Canned Soup as an ingredient?
Posted by Puppy_Bellies@reddit | AskAnAmerican | View on Reddit | 244 comments
Do Americans really use canned soup as an ingredient instead of like, just eating the soup or is that a myth?
The idea of ruining all my hard work flavouring my food by chucking in a whole can of soup upsets me so I'm just wondering if it's real or made up (like how people think Americans only eat cheeseburgers or think a salad is a mayonnaise dish) or is it just a white people on TikTok thing?
EpsilonAmber@reddit
I assume the "chucking in a whole can of soup" probably refers to cream of soup or whatever. the only times I've ever used standard soup as an ingredient was when I was making a big soup.
MrLongWalk@reddit
It’s used as a base for things like sauces or casseroles, it’s not like we’re making a full dinner and then just chucking a can of soup on top of it.
Are you genuinely upset by culinary practices of a country you only experience via TikTok?
Puppy_Bellies@reddit (OP)
I think upset was the wrong word, confused and baffled was more my feelings but I guess I worded it incorrectly. Just like a 'is this a real thing?' moment. Which is why I asked here, and got a satisfactory answer.
I will say that I feel it was a little unnecessary to say that you think someone outside of the US only experiences US culture via TikTok (which I don't actually even use) because I've had America shoved down my throat for my whole life, as you are presumably American you might not understand just how much America has encroached on to other cultures but it's very, very hard to avoid.
No_Walk_Town@reddit
Imagine being British and saying something like this.
Why are you even on reddit right now? Don't you have some English flags to paint on the street?
You know that reddit and the entire internet are American, right? You are free to log off any time.
TsundereLoliDragon@reddit
Reminds me of that cringe US defaultism shit. Like yeah, I wonder why people assume on an American site for Americans made up mostly of Americans that people are American.
Classic-Push1323@reddit
Sorry, but I really don't think this is fair. The UK has 70 million people, the US has 340+ million. It's normal for you to hear more about us than we hear about you, but we're not "shoving" anything down your throat by existing.
If you are choosing to watch American media, use American websites, etc. then that is a decision you're making and can stop making at any time. No one is forcing you to do that. We are not "encroaching" on you by making our products available to you. I fully support your right to enjoy your own culture and heritage, and there is no one and nothing stopping you from enjoying and promoting your culture.
The British used to say "the sun never sets on the British empire." Your country's history of colonialism is the reason why English is spoken around the world, including in the US. There are good and bad outcomes of this, and I'm not here to blame you for political decisions made hundreds of years ago, but "other cultures also use English" isn't really something you can complain about. We don't think "that just because you speak English doesn't mean America isn't just a bigger England." We actually don't think about you very much at all.
MrLongWalk@reddit
I have lived in the UK and actually taught US culture there. Trust me, Americans are aware how much our culture is "shoved down your throat" as you lot do love to remind us. I shouldn't have said you only experience us via tiktok but honestly having worked with Brits for a decade it doesn't go much deeper than that.
Puppy_Bellies@reddit (OP)
That's fair enough, I'm glad to you know you do at least see my point, and you do raise a very good point about pop culture. It took me until about ten years ago to realise that just because you speak English doesn't mean America isn't just a bigger England.
MrLongWalk@reddit
Trust me, as a former US culture teacher I had to deal with that a lot. Many of my students would gladly watch Disney their whole childhood and then feel victimized that the US wasn't doing more to promote Paddington.
No_Walk_Town@reddit
This is the most entitled, thin-skinned thing I've ever heard.
I take it back, this is the most entitled thing I've ever heard. British people when they discover cultures other than theirs exist: "I'm concerned that they aren't considering my feelings."
Dude, stop enabling that.
MrLongWalk@reddit
I tried gently to remind them that American media was made by Americans and generally about the US.
Suppafly@reddit
Do they really not have something similar to cream of mushroom soup being used to make a casserole? From what I've seen online, a bunch of UK cooking is even lazier than the US, I can't believe they haven't discovered casseroles yet.
MrLongWalk@reddit
They’ve got several equivalents, it’s like school buses, they lack context when looking at the US and just assume life here is nuts.
ALoungerAtTheClubs@reddit
It's used differently than you're imagining - often as a base for casseroles.
