Campbell's vs. Progresso

[Pickles]

Speaking of Puck's soups, I tried the Chicken Parmesan one about a year or so ago, and it tasted like diluted chickeny flavored library paste with Kraft Immitation Parmesan "Cheese" tossed in. Just a travesty. I remember not expecting such a thick cream based soup (which I dislike). I picked it up hurredly, I guess. Maybe he improved his soups, but I have heard his other packaged frozen foods and especially his frozen pizzas are embarassingly horrible.

[SobaAddict70]

As for me, I loved Campbell's alphabet soup and pepper pot soup.

I could never quite get their version of wonton soup. Why?!?

Progresso's lentil is definitely a good selling point.

I once had a roommate who absolutely HATED tomatoes. Couldn't bring her to eat anything with tomatoes in it. (Yes, that included pizza and spaghetti sauce. ) Reason being was that when she grew up, she had endless bowls of Campbell's cream of tomato to eat. C cot = abject poverty. She's much better now, but the tomato ban is still enforced.

Soba

[Pickles]

Campbells made (makes?) a won ton soup?? Never saw it in all my (nearly 44 years on the planet! Soba...when you say:

I could never quite get their version of wonton soup. Why?!?

do you mean you couldn't obtain it, but knew about it. Or that you didn't "get" the concept of their trying to make won ton when one can get it so cheaply and easily practically anywhere from take-out? And..if you did have it...how was it seasoned??? Any Asian flavor at all? Mushy noodles? Nasty filling? Please dish!

[BrennaMorgan]

I love the minestrone and vegetable versions of both Campbell's and Progresso soup. The issue I have is when meat chunks come into play. In both brands, the chicken is rubbery and mostly fat. It just grosses me out and ruins that whole chicken noodle soup experience. I want nice, quality white meat. Is that too much to ask?

[ingridsf]

My mom used to make this porkchop thing where she browned them and then braised them in Campbell's cream of chicken and water. Gravy was gravy to me and I lapped it up. It tasted great with a lot of black pepper over egg noodles with poppy seeds.

Hmmm, childhood faves were all Campbells -- beef with barley, chicken and stars, and OH! chicken gumbo. Damn, I loved that chicken gumbo.

Progresso just seems like Campbells to me in a bigger can. Now it all seems way too salty and after 3 bites I start tasting cardboard.

I shouldn't care so much about stupid commercials but Progresso's recent ads really are just the snottiest. Okay, my opinion. They show some couple or family about to relax over a well-earned bowl of soup and the designated clod is the Campbell's soup eater while the Progresso person is supposed to be the height of taste and sophistication. No comment on that. My favorite has the college-age daughter getting dissed by her mother whose visiting. For what? Why, for offering her Campbell's. Of course, if my mother carried Progresso soup in her suitcase like this woman I'd laugh my ass off at her and toss her a can opener before scheduling a CAT scan.

[Pickles]

Progresso's recent ads really are just the snottiest. Okay, my opinion. They show some couple or family about to relax over a well-earned bowl of soup and the designated clod is the Campbell's soup eater while the Progresso person is supposed to be the height of taste and sophistication.

And of course..I always WHIP out a can of the offending flavor/brand... that I JUST happen to have at my elbow...in order to drive my point home! "Stop eating THIS crap, darling....now we're eating THIS (crap)!!"

[SethG]

I haven't had a bowl of either Progresso or Campbell's soup for a while. Is GG Mora right? Does anyone else agree that Progresso's soups don't taste like they used to? I don't really care if they're better or worse. I'm just amazed that either Progresso or Campbell's soups might have changed. I think of these products as being like... Heinz ketchup, tabasco sauce, or Coca-Cola (now that one's changed over the years, but you get the point).

[Pickles]

Campbells most defintely changed their marketing. Their lower salt versions (Healthy Request is it?) etc. On the Food Network, I think I remember them saying they also gear their seasonings/soup flavors for regional taste differences.

[HKDave]

I don't know if canned soups have gotten worse over the years, or if our palates have become more sophisticated. I think it's the latter. But have you noticed how the cans seem to be getting smaller?

