Campbell's vs. Progresso

[Hest88]

I've never found any canned soup to be even close to tasting like real soup (except for some expensive bisques), so I judge canned soups in a separate category. I love Campbell's homestyle chicken noodle, chicken and rice, and chicken and stars, but as a food all it's own not to be compared to homemade soup. Any canned soup that tries approximate homemade soup is bound to fail, which is why I think Progresso is so inedible.

What's really awful is that the one Progresso I was really impressed with--their lentil soup--has changed. Now it's really, really yucky. The front of the can claims that all they did was add more lentils, but they must have done something else. The flavor is completely off.

[clothier]

Birder and hest, you kids are right on the money!!

it's canned soup, for heaven's sake. It supposed to be salty, it's supposed to taste like canned soup. That's part of the reason why we buy it!

[Samhill]

Progresso, overall, Imo.

Progresso minestrone, campbells vegetarian vegetable are good, though they both need hot sauce, and a clove of garlic.

(I'm not a vegetarian, but I don't like eating canned chicken, ick.)

[Mabelline]

suc cin ic ac id

noun

naturally occuring acid:

a colorless odorless acid synthesized or derived from amber and the tissues of plants and animals. It is used in making lacquers, perfumes, and pharmaceuticals.

Have you had your succinic acid today?

[Pickles]

Have you had your succinic acid today?

Is that found in Campbells Cream of 'Shroom?

[Mabelline]

Nope. Had to go find a can. It sounds relatively benign.

[misstenacity]

What's really awful is that the one Progresso I was really impressed with--their lentil soup--has changed. Now it's really, really yucky. The front of the can claims that all they did was add more lentils, but they must have done something else. The flavor is completely off.

I noticed in a F&W a few months ago that Thomas Keller's partner was interviewed and she mentioned Progresso Lentil soup favorably for when the two of them don't want to cook. It actually made me think about purchasing some to try, since what higher compliment could you give to a soup!?.... I wonder if their opinions will be changing soon....

On the industrial-strength carrots - I've noticed when nuking Progresso soups that the carrot pieces explode rather messily while heating. Is this normal for carrots in general? Normally I wouldn't be nuking carrots except when they're in soup.... so just curious.

Andrea

Cedar Crest, NM

http://tenacity.net

Edited April 2, 2004 by misstenacity (log)

[klc14]

I buy Progresso and add a little or a lot of Tabasco and sometimes something like celery seed with a strong flavor. (I had a friend whose mother told her, if a recipe ever tastes really bad, add Tabasco. If it still tastes bad, add more. Just keep adding Tabasco and eventually it will be edible.)

Progresso tastes less salty to me (I agree, best to skim the fat globules off). I won't buy the lentil variety. When I first bought Progresso, moving on from the Campbells of childhood (my mother was insulted, she raised me on Campbells and had Campbell kids paper dolls I think), I tried a can of tomato basil and one of lentil. Tomato basil was fine, at least it was then, but the lentil made me sick to my stomach on a day when I felt really great. I have never wanted to try it again in case it was the soup and not me.

[jrinct]

Progresso. It isnt even an issue.

[Dana]

I rarely eat canned soup, but I keep it on hand for my 23 year-old son. He prefers Campbells over Progresso, but he only eats certain varities - chicken with any kind of noodle, veg beef, clam chowder. I'm not sure why he doesn't like the Progresso, unless it's one of those 'childhood' things. I sometimes fed my kids soup for lunch when they were little.

I had Campbells' soup spoons - one with the boy and one with the girl - when I was a kid. My mom probably save up 4000 labels and sent them in to get free spoons.