DenseAstronomer3631@reddit
Does anyone even eat cream of mushroom or chicken soup alone anyway? I've never had it as soup lol
ALoungerAtTheClubs@reddit
I doubt many people do. The thought of it has me going, "We'll maybe if you added bacon or other meat..." and then we're halfway to it being a casserole again.
Puppy_Bellies@reddit (OP)
I do, and only recently found out that people in America don't eat like that, but your point about adding something is interesting because to me that seems like you're just making your soup better rather than creating a whole new dish
TsundereLoliDragon@reddit
I still have absolutely no idea what you're imagining but they're basically just used like a flavored béchamel.
DenseAstronomer3631@reddit
We eat soup in America but canned cream of soup is not a stand alone food to most of us. I'm sure you could make a really good version homemade but the canned soups are like broth turned into jelly with cornstarch and powdered milk
smokinXsweetXpickle@reddit
gags
4Q69freak@reddit
But you don’t eat it as a soup it is used as an ingredient in a casserole to give it a creamy texture.
smokinXsweetXpickle@reddit
I know but it's still soo disgusting looking tho.
DenseAstronomer3631@reddit
I know I gave a really disgusting, even if fairly accurate, description but yeah I really kinda despise these types of soup and use them in very very few recipes
smokinXsweetXpickle@reddit
It literally plops out of the can and stays in the shape of the can until you stir it or whatever.
Ugh. Things that make ya go bluuurgh.
danhm@reddit
Canned cream of mushroom soup is essentially a broth, here.
MrLongWalk@reddit
I think you really misunderstand how these soups are used
Yeegis@reddit
I mean if you eladd actual chicken to cream of chicken then you basically have chicken bisque
-Boston-Terrier-@reddit
I prefer cream of asparagus but I like cream of mushroom well enough.
Hatweed@reddit
Cream of chicken, I actually do.
earmares@reddit
My husband likes to dip toast in it. He grew up having that as an after school snack.
PJ_lyrics@reddit
I was broke AF 25+ years ago and the only thing I had in my apartment was a can of cream of mushroom soup, 1 piece of bread, and some butter. I said fuck it, soup and toast for dinner. It's not a good meal. I never want that shit again lol. It's not meant to be ate as as soup I don't think. Cream of mushroom just supposed to be an ingredient lol.
Curmudgy@reddit
I had it as soup a lot growing up. Rarely in tuna noodle casserole.
q0vneob@reddit
I used to eat cream of potato as a kid.
CoffeeChocolateBoth@reddit
No one I know. Ewwwwww I hate the mushrooms in the soup, I strain them out. :)
rkb70@reddit
My parents used to eat cream of mushroom soup - add soup can of milk and heat. I thought it was disgusting, but it works fine as an incredient in certain casseroles.
csmumaw@reddit
Additionally you can also find a seasoning mix intended for soups (like an onion soup mix) that is used as an ingredient in casseroles or dishes like meatloaf
earmares@reddit
Or roasts
shelwood46@reddit
Yep, I always chuck a package of Knorr powdered onion soup in my pot roast.
ejsell@reddit
Or dips.
CoffeeChocolateBoth@reddit
My mom made a tator tot casserole, beef on the bottom, tots on top, pour a bowl of mixed cream of mushroom soup and milk on top and bake! It was good!
back-better007@reddit
This is a key key comment
albertnormandy@reddit
There are over 300 million people in America. Somewhere sometimes people do use canned soup as an ingredient. There is no national policy on this. Whatever your country is I assure you there are people there that cook with things we turn our nose up at.
Shot-Artichoke-4106@reddit
We should have an automatic post for all of these type of questions that says just this 😄
dontmindme896@reddit
it’s not instead of soup. it usually put into an entire different dish. a very popular green bean casserole recipe calls for canned cream of mushroom soup.
asphid_jackal@reddit
Fun fact: Campbell's invented the green bean casserole recipe to sell more cream of mushroom soup
94grampaw@reddit
probably 70% of cream of mushroom soup is made into green beans casserole.
Suppafly@reddit
I always assumed french's invented it to sell their fried onions.
Yeegis@reddit
Cream of onion is way better for green bean casserole than cream of mushroom
Gallahadion@reddit
Hmm, I might have to try this if I ever attempt to make green bean casserole myself.
AncientGuy1950@reddit
Don't think I've ever seen cream of onion. Have to look for it.