We always used to have Campbell's in the cupboard for quick lunches (Progresso is hard to find out here), but a few years ago I began to get sick of it - invariably over-salted to compensate for the lack of real flavour, plus here they all have MSG. It doesn't compare to real soup.

So now every Sunday I throw together a big pot of something - maybe chicken or beef stock, or split pea and ham, or cream of carrot - using real ingredients. It takes little time, makes the apartment smell great, and makes Sunday lunch at the same time. I freeze most in 2-cup jars, and now we have real soup and stock on hand instead of the canned junk. Oh, and it's cheaper! For those recipes that 'need' a can of cream of mushroom, or whatever, I do quick bechamels and add fresh or dried mushrooms - ditto for cream of celery and the like. The only thing I can't figure out is why I didn't start doing this 15 years ago.

But I always make sure there's one can of Campbell's tomato (not cream of) around for emergencies - that's still my 'first thing I feel like eating when I've been sick' food. Just don't try to feed it to me unless I've been chundering for a week...

- Hong Kong Dave

[Mabelline]

I totally agree with GG Mora, Progresso is a pale imitation of the first soups they offered. They used to be a family-owned company out of Louisiana, when I first bought their soups at Piggly-Wiggly and Winn-Dixie, late 70's,early 80's. Then they sold out to Carnation or Campbell's or someone, and it's never been the same. My SIL from Hell fed us some 99% Fat-Free Progresso lentil once, and SO & I looked at each other and busted out giggling, it was sooo bad!

When sick, I have to vote for Wolfgang Puck's chicken with rice, and momma comfort,count me in on the 'mater soup and velveeta grilled cheese.

Another momma comfort is a toasted bread tuna sandwich and chicken rice soup. Actually my mom used Lipton's skinny noodle but this is a canned soup discussion.

[dankphishin]

campbell's is definitely my fave, though i love the progresso wedding soup. as far as campbell's goes, i love the pepper pot, vegetable, and golden mushroom. and i'm embarassed to say, i think i have eaten every brand of campbell's soup right out of the can, uncooked. anyone else ever do this?

[Mabelline]

I came home one night drunk and ate homemade corn tortilla chips with Campbell's cheddar cheese soup and some picante made by my White River Apache son-in-law that was so hot your eyes watered walkin' past it. Does that count?

[Jinmyo]

Campbell's best sellers have always been their cream of tomato and cream of mushroom soups. I have tasted them and I remember thinking that I could understand why they sold so well though I didn't much care for them.

But their beef soup smells like rank human sweat.

[marie-louise]

I keep a few cans around for quick lunches. I also find them too salty to eat them more than occasionally.

No one mentioned Campbell's Tomato Rice. I like this made w/ low fat milk. Once it is heated, throw some cubes of whatever cheese you have around into the soup, then serve immediately. The cheese melts slightly, and depending on the type of cheese, gets nice and stringy in the soup.

I also like Progresso Minestrone and Vegetable Soups-one can each-made into Ribalotta [did I spell that right?] Bring the soups to a boil, sink a few thick slices of stale sourdough bread into the soup, grate some Parmesan on top & bake covered in the oven @ 350 for about a half-hour. Bread takes on an amazing texture when cooked this way.

[BrennaMorgan]

I also like Progresso Minestrone and Vegetable Soups-one can each-made into Ribalotta [did I spell that right?] Bring the soups to a boil, sink a few thick slices of stale sourdough bread into the soup, grate some Parmesan on top & bake covered in the oven @ 350 for about a half-hour. Bread takes on an amazing texture when cooked this way.

Yum--that sounds really good.

Edited March 6, 2004 by BrennaMorgan (log)

[lia]

I'm sorry to hear that Progresso quality has gone down...I haven't had canned soup in years but i would have chosen that over Campbell's, although in the supermarket, i'm usually pretty entranced by the sheer number of Campbell's varieties. Just not much of a soup person.

Agree that I always wanna slap the superior snotty people in the Progresso commercials.

