Saturday, October 06, 2012

Too Much To Ask?



Dear producers of Progresso™ soup,

Let me preface by saying I am not a vegetarian and I don't generally eat your soups. Yes, I have tried a variety or two here and there over the last several years and found those offerings to be head and shoulders above your competition on the flavor scale. But with few exceptions (namely, canned tomatoes) I don't consume canned foods generally and canned soups, specifically.

Nothing personal. While your soups are tastier than most, for me, homemade truly is best for overall flavor satisfaction and value.

That being said, a vegetarian friend recently lamented over the fact of meat based broths in your vegetable soups. She queries, "Is it too much to ask . . . ?"  Her query prompted me to go to your website, which is quite informative, by the way, to see what I could see. My initial thought was perhaps my friend had checked the label of only one (or perhaps two) varieties, that surely there must be vegetable based vegetable soups for vegetarian consumers.

I must admit to being a bit surprised and more than a bit unsettled to find that of the many varieties of vegetable soup offerings, all but one boasts either a beef or chicken based broth. The minuscule variety available to vegetarians is. in a word, appalling.

And so, I join her in asking, "Is it too much to ask not to have meat based broths for vegetable soups?" Or at least, equal representation.

Standing in solidarity with the vegetarian canned soup consuming general public.

Kindest Regards,

Middle Girl









5 comments:

  1. As a long time vegetarian, thank you. And as a long time vegetarian, it's totally that way. Beans are made with lard, vegetable soups more often than not have beef or chicken base, you have to be incredibly careful because gelatin is everywhere. (Which is why I turn down candies that people think are veggie, such as mints - often, they're not.) And that's not even talking about the weird ingredients, such as carmine. (Yes, it's allowed in food and it's disgusting.)

    Thank you, though. It's always gratifying when someone cares about this!

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  2. PS Have your friend check out Pacific brand soups (they're in a box) and they are often perfectly fine for vegetarians in search of something quick.

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  3. Anonymous7:23 AM

    I am a confirmed meatatarian... but I totally agree... if it says VEGETABLE soup... why mix it up with meat?

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  4. I don't eat Progresso soup or any canned soup. Except for Campbell's Tomato. I ADORE that. I love, love, love Mrs. Grass Chicken Noodle Soup. It is my comfort food.

    To be honest, I've never noticed that the vegetable soup has a meat base. Probably to give it more flavor, but I agree...it kind of sucks for you vegetarians!

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