Hi guys! I’m so excited to share this post with you!
As someone who loves soup — even when it’s hot out, I’m so beyond stoked to have finally found a soup brand that:
- Tastes good
- Is made with real ingredients
- And is incredibly filling
And that’s just the beginning of why I love these soups I’m about to share.
Before I get to my review on them, I want to first dive into why soup is a good idea all year round and why most soups out there aren’t that good for you:
Why I’m a Huge Fan of Soup, Even When It’s Hot Out
Okay, so soup in the summer sounds a bit crazy at first but hear me out.
As long as you’re not eating it outside in the sweltering heat, I believe it can be a great option especially if you choose the right ones, which I’ll share more about shortly.
But first, here’s why I eat soup throughout the year:
Soup can be a really filling addition to any meal.
If it’s loaded with veggies and fiber, it’s an easy way to sneak in an extra serving of both without having to chew a mountain of salad.
I also find that soups can be easier on your digestion.
Because they’re often slow cooked and simmered, and some are pureed, your digestive system gets a break from having to break down the foods on its own.
So you get the nutrients in an easier-to-digest form without overtaxing your body.
This is really helpful when you’re not feeling good, you’re in the middle of a stomach flare up, or you’re just trying to improve your digestion (who wouldn’t want that?).
I also love a good soup that’s bone-broth based because it also gives you the benefits of getting a healthy dose of collagen.
Most people know collagen for its hair, skin, and nail-boosting benefits but it’s incredibly helpful for your digestive system too.
That’s because collagen is great for repairing the lining of your gut and filling in the gaps that things like stress, caffeine, alcohol, food preservatives, and other irritants create on your stomach lining.
I love collagen so much that I take it in a protein form several times per week, if not daily. I even wrote an article about it.
In that guide, I shared how collagen comes with these incredible benefits:
- Heart health support by lowering cholesterol
- Improved gut health
- Decreased joint pain and deterioration
- Less back pain
- Improved skin elasticity
I usually get collagen from a protein powder to ensure I get it often but it’s even better if you can get it straight from the source — from bone broth, for example. This option is packed with nutrients and digested easier because it’s not processed as much.
While I don’t drink bone broth straight, I do look for and make soups that are broth-based and, fortunately, that’s exactly what I’m sharing today.
Before I get to that though, I want to point out a few things:
The Problems with Most Soups Out There
If you’ve ever stood in the soup aisle at your grocery store, then you know that you’re inundated with options, most of which aren’t great for you.
Most brands have a plethora of flavors, many of which overlap.
But if you’ve ever taken the time to flip the soup can over, you’ve probably been disappointed by a few things.
First, the amount of sodium in most soups is astronomical and unnecessary.
You really don’t need that much salt to “preserve” soups.
This much salt can leave you feeling bloated afterwards and like you need something sweet or enough water to supply a camel afterwards because it’s just too much.
On top of that, the ingredient lists are usually unnecessarily long and packed with artificial fillers.
Most of the time you can’t pronounce the ingredients because they’re chemically made and you’re lucky if 5-6 of the ingredients come from real food.
It’s actually more time consuming to find a good soup — that is, until now — that doesn’t negate the health benefits that come with enjoying soup.
There’s one more problem that frustrates me with most soups out there — they tend to be really low on protein.
For the amount of calories per serving, usually around 200+, you maybe get 2-4g of protein on the high end.
This isn’t a huge issue if you’re pairing your soup with something like a sandwich or another protein but for the amount of calories it’s not always worth it.
If you ate the soup on its own, you’re likely to still be hungry shortly after.
You’ll notice that some soups are even advertising that theirs is packed with more protein as a result.
I was even duped by this a few weeks ago.
Earlier in my pregnancy when I couldn’t tolerate much food, I went for a store-bought chicken noodle soup and found one that had more protein in it compared to others.
I got all excited, bought the soup, and then realized when I got home that the extra protein boost came from chickpeas.
There’s nothing wrong with chickpeas in general but, for me, this upped the carb count.
Had they just added more chicken as protein, the carbs wouldn’t have gone up simultaneously.
Put simply, I was roped in on the marketing and disappointed as a result.
Fortunately, I came across a better option that I can’t wait to share with you:
Proper Good Soups and Why I LOVE Them
I have to admit that I didn’t find Proper Good soups on my own.
A very nice rep by the name of Dani reached out and asked if I wanted to try them.
I immediately was intrigued and asked her for an ingredient list first to make sure there wasn’t anything crazy in them.
To my surprise, their ingredient list was amazing!, especially for a soup.
It had limited ingredients and each one was pronounceable. You could actually understand what was in there within a few seconds, not minutes of Googling crap.
Dani and I coordinated two flavors to try since they were low-carb and I have to say, they are some of the best soups I’ve had in a looonngggg time.
To preface this, I’ve had two really good soups this summer in takeout form before this, but I know their ingredient lists are gigantic and not that great for you. So I’d have these as more of a splurge every so often.
Well, with these Proper Good soups, it feels like a splurge but since every ingredient inside them is actually good for you, it’s not something you have to limit, nor would you want to after trying them.
On top of that, their soups come packaged in a clear pouch that you can cook them right in.
With this, you’re able to see all of the wholesome ingredients firsthand.
There’s no mystery can that you only find out what’s inside once you buy it and crack it open.
I loved seeing this and believe that, since we eat with all of our senses, it’s much more helpful to see what you’re eating before you actually do so.
Just looking at the pouches made me drool.
But then I opened them and WOW! They smelled amazing. More on this next.
Another huge positive that I loved with Proper Good soups is the specific ingredients they use.
For example, they use a grass-fed bone broth base for starters and they add some creaminess with a mix of heavy cream and coconut oil, two things that are filling and, especially with the latter, packed with nutrients.
They also add real veggies — celery, onions, carrots, etc — and herbs like rosemary and thyme.
The flavors really were incredible.
So it’s essentially like eating a homemade soup without having to make it yourself, which is great.
Let’s talk about the flavors I tried and what I thought about them:
Proper Good’s Red Pepper & Meatball Soup Review
All I can say with this soup is holy crap, mind blown.
I’m someone who sniffs things as soon as I open them and this soup was insane on the sniff test.
The amount of flavors that hit my senses was incredible.
I made my husband Eric smell it because it was that good.
Surprisingly, it smelled like a fresh baked pizza and the best ever marinara sauce you’ve ever had.
Unsurprisingly, it could be because of the incredible ingredients they put together — there was garlic powder, onion powder, fennel, oregano, black pepper, red pepper, sea salt, garlic, basil, rosemary, oregano, white pepper, and paprika.
I’m drooling just typing that out and I can smell it all over again.
This soup also had the cutest and most delicious meatballs ever.
They were perfectly sized to fit on a spoon and there were a ton of them in there.
Eric and I split a soup pouch and we each had plenty of meatballs between us.
He also inhaled his within minutes while I slowly savored every bite.
It was soo friggen good.
I actually tried this soup second and wish I had tried it first — it became my favorite one of the two. And it’s one I could eat every day. It was THAT good.
If you only try one, this would be my vote.
That’s not to say this next one wasn’t delicious too though:
Proper Good’s Chicken & Mushroom Soup Review
There’s something about a creamy chicken and mushroom soup that gets me.
And this version really gets me.
It was packed with chunks of chicken and whole mushrooms instead of tiny minced pieces like you’d find in most soups out there.
Not only could you really taste each ingredient but it was also so filling because of that.
Both soups had 12g of protein in it — which you won’t find in most soups on the market — so they were incredibly filling on top of being delicious.
I also loved the creaminess and felt like I was enjoying a chowder soup without having a boatload of calories to do so.
I will say that this soup is not for people who don’t like mushrooms. Not only were they everywhere, the flavor was pretty powerful.
I enjoy mushrooms so, for me, this was perfect. If you’re on the fence about mushrooms, this may not be for you.
Luckily, they have two other great flavors to choose from, which I regret not trying:
- Butternut Squash, Coconut Milk, & Turmeric (their plant-based one)
- Meatball Minestrone Soup
The two soups that I tried were keto-friendly and gluten-free which I loved.
The other two flavors are also gluten-free but they’re a bit higher on the carbs.
However, the Meatball Minestrone has an impressive 20g of protein which is amazing.
The Butternut Squash one is a bit low on protein for me, but not everyone needs this much protein so this could be a good option for others.
I have to say that I absolutely loved these soups and cannot recommend them enough.
I also love the brand itself, here’s why:
More About Proper Good as a Brand
The creators behind the brand, Chris and Jen (pictured below), are all about eating healthy despite having limited time and a budget that doesn’t always allow for expensive healthy food takeout. Most of us can relate to this, including me.
So they created these soups to be affordable and healthy.
Their bone broth is made from grass-fed sources and all of their ingredients are from real, whole foods, not chemically concocted ones, which I love.
Their soup is also delivered direct to your door which is how they cut out the expensive supermarket markups and keep their prices low.
I’m all about direct to consumer (DTC) products because of this. They can provide a better product that’s usually more affordable by taking out the expensive middleman. And that’s exactly what Proper Good does.
While I don’t have a specific discount code to share that ties back to me, they offer plenty of great ones on their website.
You can enjoy free shipping on orders over $25 — which is roughly four soups — and you can take 10% off your first order by joining their email list before placing your order.
They also offer a great loyalty program where you earn rewards the more you get involved with the brand and purchase soups.
Trust me, after trying one, you’ll quickly become a loyal fan.
Speaking of that, you can buy the flavors individually, for right around $6.99 to $7.99 a pouch, or bundle the flavors to cut costs and get some variety in.
I know that price may seem a little alarming at first but there’s a size difference to note.
These pouches are probably equivalent to two regular-sized cans that you’d find at the grocery store.
I was able to fill up a large bowl when I enjoyed one solo and Eric and I split another pouch and each got a good amount of soup.
So you’re not paying $7 bucks for a tiny soup can. You get a good amount of soup and because the ingredients are real (and chunky), the value goes a long way.
Put simply, don’t let the price scare you off. The soup was soo good and filling that it’s worth it.
If you want to check out their options, I encourage you to head over to their website to learn more.
Also, side note, how cool is their packaging? It’s just as awesome as their soups!
Would You Try Proper Good Soups?
After trying these soups, I’m hooked.
Now I’m curious to know, would you give them a try?
I hope you do because I know you won’t regret it.
And, if you do, I’d love to hear about it.
Either way, tell me your thoughts in the comments below.
Sending you some filling goodness today,
Devan
Disclaimer – I was not paid for this post nor is it sponsored by Proper Good. I did receive the soups for free but the opinions expressed today are mine and mine alone. I was not persuaded to write this review or anything in it. I am, however, really grateful that Dani from Proper Good reached out because these soups are amazing and I cannot recommend them enough!