Ok-Ambassador8271@reddit
Yes
Euphoric_Ease4554@reddit
Roast beef, carrot and potato chunks, sprinkled with dry onion soup mix and Campbell’s golden mushroom soup is delicious when cooked at very low temps in an oven or crock pot.
SliceOfCuriosity@reddit
Yes, but also they’re more canned ingredients intended for such than soup itself (for example, cream of mushroom “soup” is rarely, if ever, eaten as soup. It’s an ingredient)
AlternativeWild3449@reddit
OK, but I'm a fan of cream of mushroom soup. Sadly, not something that I get very often.
Harbinger_Kyleran@reddit
My wife and I eat Cream of Tomato and Mushroom by themselves (both are great with Oyster crackers) and we'll use Cream of Mushroom / Chicken for pouring over burger patties or chicken breasts.
Mushroom also gets put in green bean casserole with dry onion soup mix going into meatloaf.
Cream of celery / broccoli I have absolutely no use for, ugh. 😉
back-better007@reddit
I once ate a can of cream of celery, I thought it was cream of chicken until I was one the second bowl. I was not sober
SliceOfCuriosity@reddit
My wife and I made a list of every non-limited Campbell’s soup in production and tried/gave a rating for each. Surprisingly, cream of celery was one of the highest “cream of”’s. The thought of consuming any of them casually as a soup though gives me chills and makes my mouth water (not in the good way).
Spirited-Way2406@reddit
When I'm sick with a fever and everything tastes horrible anyway, a can of original recipe cream of celery or cream of chicken, diluted just to the thick-gravy stage, with lots of pepper and some plain whole wheat toast to dip into it, will hit the spot. Otherwise, ehhh.
Gremlin1001001@reddit
I understood the last line when I read the first. 😀
rkb70@reddit
Would not eat it plain, but cream of celery is underrated as an ingredient - way better than cream of chicken.
Gremlin1001001@reddit
Speak for yourself there! Cream of mushroom is great on its own! 😀
AncientGuy1950@reddit
agreed, I usually add sautéed mushrooms to it.
totinozpizzabroy@reddit
Well, unless you’re my mother
MountainTomato9292@reddit
Also my youngest son. That kid appreciates a fancy mushroom soup, but he also can get down with a can of Campbell’s if that’s what’s available.
PsychoFaerie@reddit
Its a condensed soup. You add water or milk to thin it. Its primarily used as a casserole ingredient. Most aren't eating it like chicken noodle soup.
Its exaggerated on TikTok oh and a lot of the "casserole making" vids are fetish videos notice how messy they get their hands while making it.
RobotShlomo@reddit
Some recipes call for a particular type of canned soup. Thanksgiving stuffing recipes sometimes need things like cream of mushroom soup added to them.
Donald_J_Duck65@reddit
I have never done it. But it can be a popular additive to a casserole, it's concentrated flavor.
Porcupine-in-a-tree@reddit
If you are working that hard to flavor your food, chances are you aren’t making a dish that calls for canned soup. You generally use canned soup in lower effort meals like casserole.
bizoticallyyours83@reddit
Sometimes. Like, if I'm making pot pie I like to add cream of mushroom and cream of chicken soup, instead of gravy. It tastes really good that way.
paka96819@reddit
I use Cambell condensed tomato soup to put on top of my meatloaf. Then I eat the rest as soup, with water.
Any_Nectarine_7806@reddit
Canned soup is most often an ingredient in casseroles and does the job of, say, a bechamel (cream and body).
CoffeeChocolateBoth@reddit
I have never used canned soup in a bechamel recipe.
ENovi@reddit
They’re not saying that. They’re saying its usage is similar, not that you’d sub a can of Campbells in for a recipe calling for a bechamel sauce. If you’re unfamiliar with canned soup being used as an ingredient then bechamel is a decent comparison to help someone conceptualize it.
Any_Nectarine_7806@reddit
I don't think anyone else has either.
Stefferdiddle@reddit
It’s should be noted that it’s usually used in its condensed version so it’s thicker than soup.
Opening-Ad-2769@reddit
This is it. It's a substitute for a sauce. It works as a thickening agent and flavor.
But it's usually a cream based soup not a vegetable or meat based soup like chicken noodle or beef stew.
