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Mrs. Grass makes a noodle soup (chicken broth - no chicken). I rarely use the little noodles, but the broth is delicious with little floaters of parsley. If I'm out of homemade stock, this is a great sub for chicken soup, and for any application that calls for stock. 8 cups in each package. And it's really good, not too salty and tastes homemade.

Hollering Jerz. Nobody has kicked me out yet and I'm still sorting through clothes from my many closets. The bank bought my house at Sheriff's sale and if my ex and my brother hadn't attended I wouldn't even know what happened. I'm expecting an eviction notice, but not a word yet. I'm hanging in as long as I can. This has been my home for 23 years. Sigh.

@Perky - you've been in my thoughts. I, too, was wondering if you've already moved. Where will you be for Thanksgiving? You do have an open invitation here, don't forget that (and no green bean casserole:-)). I so hope it all works out for you.

On topic - I honestly don't buy packaged soups, but from time to time, I get a cup of cream of broccoli soup from Wawa (I don't normally make any creamy soups at home due to OH's lactose intolerance, so several times a year when I crave a cup, I turn to Wawa), and it's delicious.

One of my favorites is Wolfgang Puck's lentil soup. I haven't had that in a year or so, since the only place I can find it is at a grocery store out in the suburbs that we rarely stop in at -- we live in the inner city.

My husband likes Harry & David's potato corn chowder mix for a quick fix. We got it as a gift-back lol, and decided to try it. All the veggies are dehydrated. He fries up bacon and I think he adds butter and milk. If you're sensitive to salt, it's quite salty (at least it is for me, so I don't eat it), but he enjoys it and it leaves more for him!

If you are hankering for soup and you're out an about, Whole Foods has maybe 9 different soups scattered about in their prepared food area. I will sometimes buy their soup for a quick fix. I throw leftovers in a container, label, and freeze it for a rainy/snowy day.

I love Amy's Tomato Bisque Soup, which is just delicious. Honestly, that's the only packaged/canned soup I actually like.

Wait a minute, that's not true. I am hooked on Nong Shim's Kim Chi Noodle Bowls (think oodles of noodles, but a million times better).

I don't buy canned soups, but boxed stocks and broths are always in the pantry.

For beef broth, I always use Kitchen Basics. It's hands-down the best one out there. Rich, strong beefy flavor, dark brown color. Most similar to my own. Great for gravy.

For chicken broth, fans of Pacific Natural Foods might want to try one of the chicken or vegetable broths from Imagine instead. I’ve used both brands for years, usually whichever was available at the lowest price. But, about a year ago, I started noticing a bitter aftertaste with Pacific—it tastes like bouillon. I've reached the point where I only buy the Imagine brand. Tastier and almost always cheaper around here.

The one potential downside with Imagine broth is that it’s very substantial, and not clear. If that matters a lot, it won’t work for you. But the ingredients look like the way I make my own chicken stock:

Imagine
• organic chicken broth (filtered water, organic chicken)
• organic onions
• organic celery
• organic carrots
• sea salt
• natural chicken flavor
• organic spices
• organic expeller pressed canola and/or safflower and/or sunflower oil

Compared to Pacific Natural Foods
• organic chicken broth (filtered water, organic chicken)
• organic chicken flavor (organic chicken flavor, sea salt)
• natural chicken flavor (chicken stock, salt)
• sea salt [more salt???]
• organic cane sweetener [sugar?!]
• organic onion powder
• turmeric
• natural flavor

I don’t work for the company. Just really pleased with the quality. Naturally, my own stock is always better, but it’s just not always possible to have it on hand when I need it. This is great for quick meals or emergencies.

Also, Imagine makes a very decent tomato soup in a box. It really tastes almost as good as the one I make from scratch.

I don't normally buy box or canned soups unless I'm sick and need the curative power of a 79 cent can of Campbell's Chicken Noodle.
Broth though...Better Than Bullion has long been my greatest ally. It's awful though, because since I moved to Ohio I've had the hardest time finding it in my area. :(

I dont normally buy soup since I make alot of it, but the other day i was out and SO wanted some cheddar broccoli soup from the soup bar, i admit it did smell good but i spotted a "vat" of creamy tomato bisque, I'm a major tomato soup fan and so I tried it, OMG it was the most amazing tomato bisque I've ever had, just acidic enough and with a spicy kick. I've gone back three times this week to buy this soup, even SO loves it.

Einstein's Bagel Co. makes some pretty good broccoli cheddar soup.

Trader Joe's canned and boxed soups seem a lot better than others I have tried. The Organic Lentil is a favorite.

I love, love, love Campbells Cream of Asparagus. It smells dreadful but tastes great if you add a lot of cayenne pepper. Plus - the kids won't touch it so it is always there when I want it!

These are great suggestions! thanks! I'll be sure to look for the v8 soups.
I LOVE campbells cream of asparagus also, and havent been able to find in a couple years. I thought it was discontinued. Is it a special edition? I cant find it anywhere by me!

I haven't seen Campbell's cream of asparagus soup in 5+ years too. I recall it was one of their special gold label type line of soups. There was another flavor I tried once that was pretty decent as well, but I don't recall which flavor...

I haven't opened a can of soup in I can't remember how long but I have a friend who swears by the Wolfgang Puck soups (which he jokingly calls Jacques Pepin).

If I had to pick a brand, I'd go with Progresso. If you listen to the commercials, it sounds like crap but it's actually a pretty good tasting canned soup (IMS).

Maybe the whole Cream of Asparagus issue is a geographic one. Down here in Georgia I can get it all the time. (I suspect that I am the only one buying it).