Soup is an easy and nutritious go-to meal that has many benefits in addition to making you feel warmer on a cold day. Here are five reasons that we think might convince you to make a soup for dinner tonight.
- Generally Rich in Vegetables- MyPlate recommends 1-3 cups per day, depending on your age, sex, and level of physical activity. In general, 1 cup of raw or cooked vegetables or vegetable juice, or 2 cups of raw leafy greens can be considered as 1 cup from the vegetable group. Soups make it easier to accomplish this daily goal, as most vegetables work well in soups. You can even add fresh or frozen vegetables to a canned soup to add more nutrients and flavor.
- Both Filling and Hydrating- Soup contains a high amount of water, which makes you feel full quicker. The high liquid content is also very helpful in hydrating your body, which is especially helpful in the winter months when we tend to be less thirsty and drink less water.
- Inexpensive and Easy- Soup can be your grocery budget’s best friend. Most ingredients are budget friendly, and leftover meat from a previous meal can make a great soup addition. Soups are one of the easiest dishes to make in the culinary world and don’t require a lot of hands-on time. A slow cooker or instant pot can also be used to reduce hands on cooking time even further.
- Soup recipes generally make large batches- Which means they can be eaten for 2-3 meals. Leftovers can also be frozen and reheated for future meals.
- High in Nutrients, Low in Fat- The vegetables that are in most soups provide many vitamins and nutrients, while the meat (if using lean meat) is low in fat. Fat intake can also be limited by using fat free broths. The addition of beans in many soups adds fiber as well. Which makes soup a great choice for a well-rounded, MyPlate focused meal.
Try your hand at making a mirepoix (a mix of carrots, onions, and celery, usually finely diced, and used as the seasoning base for a meat dish or sauce) that can be used for many different soup recipes:
For more information on recommended food group intake: