How My Freezer Replaces Canned Soups
I grew up on canned soups. That was just how soup was made, right? I clearly remember the first time as a child that I had homemade soup at a restaurant. Cream of chicken, good cream of chicken. I came home begging my mother to get me some cream of chicken soup.
Imagine my dismay when I heated up a can. It definitely was not like the soup I’d had at that restaurant Aunt Cass took me to! I had seen the light.
Since then I’ve learned that while canned soup certainly holds its place for convenience, the flavor of homemade just cannot be beat. Plus, given the fact that soup is so economical to make at home, it’s really in our budget’s best interests to do so!
The freezer can help you replace canned soups, providing a way to store it in convenient serving-size containers at the same time as giving homemade soup a chance to shine.
One of the things I love about freezing soup is that everyone can have his favorite kind. Not everyone in my household loves blended soups. No worries. I make two pots: one blended, one chunky. We freeze both in 2-cup portions, and everyone is happy!
3 Steps for Freezing Soup
- Portion Out: Divide the soup into portion-sized containers, leaving adequate head space (about 1/2-inch) for expansion.
- Chill: Chill the soup overnight in the refrigerator.
- Cover After Freezing: If freezing in glass jars, be sure to freeze the soup without the lids until solid. Then add the lids. This will help you prevent breakage.
Don’t Stop at Soup!
Finished soup isn’t the only thing you can freeze. Having homemade chicken stock on hand is a great way to make soup-making easier. You can keep a collection of vegetable scraps, a mirepoix bag, on hand for your next batch of stock. Keep a small container to collect leftover veg portions that are too small for a meal. Over a few days, you’ll have enough to make a great pot of Stone Soup.
Whether you’re throwing together a new hodgepodge creation or following a favorite recipe, the freezer can replace the canned soup in your cupboard, too.