Easy Make Ahead Meal Prep: 17 Simple Fall Soup Recipes (2024)

FAQs

Can you prepare soup in advance? ›

Most soups can be made in advance, and even frozen. If you are making a soup which contains previously cooked meat, such as pea and ham soup or chicken noodle soup, then it is best to make the soup base and cool and chill it before adding the shreds of meat.

Refrigerating & Reheating Soup

Cover and refrigerate soups for up to 3 days. Soups made with fish or shellfish should be refrigerated no longer than 1 day. Heat broth-based soups over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until hot; or reheat in the microwave.

Meal prep soups and stews: Use a freezer-safe container. Glass jars work well for this. Meal prep chicken and rice: Use an airtight container. A green-plastic food container with a lid works well for this.

Carrot soup is a skin-care elixir that promotes clear, healthy skin. Its high beta-carotene content improves skin tone, while vitamins A and C battle blemishes. Antioxidants defend against the signs of ageing, making it a delicious option for a glowing complexion. Spinach soup is great for your skin.

Like other leftover foods, homemade soup can safely be stored in the fridge for three to four days, per standard guidance from the USDA. This includes soups and stews that contain fish, meat, and poultry.

As you work through the rest of a batch, knowing how long your soup stays fresh is crucial to maintaining its quality and curbing food waste. According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), soups and stews containing meat and vegetables will be safe to eat for three to four days if refrigerated.

Storing pumpkin soup

Pumpkin soup will keep in the fridge for 4 to 5 days, or can be frozen for 3 months – just thaw then reheat using your chosen method. If your soup is too thick, just loosen it with a touch of water when reheating.

For best safety and quality, plan to eat refrigerated soup within 3 to 4 days or freeze it. And avoid letting soup set at room temperature for more than TWO hours. Don't put a large pot of hot soup directly into your refrigerator.

When refrigerated, soup that contains vegetables or meat will stay good for 3–4 days. If you're freezing soup containing vegetables or meat, you can expect that to last for 2–3 months in the freezer.

The Shelf Life of Refrigerated Meal Preps

Typically, refrigerated meal preps last between 3 to 5 days, depending on the ingredients used. However, this relatively short window can be a challenge for many people, as it requires diligent planning and scheduling to ensure that all meals are consumed before they spoil.

How do you make soup last a week? ›

You might be surprised to know that some soups will keep almost one week in the fridge. Assuming that your refrigerator is kept at 40 degrees Fahrenheit or below, the storage length really depends on two things: what's in the soup, and how efficiently it was cooled down.

According to the Taste Atlas Awards, the international food database, the Filipino favorite, Sinigang, is hailed as the best soup in the world.

Taking that a step further, most soups and stews are better if you prepare them the day before serving. Allowing them to cool and then reheating them really helps bring out the flavors and textures." Plus, in the case of thin soups and thick stews, overnight refrigeration will give the fat a chance to rise to the top.

Letting a finished pot of soup hang out overnight means that harsh flavors soften, the ingredients have a chance to absorb the tasty broth, and everything transforms from very distinct flavors into one harmonious soup. The same is true for a lot of pasta sauces, braises, stews, and chilis.

Generally soup can be kept for three days, but it depends on what ingredients are in the soup. Creamy soups will last three days, while clear, vegetable-based soups will last longer. Seafood soups should be used within two or three days, while chicken soup can last up to five days.