TsundereLoliDragon@reddit
I wonder where béchamel and mornay sauces come from.
Curmudgy@reddit
They come from mornay eels, of course. /s
Any_Nectarine_7806@reddit
France. (I'm not sure if you are asking or not.)
TsundereLoliDragon@reddit
It was a joke, because these are essentially what the condensed cream soups are.
IAmBaconsaur@reddit
This. And to add it doesn't "ruin your hard work" because these types of meals/dishes are intentionally easy to throw together and bake.
TsundereLoliDragon@reddit
Their question doesn't even make sense. What could they possibly be imagining we're doing with them?
IHaveBoxerDogs@reddit
I think they’re imagining us chucking chicken noodle into some random dish.
blay12@reddit
And tbf the “cream of” soups that make up 95% of “soup as ingredient” soups pretty much are just a premade bechamel - it’s an oil-based roux with added cream and whatever the flavor is (mushroom, chicken, etc).
Obv you could make this yourself if you want precise control over the amounts of salt/flour/oil/flavor, but generally it saves a bit of time (and frustration if you suck at making a bechamel without it splitting). OP could kind of think of it as the same sort of thing as using a curry roux from a box in Japanese curry.
Any_Nectarine_7806@reddit
Yessir.
juniperwool@reddit
The can of soup used in many recipes here is similar to a roux base (butter, flour, milk, seasonings, veggies, or meats). Many people don't realize they can easily make it at home, or just due to time, or whatever reason, they use this can of soup to make their recipe.
cygnus311@reddit
We very much do it, but not to things that require work and ingredients. The can of soup is instead of work and ingredients. Example, green beans, cream of mushroom soup, fried onions. Boom, meal.
Puppy_Bellies@reddit (OP)
Ah ok yeah this makes total sense. To me that sounds like 'enhanced soup' rather than a dish of it's own but that's probably just a cultural thing
TwinkieDad@reddit
The soups are usually condensed versions, meaning to eat it as a soup you would add water to get soup consistency.
dontdoxmebro@reddit
The soups used as an ingredient are usually condensed “Cream of Chicken/Mushroom/Celery/Broccoli/Onion/Potato” soup. They are a very thick sauce straight out of the can, and to eat them as a soup, you need to add a significant amount of water. However, they are not prepared as a soup if they are the base sauce in a casserole, they are left in their thick condensed form.
They are typically used to replace making a velouté or béchamel.
shelwood46@reddit
It's "condensed. The can usually recommends thinning it down 50-50 with water or milk to eat. Many recipes don't add the liquid (though some do in smaller quantities). And I know Lancaster hot pot is just the same thing as a casserole, so it's not just us.
MyUsername2459@reddit
It's more of a thick casserole.
Certain canned soups are very rarely eaten as actual soups, and are used more as a premade base.
Cream of Mushroom soup is most famous for this.
Think of it as being more like a premade sauce base. It's essentially a bechamel sauce with mushrooms in it.
There's a lot of casserole dishes in the US that involve mixing a can of cream of mushroom soup with an amount of boiled noodles, possibly some vegetables, cheeses, or protein of some kind, placing it in a casserole dish, and baking it as a quick and simple meal that can feed a whole family.
It's not people taking a can of premade soup and just pouring it on some other dish. It's an ingredient in something larger.
smokinXsweetXpickle@reddit
It literally plops out of the can still in the shape of the can... It's not really soup.
MrLongWalk@reddit
It’s not soupy at all, the soup in question comes out of the can more like a gravy
Google “green bean casserole” for an idea
cygnus311@reddit
It’s thicker than you’re picturing. Baked in a dish and scooped out.
TsundereLoliDragon@reddit
Why are you assuming this is how it's used?
I mean that is an actual thing. It also doesn't mean we don't eat actual salads.
Huh?
Ol_Man_J@reddit
Reading Op's post I just imagined they were making something like a curry dish and then lobbing in a can of minestrone soup or something.
Puppy_Bellies@reddit (OP)
Yes this is exactly what I was imagining! That's why I was so confused/why I was asking why anyone would do that, and having read the replies I realise that no one is doing that, so that's my question satisfactorily answered
cdb03b@reddit
Why were you thinking that?
GreenBeanTM@reddit
But why were you thinking that when your question is literally based off of watching videos of people using it as an ingredient?
