Its only natural to want to heat your canned soup in the microwave or on the stove before indulging in a bowl, but apparently, thats just another canned food myth weve 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.
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, youll 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 youre sick and try making homemade chicken noodle soup instead.
Get ready with us to find out if its okay to eat cold soup straight from the can. In a TikTok video shared by the internets 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 its really good,” she added, though her legion of followers didnt 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.
You might be wondering if it’s safe to eat cold soup straight from the can, even if you don’t agree with the content creators’ obsession with it. This is especially because some commenters have raised concerns about food poisoning and botulism. However, Progresso’s Brand Experience Manager Shannon Heine approved of eating the canned soups cold or at any temperature in a statement provided to Mashed. “We can definitely support this extreme hot take— even if it means no kitchen time required— because our soups provide high-quality meals without the extra prep work or cooking time needed,” she stated.
Having said that, you can snack on any soup you choose from the can as well as any other canned food in your pantry. When searching for canned goods to eat cold, users of a 2020 Reddit thread recommended ravioli, seasoned black beans, Spaghettios, and pork and beans as other good options. But, as these can potentially cause illness, you should steer clear of cans that are dented, bulging, leaking, or that smell bad when you open them when looking for your Alix Earle-inspired snack. Additionally, if you’re sick, you might want to make homemade chicken noodle soup instead of consuming canned soup, cold or otherwise.
You might be wondering if it’s safe to eat cold soup straight from the can, even if you don’t agree with the content creators’ obsession with it. This is especially because some commenters have raised concerns about food poisoning and botulism. However, Progresso’s Brand Experience Manager Shannon Heine approved of eating the canned soups cold or at any temperature in a statement provided to Mashed. “We can definitely support this extreme hot take— even if it means no kitchen time required— because our soups provide high-quality meals without the extra prep work or cooking time needed,” she stated.
It makes sense that you would want to reheat your canned soup in the stovetop or microwave before enjoying a bowl, but it turns out that this is just another canned food myth that we have accepted. It turns out that in order to render commercially canned foods shelf-stable and fit for consumption right out of the can, the FDA mandates that they be heated or processed to a degree that aids in the destruction of dangerous bacteria. Therefore, why is it advised that we reheat canned soups before eating them? Obviously, this is to bring out the flavors and help us feel warmer from the inside out.
Prepare to learn whether it’s acceptable to consume cold soup directly from the can. The internet’s go-to Gen-Z best friend, Alix Earle, posted a TikTok video on which the influencer disclosed that she likes to open a can of soup right away without first heating it up. “I just opened this up and started eating this when I got home from going out last night,” she said in a TikTok while holding an open can of cold Progresso soup. She continued, “And I think its really good,” even though her horde of admirers weren’t exactly in agreement with the “extreme hot take.” One admirer even went so far as to refer to Earle as a psychopath, and another claimed that the mere thought of cold soup made them queasy.
