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December is always a hectic time of year for me. This year it’s been compounded by extra worries and stress, and likely for you too! I am constantly reminding myself that eating well by focusing on nourishing food (and not just holiday junk) is so important for my sports performance and overall well-being.

It may sound almost contradictory, but I like to stock my pantry with canned soups ensure that I have a healthy, quick meal just minutes away, no matter what. No shame in the canned soup game, read on to find out some easy nutrition boosts for canned soup – and any other type of shelf-stable convenience soup from carton, jar, or pouch.

Whether you are too busy with seasonal activities or just don’t want to immerse yourself in crowds by grocery shopping or dining out frequently, you may be falling into the “eating whatever I can find” routine. I’m not immune to it either. However, there are strategies you can take to help make better choices when food choices are limited or you just really don’t want to cook from scratch. Let me show you how to make shelf stable, canned soup healthier.

Lol, I used to think of canned soup as something for college students or elderly people, but in 2020 it’s been flying off my pantry shelves.

I don’t know what’s in your pantry, but I always have random can, jars and boxes of soup. I used to just ignore the stockpile because simple canned soup can so boring. Plus, to be honest, in my opinion most (but not all) shelf-stable soups don’t really have the most well-rounded roster of ingredients, or fill me up, or get me excited.

HOWEVER, and WHOOHOO,  there are easy ways to give your box, pouch, jar or can of soup an upgrade, you just need to be creative – and in that creativity, you’ll not only make a soup that likely tastes better, but also offers more nutrients to fuel your day.

How to make canned soup more nutritious:

Add Veggies: Look in your produce bin and see what veggies need to be used up STAT. Then, depending on what type of vegetable it is, simply give it a quick sauté in the pot before pouring over soup or chop up or grate finely and toss in raw while simmering. No vegetable is off limits, I like to use onions, spinach, mushrooms, carrots, squash, potatoes – really anything works for a canned soup upgrade. When you add extra veggies, you’ll be adding extra nutrients like fiber, vitamins, and antioxidants.

Liquid Upgrades: Instead of just adding water per the can instructions, consider a broth, a milk variety of choice, a splash of apple cider vinegar, a bit of fruit or vegetable juice and so on. One of my favorite canned soup hacks is to use green tea as the simmering liquid in my tomato soup! 

Stir in Protein Powders: Stir in ingredients like collagen peptides powder, unflavored protein powders and bone broth powders to add extra protein to canned soups, which are typically very low in protein content. Nobody wants a clumpy soup, so I suggest taking a bit of warm water and making a slurry out of your powder before whisking into the soup.

Add Leftover Proteins: Canned soup is the perfect vehicle to us up leftover proteins. Chop up steak in fine bits or add shredded chicken, top with crumbled bacon, use tofu or alternative plant-based proteins, or even whisk in an egg to make silky threads like egg drop soup.

Simmer with Whole Grains: Adding a whole grain to canned soup is a great way to make a little can of soup go a long way toward filling you up. Try adding whole grains like rice, barley, whole grain pasta, alternative pasta (like a gluten-free quinoa pasta pictured here), quinoa, and more. You can either add pre-cooked whole grains for an almost “instant soup,” or use uncooked whole grains and add them to the canned soup while it simmers. You will need to read the instructions on the whole grain to ensure you are cooking long enough to make tender – and you will also likely need to add some extra water. 

Add Nuts & Seeds: For a surprisingly delicious nutrition boost that adds creaminess stir in a tablespoon or so of nut butter like the cashew butter I’ve done here with the Butternut Squash Soup. You also get another benefit – a little more protein and also heart-healthy fats that will fill you up. If you prefer texture to creaminess, you can also add seeds or chopped nuts, like pepitas, walnuts or pecans, and stir them right into the soup or sprinkle on top.

Drizzle with Healthy Oils: Finishing a soup with a healthy oil choice adds a richer mouthfeel and provided the many inherent health benefits of the chosen oil. Olive oil, coconut oil, and avocado oil are great choices as are versions that have been infused with spices or herbs. I’ve even taken to drizzling my black bean soup, tortilla soup and beef chili with a little unflavored MCT oil that is quick to fuel my sports and active hobbies.

“Texture” Toppings: Add the final touch with everything from fresh herbs and dried spices to crispy things like toasted oats and shredded coconut and cheese crunchies, croutons and seeds. I’ve even seen a few friends put popcorn on soup!

I think we can agree, all of these nutrition boost for canned soup make it better! Little tweaks in nutrition and exercise can add up to big changes over time – so, bye for now, I’m off to have a bowl of upgraded canned soup and knock out a home workout later!