12 Grocery Chains With the Best Ready-to-Heat Soups

Winter has arrived again, which can only mean one thing: soup season is back. With frigid temperatures comes a new-found craving for hearty, nutritious soups that fill your kitchen with irresistible warm aromas. Not only is soup a comforting hug in a bowl, but many low-calorie, high-fiber soup varieties are great for weight loss.

Despite its simple nature, soups can have trickier and more complex recipes. If you're pressed for time, making a soup from scratch might not be economical. When you're on a time crunch, grocery chains nationwide carry ready-to-heat soups that are premade and can have dinner on the table in a matter of minutes.

Look to the deli or prepared foods sections instead of the canned soup aisle on your next grocery run. You'll find your favorite soup flavors and perhaps some unique varieties there. The following grocery chains are where you will want to head first if you are searching for, as the actor Adam Driver famously described it, "good soup."

Costco

Few store brands have garnered as much fanfare as Costco's Kirkland Signature label. Costco members can shop for almost every grocery category imaginable under the Kirkland banner, including soups. Ready-to-heat soups like the Broccoli Cheddar Soup come with enough soup to feed a family.

One Costco member shared their preferred Kirkland soup on Reddit, saying, "I'm patiently waiting for the Lobster Bisque from the deli section. I stockpile several in the freezer. It's delicious and great for the holidays!"

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Kroger

Among the sea of nationwide soup brands, supermarket giant Kroger has some heavy hitters under its Home Chef label, which produces down-home classics like chicken noodle and broccoli and cheddar, as well as more global flavors. One happy customer on Reddit described the Thai Chicken Coconut Curry Soup as "sooo yummy and comforting!"

Albertsons

Albertsons' private label Signature Select covers the gamut of grocery items, including ready-to-heat soup. Customers can cozy up to classic flavors like chicken noodle, tomato basil, and New England-style clam chowder. To change things up a bit, customers will also find Coconut Curry Chicken and Spiced Pumpkin Bisque. You can find these and many other flavors in the deli section at your local Albertsons.

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H-E-B

If you do a weekly grocery run in Texas, you'll likely wind up at H-E-B. Once there, you'll find a variety of beloved products, including store-brand Meal Simple items. Kitchen staples like ready-to-heat soup are carried under the private label, with flavors like Chicken & Dumpling, Chicken Tortilla, and Chicken Poblano Corn Chowder. H-E-B regulars have nothing but high praise for the soup, with one customer sharing on Reddit, "H-E-B ready-made soups are good. Good option if you want to have something on hand at home."

Aldi

Aldi has a loyal customer following, thanks to its many private-label products. Its Specially Selected brand includes prepared soups that will warm anyone up this winter. One customer shared their favorite Aldi soup of choice on Reddit, writing, "Tomato and Sweet Basil by Specially Selected is very good. Having it now with a grilled cheese for lunch." Other flavors available include Southwest Black Bean Soup and Tomato Parmesan Bisque. Another Aldi customer noted that the soups are a highlight of the grocery store's private label products, adding, "Like all of their products, the Specially Selected soups are great."

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The Fresh Market

The Fresh Market focuses intently on providing high-quality groceries to its customers, which is probably why it ranked number 2 in USA Today's 10 best grocery stores in the U.S. for 2024. That commitment to quality can be felt throughout the store in every aisle.

Head to the deli section to find an array of ready-to-heat soups, including flavors you don't readily find at every grocery chain. These include lentil soup, Roasted Red Pepper & Smoked Gouda Bisque, and Lemon, Chicken & Orzo.

Gelson's Market

Southern California grocery chain Gelson's Market is known for its premium lineup of groceries, and many customers will gladly pay a little extra knowing they are stocking up on top-notch products. Part of the appeal of Gelson's is its private label, which covers a range of products, including ready-to-heat soups. Flavors include Broccoli Cheddar, Minestrone, Split Pea, and Chicken Tortilla.

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Sam's Club

Walmart-owned warehouse chain Sam's Club can give its main competitor, Costco, a run for its money. Sam's Club carries many products under its private label store brand, Member's Mark, that provide both flavor and value to warehouse members. For ready-made soups, classic flavors like Tomato Basil and Lobster Bisque are available in two-packs for easy serving.

Trader Joe's

The enormous popularity of Trader Joe's is primarily attributed to its business model of selling private-label products. When the occasion calls for a hearty bowl of soup, the grocery chain delivers both self-stable and refrigerated soups you can only find at Trader Joe's. Both year-round and seasonal varieties of soups have customers returning week after week for pantry restocks. "Lentil with ancient grains is the best," wrote one fan on Reddit. That sentiment was echoed by other shoppers. "Had the lentil for lunch and it was very good," added another.6254a4d1642c605c54bf1cab17d50f1e

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Wegmans

Located in northeastern states such as New Jersey and New York, Wegmans is known for its premium products and European-style market ambiance. There is no shortage of ready-to-heat soups, including New England Clam Chowder, Tuscan-Style Lasagna, and Turkey Chili. Organic varieties such as Chicken Tortilla and Spicy Red Lentil are also available. The Tuscan Lasagna, in particular, has garnered much support on Reddit, with others showing strong support for other flavors. One customer shared, "The broccoli cheddar is always on point." Another chimed in and agreed, adding, "It's always my go-to soup whenever I forget a lunch."

Stew Leonard's

Shoppers in Connecticut and New Jersey will drive the extra length just to buy groceries at Stew Leonard's. The small chain of supermarkets is known for its Ikea-style one-way shopping layout, singing animatronic characters, and freshly prepared foods made on-site daily. Its ready-to-heat soups include all of the favorites like Chicken Noodle, New England Clam Chowder, Manhattan Clam Chowder, and Chili Con Carne.

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Whole Foods

Amazon-owned Whole Foods Market upholds high-quality standards for the products it sells. That policy extends to its prepared foods section, where you'll find favorite soup flavors like Mom's Chicken Noodle and Tomato Parmesan. Somewhat less common soup flavors you may find in stock include Butternut Squash, Andouille Sausage and Shrimp Gumbo, Pumpkin Curry, and Corn & Shrimp Chowder.