Yes, It's Okay To Eat Cold Soup Straight Out Of The Can (2024)
Naomi Kennedy
·3 min read
Get ready with us to find out if it's okay to eat cold soup straight from the can. In a TikTok video shared by the internet's proverbial Gen-Z best friend Alix Earle, the influencer revealed that she enjoys diving straight into a can of soup without heating it up. "I came home from going out last night and I just opened this up and started eating this," she explained in a TikTok with an opened can of cold Progresso soup in her hand. "And I think it's really good," she added, though her legion of followers didn't exactly agree with the "extreme hot take." One follower even went as far as calling Earle a psychopath, while another said that the idea of cold soup made their stomach turn.
Regardless of whether or not you agree with the content creator's obsession with eating cold soup from the can, you may be curious if it's safe to do so, especially since some commenters warned against and expressed concerns about botulism or food poisoning. However, in a statement sent to Mashed, Progresso's Brand Experience Manager Shannon Heine gave the thumbs up to consuming its canned soups cold or at any temperature. "Our soups provide high-quality meals without the extra prep work or cooking time needed, so we can definitely get behind this extreme hot take — even if it means no kitchen time required," she said.
There Are Some Instances Where You Should Avoid Eating Cold Soup From The Can
It's only natural to want to heat your canned soup in the microwave or on the stove before indulging in a bowl, but apparently, that's just another canned food myth we've fallen for. As it turns out, the FDA requires commercially canned foods to be processed or heated to a level that helps destroy harmful bacteria and ultimately makes canned goods shelf-stable and ready to eat straight from their containers. So why, then, is it suggested that we heat canned soups before consumption? To enhance their flavors and, of course, help warm us up from the inside out.
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All that being said, you can have your pick of any soup to snack on straight from the can, and really any other canned good in your pantry. In a 2020 Reddit thread on the subject, users suggested seasoned black beans, Spaghettios, ravioli, and pork and beans as other solid choices when looking for canned goods to eat cold. However, when seeking out your Alix Earle-inspired snack, you'll want to avoid any cans that are dented, bulging, or leaking, or emit any type of foul odor when you crack it open, as these can potentially lead to illness. Additionally, you might want to steer clear of canned soup — cold or otherwise — when you're sick and try making homemade chicken noodle soup instead.
As it turns out, the FDA requires commercially canned foods to be processed or heated to a level that helps destroy harmful bacteria and ultimately makes canned goods shelf-stable and ready to eat straight from their containers.
While canned food is safe to eat, it is best to prepare it safely. Ideally, you should consume canned food immediately after opening without cooking it or reheating it. However, if you want to eat warm canned food, you can empty the contents into a pan to cook or heat.
In terms of safety, almost all canned food is just fine to eat as-is, as long as you keep an eye out for tell-tale signs of canned food spoilage. Canned goods are heated up to a high temperature during the canning process to kill any bacteria inside, and are then tested for toxicity in a lab.
While canned soups can be a convenient meal option, it's important to be mindful of their nutritional aspects. Making healthier choices by selecting low-sodium, low-fat, and organic options, adding fresh or frozen vegetables, and opting for BPA-free cans can enhance the nutritional quality of canned soups.
You've surely seen the old movies where cowboys eat beans straight out of the can, but you have way more options than that. Canned vegetables, canned tuna, canned soup -- you can eat lots of delicious things from a can without heating them up first! And these foods aren't just great for when you're having a lazy day.
Cold soup is hydrating, refreshing, and brimming with peak-season produce. Often, its flavor improves after a day or two in the fridge, so it's the sort of thing you can make ahead and keep on hand for easy, no-cook summer meals.
As long as the can is in good shape, the contents should be safe to eat. NEVER USE food from cans that are leaking, bulging, or badly dented; cracked jars or jars with loose or bulging lids; canned food with a foul odor; or any container that spurts liquid when opening. Such cans could contain Clostridium botulinum.
It's Up To You. Ultimately, you should eat soup at whatever temperature works for you. If you like lukewarm soup, go for it. If you prefer soup to be steaming hot, eat it that way.
Each time food is cooled, stored and reheated, the likelihood of harmful bacteria multiplying increases. If you do end up with leftovers, it is much safer to either freeze them or reheat them just once.
Our Well Yes!® sipping soups are delicious when served hot, but can also be enjoyed on-the-go at room temperature. Three of our varieties (Roasted Red Pepper & Tomato, Harvest Carrot & Ginger, and Tomato & Sweet Basil) are equally enjoyable when served chilled.
Think about how many canned foods we routinely eat without cooking them: tuna, corned beef, potted meat, chicken, etc. Baked beans are commonly eaten cold.
A bowl of our Cream of Chicken Soup served with fresh baked bread is hearty enough to serve on its own, or you can beef it up with whatever's fresh in your kitchen. Condensed soups are also the perfect base for casseroles and starters for sauces, so your imagination is the limit.
Do you always need to reheat leftovers? No! Providing you have cooled your leftovers safely and kept them in the fridge, it is absolutely fine to eat your leftovers cold straight from the fridge…. However, if you like your leftovers warm, it's important that you reheat until piping hot throughout.
Even the warmth of chicken soup can help. Drinking the liquid and inhaling the vapors increase the temperature of nasal and respiratory passages, which loosens the thick mucus that often accompanies respiratory illnesses. Compared with hot water alone, studies show chicken soup is more effective at loosening mucus.
Introduction: My name is Saturnina Altenwerth DVM, I am a witty, perfect, combative, beautiful, determined, fancy, determined person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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