(don't hit me) but i find that Lipton chicken noodle with a beaten egg stirred in at the end makes a decent egg drop soup. pure comfort food and delicious when i have a cold or allergies. Former Spouse used to insist that i add lipton onion soup to meatloaf, but i found that it made the meatloaf gelatinous and way too salty.

[SobaAddict70]

Campbells made (makes?) a won ton soup?? Never saw it in all my (nearly 44 years on the planet! Soba...when you say:

I could never quite get their version of wonton soup. Why?!?

do you mean you couldn't obtain it, but knew about it. Or that you didn't "get" the concept of their trying to make won ton when one can get it so cheaply and easily practically anywhere from take-out? And..if you did have it...how was it seasoned??? Any Asian flavor at all? Mushy noodles? Nasty filling? Please dish!

Yes, it was one of those ill-fated attempts at an Asian or Oriental soup.

I meant that I didn't "get" the concept.

My recollection was that the salt imbalance was totally out of whack so as to make it fit for the toilet.

Soba

[Mabelline]

I do remember seeing it; it had a cheesy picture of a 'Chinese' boat on a Venice-like setting. I never got up the nerve required to try it.I wonder if that's the only picture on a Campbell's can?

[Pickles]

All this soup talk made me pick up a can of Wolfgang Puck's Chicken Noodle today. They didn't have Chicken and Rice, as someone recommended. Thought I'd give him another chance. It was awful. Chicken Flavored Perspiration, with LOTS of noodles and not much chicken. Horribly salty. Not many vegetables either. Healthy Choice Chicken Noodle, doctored with salt and pepper and perhaps some grated cheese, and picking out half the carrots (I just made it "Unhealthy Choice" ) is very good when I don't feel like cooking anything. And I like the Lipton's in the envelope because it reminds me of childhood lunches. It's a bit salty for my palate, but enjoyable once a year or so. Even if I just pick out the noodles and eat them--like I did when we were kids.

[Ling]

I like Campbell's cream of mushroom soup with lots of fresh, quartered, regular button mushrooms poured over my pork chops or cabbage rolls.

I like most of the Progresso line a little bit better than Campbell's though. I especially dislike Campbell's Chunky soup. Once, my friend served me a tin of Campbell's Chunky cream soups over instant noodles. It was pretty awful.

[Pickles]

At "Job Lot" type stores I'd sometimes find Campbells' chicken noodle (home style--very, very good!) and a really good mushroom variety in a glass jar. "Golden Mushroom" soup I think it was called. With big hunks of (seemingly) sauteed 'shrooms. Can't find it anymore. With a bit of sherry, and some herbs, it made a GREAT sauce. This thread made me remember it...so I just emailed them to ask if they still make it.

http://www.campbellsoup.com/index.asp?cpovisq=

[HungryChris]

I usually make my own soups, but sway on the side of Progresso when necessary.

I am a fan of their Manhattan Clam Chowder which I do my best to "kick up".

It's not related but kind of fun to remember a story in the news about 15 years ago

that involved a Progresso clam chowder plant. They had a system that processed sea clams. It took in the product from boats and then washed them and eliminated rocks and such. Apparently one area that the boats had been given recent acces to had a trove of WWII grenades in it and those grenades made it past the screens for non-clam items. There was a period when particular places in the production line were quite hazardous.

It just goes to show you that you are never really safe.

[GG Mora]

It's not related but kind of fun to remember a story in the news about 15 years ago that involved a Progresso clam chowder plant. They had a system that processed sea clams. It took in the product from boats and then washed them and eliminated rocks and such. Apparently one area that the boats had been given recent acces to had a trove of WWII grenades in it and those grenades made it past the screens for non-clam items. There was a period when particular places in the production line were quite hazardous.

It just goes to show you that you are never really safe.

Yeah, 15 years ago Progresso Soups were still da bomb.

Sorry.

[Mabelline]

With self-opening clams!!

[Mark Sommelier]

No one has mentioned the secret, magic ingredient to add to Campbell's cream of tomato soup: a pat of butter in the middle.