Winter is the perfect time to warm up with a nice bowl of soup. Rich in nutrients and energy, it’s not surprising that soup is one of the most popular appetizers. Around since 20,000 B.C, soups are one of the best comfort foods of winter. But as the cold chill of winter stretches into the new year we often become tired of the same old soups in our recipe repertoire. To combat this and have some fun, have or attend a soup swap!
We celebrate Soup Swap Day on the third Saturday of January, which takes place on January 21 this year. Soup Swap Day is a national holiday in which people come together for a soup party. Everyone brings their favorite soup and shares it with others. Soup Swap Day is a perfect chilly middle-of-the-winter day to gather with family and friends and enjoy some tasty hot soup of every type.
–What is a Soup Swap Day Party?
A soup swap day party is a fun and easy party in which you invite your soup-loving friends to come together and bring several quarts of their favorite soup to share. Then, you take turns swapping soups and everyone goes home with different soups than what they brought.
–Before the Soup Swap
Give your prospective guests plenty of time to prepare for Soup Swap. This is a great party for mixing people who don’t know each other. How better than over soup?
Invite at least 6 guests: A bigger group is better, more soup, after all!
Explain Soup Swap to your invited guests: Make sure that everyone knows what a soup swap is and how it works. The invite is a great time to do this.
What Each Guest Should Bring:
Six quarts of soupin separate containers that they don’t mind giving away.
The soup should be frozen or refrigerated.
Swappers should also bring a separate container of soup for tasting.
Soup Swap Day Party Invite Idea: “I’m having a Soup Swap on (DATE) at (TIME)! Swap begins at (TIME). I have invited you because you are a great cook or (ahem) you could really use a freezer full of homemade soup to enjoy this winter. The beauty of a Soup Swap is that each person just has to make one big batch of one kind of soup, divide it into six one-quart containers, and everyone will go home from the party with six different types of soups to enjoy. Surely, you have one soup recipe that is a family favorite or crowd-pleaser. Chilis, stews, soups, healthy purees… it need not be fancy, just comforting and delicious.”
If you are hosting the Soup Swap Day Party, here’s what you need to set up.
Set up your party: You’ll need a place for everyone to set out their soups and tasters, and to mingle and talk. Make sure there is plenty of room for jars of soup.
Cover the table: There will be lots of soup drips, cover the table with a tablecloth or butcher paper for easy cleanup.
Put out small bowls, cups, or jars for the tasters: Make sure you have enough for all the soup swappers.
Decide how you’ll sample soups: You can buy or make a loaf of great bread. Or, you can also use crackers or tiny disposable spoons.
Plan some snacks: Offer a spread of bread, soup toppings, brunch bites, or little sweets.
Offer drinks: Tasting soups is thirsty work! Put out some water, coffee, sparkling wine, or a pitcher co*cktail.
Have labels and tags ready: If it’s a crowd of people who don’t know each other, do name tags! In case, everyone doesn’t label their soups. Have blank labels to put on soup containers.
Make swap cards: These cards stay with each soup and let people note if they’re interested in that soup. If someone loves a soup, they should write their name on the swap card to indicate they want it.
When it’s time to Swap Soups: The Soup Swap site suggests everyone pick numbers, and then go in order: The first person chooses a soup, then the next person, then the next, and then it all starts back over with the first person, until all the soups are distributed. A variation of this method is after each pick to pass your number to the person behind you. With the last # going to the first # in the previous round. This gives everyone a chance to pick first.
Another more hectic option, that works best when everyone knows each other, is for everyone to stand around the table behind their soup. Everyone then starts calling out names on their swap card. The first person to respond immediately gets a jar. Soup passes back and forth over the table, some people swapping directly; others giving soup to one person and then receiving one from another.
If you want people to stay after the swap, recommend that they bring coolers or put their soup in your refrigerator.
That’s it! Everyone goes home with 6 homemade quarts of soup to enjoy during the cold winter days ahead!
Whether you’ve been invited to a Soup Swap or just looking for a delicious soup for your family, I’ve put together some great recipes for you to try. If you got a great recipe to share, please add it to the linky below!
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Make soup for the homeless:
Not everyone has the privilege of being invited to a soup swap party or having a home to host one. Homeless people face the challenge of surviving the cold weather this time of year and sharing soup with less privileged people is a great way to make the most out of soup swap day.