MrLongWalk@reddit
As a Brit most of what you imagine about day to day life here doesn’t really reflect reality
rawbface@reddit
Do you really use carrots as an ingredient instead of like, just eating the carrot or is that a myth?
I really don't understand what point you're trying to make. Campbell's soup is a staple in South Jersey and it's been used in homemade recipes since the 1910's.
Puppy_Bellies@reddit (OP)
Are a carrot and a can of soup interchangeable to you? I don't think the two are comparable.
cdb03b@reddit
They are both ingredients that are capable of being eaten on their own. While they are not interchangeable for the same effect in a given recipe they are comparable.
rawbface@reddit
What is specifically the difference then? In both cases you're taking something that can be eaten on its own and using it to enhance the overall dish. My question is just as absurd as yours.
TheJokersChild@reddit
It's supposed to make cooking easier and flavor food in ways you can't do on your own. It's a style of cooking that goes back to at least WWII, when wives on the homefront needed something thrify yet filling to cook for their families. A can of cream of mushroom soup did miracles for casseroles.
Outlaw_Josie_Snails@reddit
Yes, in the US, certain soups are often added as an ingredient. However, the soups are often in the form of creamy soups, such as cream of mushroom and cream of chicken.
Other countries, such as the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and Japan, also use canned soup as part of creating a dish.
Littleboypurple@reddit
The problem you're encountering is what you're most likely imagining. They aren't canned soups like Beef Stew, Chicken Noodle, or Minestrone. They are thicker more cream based things that are meant to be used as the base of inexpensive meals, casseroles, or a quick hack for seasoning some dishes. They are basically an already seasoned ready made bechamel sauce
SteampunkExplorer@reddit
Well, that's kinda rude. Obviously we're not going to use canned soup in recipes that would be ruined by it, and we don't just "chuck it in" regardless of what's already in there.
But yes, we might use it in situations where it makes sense.
cdb03b@reddit
It is not an "instead" thing. It it is an additional use of condensed soups. They make a very quick and easy sauce base for casseroles and other single dish baked meals.
How would using a canned soup ruin the flavoring of your food? The only way that would be true is if you are using a soup you dislike. Don't do that.
ParrotheadTink@reddit
My mother used to make various casseroles with a can of cream of something as a base. Usually with noodles. I’m kinda over (burned out!) cream of anything soups, except cream of potato. I LOVE cream of potato, great base for my Zuppa Toscana.
cygnus311@reddit
Also the “salad is a mayonnaise dish” thing is very real. Salad can be a pretty generic term for “side dish of a bunch of stuff mixed up”. Leafy greens are just one kind of salad. Tuna salad. Ramen salad. Pistachio salad. All rule.
Sirhc978@reddit
I feel like Tuna/Chicken salad is doubly confusing since I have never eaten it as a side dish, just as a sandwich.
shelwood46@reddit
It is served as a side dish at some delis in my area, kinda like cole slaw.
Wild_Hog_70@reddit
Next thing you know, someone will call slices of cheese and tomato a (caprese) salad.
cygnus311@reddit
I was today years old when I realized a caprese salad is a gluten free margarita pizza.
CriticalSuit1336@reddit
Jello salad!
DosZappos@reddit
What kind of soup are you envisioning?
DrGlennWellnessMD@reddit
I am kind of concerned how they consider a can of soup to be a revolting thing to add to a dish that would "ruin" it.
As if someone is picking a soup at random blindfolded and throwing it into a totally unrelated dish.
DosZappos@reddit
Yeah I need to know if they think we’re dumping chicken noodle soup into stuff, or if they’re confused about what cream of mushroom “soup” is
Lugbor@reddit
Cream of chicken is a soup that gets used in a fair number of chicken pot pie recipes.
shelwood46@reddit
Campbell's now has a cream soup that is both chicken and mushroom, now I know why.
Spiritual_Being5845@reddit
Also chicken on a biscuit, and chicken à la king
back-better007@reddit
Chicken on a biscuit? Is that basically deconstructed pot pie?
Spiritual_Being5845@reddit
Chicken pot pie has pie crust, different taste and texture
You make raised biscuits while the chicken filling is simmering, super quick on a weeknight instead of rolling out pie dough. I can go from walking in the door to having dinner on the table in under 30 minutes.
back-better007@reddit
But we’re agreeing the “filling” is basically the same
TucsonTacos@reddit
That’s what it’s called at hipster restaurants
Magges87@reddit
I’ve used it in a good stuffing casserole recipe. The recipe also had chicken thighs.
