Mom Hack: Soup Trade
If I could give mamas one piece of advice, it would be, "SHARE THE LOAD!"
With kids at home doing distance learning during Covid, I became more strongly aware of how much time I spend in the kitchen. Breakfast—morning snack—lunch—afternoon snack—second afternoon snack—dinner—evening snack. Then, we went back to school, back to work, back to soccer practice, and kids were arriving home hungry and, ready to eat, NOW! Helping coach soccer drills meant I was arriving home at the same time they were arriving home. It was time to pause and figure out a new flow for meal prep.
Enter soup-trade with another mama-friend! Each week, I was already making two different pots of something yummy—soup and chili, curry and stew, etc—in addition to other sheet pan meals, casseroles, and more. I realized these two recipes could easily be packed up in mason jars for easy grab-and-go work lunches, or warmed into thermos containers for school lunches during the week. By trading a quart size jar with a friend each week, I eliminated the need to make one of those pots. This small trade saves us both time and money. It also introduces us to recipes that we might not have tried otherwise. Win! Win!
Here are a few examples of the soup trades we’ve made:
Hearty Lentil Veggie <> Roasted Carrot
Garden Veggie <> Spicy Tortilla
Sweet and Sour <> Chicken Veggie
Curried Lentil <> Kale Bean Sausage
Being ready with healthy, nurturing meals is more than helpful, it’s necessary for my sanity and the balance of our family!
Meal planning for the week ensures that we don’t get caught with a household of hungry bellies, without a dinner plan. Adding in a soup-trade has further ensured that there is always a jar of soup ready to be warmed in a pinch!
Interested in starting a soup trade with some mamas in your area? Here are some key points to agree upon before getting started:
What quantity of soup will you trade? Quart, gallon, or something different?
Any food restrictions? No nightshades? Is gluten okay? What about dairy?
Will protein be included or will the soups/stews/etc. be kept vegetarian or vegan?
What day will you trade? What time? Will a cooler be left out on a doorstep for the drop-off, or will someone be home?
Have any questions? Email us! Hello@mealmavenmama.com
We are excited to hear about your process. Tag @mealmavenmama and #MMMsoupTrade on social media.
