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The Best Store-Bought Soups That Taste Homemade

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Soup in a can is often seen as more of a plan B than a first choice for a meal. We tend to see it as the stuff of army barracks and earthquake survival kits as opposed to an easy, satisfying meal.

Well, maybe it’s the pandemic talking, or perhaps canned soup has just improved over the years, but it’s a viable and often healthy option, no matter what your diet. Moreover, it couldn’t be much easier than cracking a can and either zapping it in the microwave or warming it on the stove.

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Plus, you can always deck it out with a good spread of cheese and crackers or some veggies and hummus on the side. As you look to keep your food pyramid interesting in 2022, don’t overlook soup, especially mid-winter when most of us could use something that can cut into the colder weather.

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Amy’s

Amy's Lentil Vegetable Soup Label

Organic and often driven by a strong bill of vegetables, Amy’s selections are a must for those who are after more healthful soups. The lentil vegetable and hearty rustic Italian vegetable are among the best, but there are tons of riffs borrowing from cuisines all over the world.

Progresso Light

Progresso Light Chicken Noodle Soup

There are plenty of low sodium and lighter option on planet soup but, frankly, many come off as diluted and flavorless. Not so with Progresso, even with classics like chicken noodle soup and clam chowder. If you do want to sneak a salty fix in now and again, go with the brand’s tasty traditional butternut squash soup.

Wolfgang Puck

Wolfgang Puck Tortilla Soup

Celebrity chef Wolfgang Puck pretty much changed the game when we went full soup a while back. His selections are quite reliable, including those made with free-range chicken and organic ingredients. Also try the brand’s tortilla soup and chicken with egg noodles.

Dinty Moore

Dinty Moore Beef Stew

If you’re looking for a filling, hearty soup that will offer the calories to push you through the day, Dinty Moore is your can. Soups like beef stew are straightforward but satisfying, so chunky they almost defy the liquid nature of soup. Come hungry, leave full, just like you did at your kitchen table as a kid.

Rao’s

Rao's Chicken Noodle Soup

Rao’s has been whipping up soup batches since the late 1800s. The brand tends to be inspired by Italian cooking, with flavors like tortellini and vegetable and Italian wedding soup. Also stock up on homemade chicken noodle as it tastes rather homemade.

Campbell’s Condensed

Campbell's Cream of Mushroom Soup

We all know about Campbell’s traditional lineup of soups but the condensed versions feel like a supermarket hack of sorts. You can water them down and eat as soup, or used the thick concentrate in other dishes, like stroganoff or pasta. Just look for the “cream of” options and start playing around in the kitchen.

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