood, this is a favorite meal for cold weather in many homes. Check out this lightened up version that’s just as tasty, but lower in sodium, saturated fat, and added sugars. It’s sure to become your family’s new healthier favorite.
Make MyPlate into MyBowl of Soup
Soup is the original one-pot meal. It’s easy to use each food group of MyPlate in a tasty soup recipe. Here are some smart choices for each group that you might have on-hand in your Better Pantry that make for a delicious soup recipe.
- Sweet and white potatoes
- Squash, both winter and summer
- Leafy greens like spinach, Swiss chard, or kale
- Aromatics including garlic, onions, carrots, celery, and bell peppers
- Starchy veggies like corn and peas
- Cabbage
- Beets (borscht anyone?)
- Tomatillos
- Okra (gumbo isn’t gumbo without it!)
- Low-sodium vegetable broth
- Beans and peas – dried or canned
- Lean beef, chicken, or turkey – ground, shredded, or leftover
- Ham or turkey bacon
- Low sodium beef or chicken broth
- Whole grain noodles
- Brown Rice
- Barley
- Low-fat (1%) or non-fat (skim) milk
- Non-fat dry milk
- Reduced-fat cheese
- This one is tough for hot soup… Tomatoes! (They’re technically a fruit, right?)
Big Bowls, Low Cost
One of the best things about soup is making a huge pot and having leftovers for several days. Cook once, eat two or three times! Soup is a time-saver for busy nights.
Soup is also a thrifty meal. As you’ll notice, most of the ingredients above are fairly low-cost. That’s good for tight budgets, especially right after the holidays.
Recipes
After all that talk about soup, I’m ready to hit the kitchen. Try these tasty, low-cost recipes this week!
- Bean Soup
- Broccoli Potato Soup
- Brunswick Stew
- Butternut Squash & Apple Soup
- Butternut Squash and Lentil Soup
- Cheese and Corn Chowder
- Chicken Pozole Soup
- Garden Barley Soup
- Ground Turkey Vegetable Soup
- Chicken Noodle Soup
- Hearty Beef and Vegetable Soup
- Italian Bean Soup
- Leftover Turkey Soup
- Lentil Soup
- Lentil Stew
- Lentil Vegetable Soup
- Mexican Pozole Soup
- Mushroom Barley Soup
- Mexican Chicken Soup
- Potato Corn Chowder
- Tomato Soup
- Navy Bean Soup
- Potato Soup
- Pumpkin and Bean Soup
- Salmon Cheese Chowder
- Sausage Bean Kale Soup
- Split Pea Soup
What are your family’s favorite soup recipes? Share in the comments!