It’s that time of year when people start reflecting on their habits and making goals for the future. Many of those goals revolve around eating. Whether it's about simplifying your routine, using more nutritious ingredients, or cutting back on calories, soups and stews can be a great way to start the new year off right.
Soups and stews are perfect for resolutions made during those colder winter months. With the meager daylight hours and blustery weather outside, curling up with a steaming bowl of hearty stew can make for a cozy dinner and an easy-to-pack lunch. So grab a spoon and slurp up these New Year’s soups and stews that can help you meet any resolution.
RESOLUTION: EAT AT HOME MORE
A major barrier to eating at home is finding recipes that come together quickly enough to make those busy weeknights work. If you're looking to cut back on drive-through stops and eat at home more, making fast New Year’s soups and stews is a great way to meet your goals.
Smoky Chicken and White Bean Soup
With only seven ingredients and roughly 30 minutes of cooking time, this savory soup will leave you full without putting you in a time crunch. Canned ingredients like Hunt’s® diced tomatoes offer rich flavor without all the time spent slicing and dicing. The leftovers will be a bright spot in your lunch hour, too.
Slow Cooker Lentil Soup
What’s great about slow cookers is that all you have to do is throw a few things in (brown lentils, tomatoes, celery, and onion in this case), and then let them simmer and meld together low and slow as you go about your day. With this recipe, you’ll be coming home to the delicious aroma of a meal that's ready to eat with little fuss.
KETO FRIENDLY BACON CHEESEBURGER SOUP
Tasty like a cheeseburger yet surprisingly low-carb—it’s a brave new world we live in. This comforting recipe puts your pressure cooker to work as it brings together pureed cauliflower, ground beef, cauliflower florets, and cheese (lots and lots of Cheddar cheese) for a keto-tastic meal you’ll gladly eat on repeat.
Premade meals
Cooking from scratch is great, but if avoiding the drive-thru is your major resolution, stocking up on ready-to-eat meals is key to success. Stashing cans of prepared meals like Wolf Brand® chili with beans in your office or lunch box can give you all the comfort of a home-cooked meal without the time spent making it yourself.
RESOLUTION: EAT FEWER CALORIES
If you're trying to cut back on calories, soups and stews can be a great way to fill up without overindulging.
EASY POTATO SOUP
“What’s for dinner?”
“Erm… not fast food?”
Yes, you can eat a lower-calorie meal in, even when you swear you don’t have any food at home. Do you have potatoes? Probably. Butter, flour, and onion? OK, good, we’re almost there. This meal lets you skip the store run (or at least make it a quickie) in favor of a crowd-pleasing meal that lets everyone customize to their taste buds.
Spicy Corn Soup
It's a lot easier to meet your calorie goals when you're cooking at home. Having a go-to flavorful meal makes staying in a lot more appealing. And just like the last recipe, if you stock up on Birds Eye® sweet kernel corn, it’s only a matter of charring the kernels and blending them with other ingredients to create this golden winner.
PRESSURE COOKER CHICKEN TORTILLA SOUP
Yes, yes, a million times, yes. Meet the soup that’s guaranteed to be a favorite, even for your partner who “doesn’t like soup.” Ingredients you can feel good about, like pan-roasted corn, chicken, tomatoes, beans, and spices bring that south-of-the-border flair to any regular weeknight meal. Plus, you can layer on even more flavor with your choice of garnishes. Avocado and cilantro addicts, rejoice.
EAT MORE PLANT-BASED FOOD
Whether you’re watching the budget, making an ethical and/or eco-friendly decision, or being health-conscious, anyone trying to cut back on meat and animal products can do so by stocking their recipe book with satisfying meals. These vegan and vegetarian soups and stews let you green your food choices while still feeling full.
White Bean and Kale Minestrone Soup
Ingredients like Birds Eye Steamfresh® premium chopped kale combine with protein-loaded white beans to make this hearty meal that's completely vegan. Lower your carbon footprint while filling up on steamy goodness.
Roasted Cauliflower Soup
This vegetarian recipe pulls together carrots, celery, onions, and cauliflower for a veggie-filled explosion of flavor. Pro tip: PAM organic olive oil cooking spray helps keep those savory vegetables from sticking to the foil when you roast them.
TOMATO SOUP WITH COCONUT MILK
There’s something about a veggie puree that feels like the ultimate #selfcare. This tomato soup takes it one step further, swapping traditional cream for coconut milk, creating a flavor that almost feels luxurious. Simple enough that it’s ready in 35 minutes, fancy enough that you feel like you’re eating at the hip new vegan bistro in town. Look at you!
No matter how you are looking to improve your life in the upcoming year, having a plan is the key to success. Eating nutritious meals without having to spend a lot of time and money to prepare them is a foundational good habit that can propel you through many other goals. Make sure you’re starting your resolutions off on the right foot by logging in and saving your favorite New Year’s soup and stew recipes that will keep you warm and ready for whatever the day brings your way.