CraftyFraggle@reddit
My teen’s favorite dinner is “chicken and stuffing casserole”- layers of diced sautéed chicken breasts, cream of chicken soup, and boxed stuffing.
It’s certainly not gourmet but inexpensive and filling.
TheBimpo@reddit
You’re stuck in a TikTok algorithm of this type of recipe. They were very popular after the second World War due to intense marketing from Campbell’s. Yes, people eat this stuff, but it is not like every household is having this every week.
Great_Chipmunk4357@reddit
Do foreigners always watch American movies and TV and wonder if Americans really do those things? Don’t these same foreigners have something better to do?
riarws@reddit
Using the word “salad” for a mayonnaise dish comes from German. See Nudelsalat, Eiersalat, and Fleischsalat. It’s only “American” in that it probably was brought into American English by German-speaking immigrants.
Suppafly@reddit
Not really, Germans got the word salad from the same romance language word that English got it from. The popularity of non-lettuce based salads likely came from German immigrants though.
riarws@reddit
That’s what I meant— using salad to mean something not lettuce is from German usage. In the UK it’s so synonymous with lettuce that they will say they’re putting “salad” on their hamburger if they put lettuce on it.
Suppafly@reddit
I'm not sure that's totally true. There are folks in the US that call lettuce salad, but still understand that there are combinations of things mixed together that are also called salad. The BBC recipe site has recipes for fruit salads, and I suspect no brit is confused by that or assumes it's some sort of lettuce based dish.
Puppy_Bellies@reddit (OP)
That's very interesting! Thank you!
riarws@reddit
As for the soup as ingredients, it’s basically this with a bit of minced celery or minced mushroom added.
Sad_Pie_3862@reddit
What Americans call a casserole, Brits would call a tray bake.
Suppafly@reddit
I looked some up to see what they use in place of creamy soup, but it looks like most of them are either tomato sauce and cheese based, or they don't use any sort of sauce at all and the comments alternatively complain about them either being too dry or too wet, since they tend to be a bunch of random ingredients thrown together with no concept of a sauce to bind things together.
Yeegis@reddit
Specifically the “cream of_____” soups. We wouldn’t use a can of minestrone or something in a casserole.
DeathofRats42@reddit
I assume you mean the cream of celery or cream of mushroom soups. I have never seen anyone eat one of these without it being in a larger recipe. I think they are like soup stock, some essential element that is really meant to be combined with other things.
RandyArgonianButler@reddit
I buy cream of mushroom soup all the damn time. I just realized that I’ve never actually had a bowl of cream of mushroom soup. LOL
Suppafly@reddit
It's pretty good. Dilute it with milk instead of water and stir it a bunch of it stays creamy while heating it.
DeathofRats42@reddit
You have your mission. Report back when done. Good luck.
Suppafly@reddit
The "cream of" soups are probably more commonly used as an ingredient than as actual soup. People use it as a basic white sauce for casseroles.
Spirited-Way2406@reddit
Canned condensed cream soup is a very thick, rather salty, lightly seasoned bechamel-based sauce. I have low-sodium cream of chicken, cream of celery, and cream of mushroom on hand in a store brand. They are not appealing if rehydrated and eaten plain, but they are a replacement for bechamel if you aren't trying to be fancy and need to save time and dishes. Season appropriately. When the name brand goes on sale, I can pick up cream of asparagus, cream of broccoli, cream of potato, various variations on cream of mushroom (with chicken broth, with extra mushroom, with garlic, etc.), and Cheddar cheese soups.
It's for weeknight cooking, when you have half an hour to get dinner into the oven.
Saltpork545@reddit
Hi, I'm a food nerd. It's not a myth but it's not a can of soup that you open and eat like you're imagining.
It's called condensed soup and it was invented in the late 1800s by the person who eventually founded the Campbells soup company. By removing water you can reduce logistic costs, and give an overall smaller and cheaper product to consumers they can add water to create as a form of soup and this was done in the early 1900s all the way into the Great Depression.
Campbells ran hard on this and by the 1940s and 1950s canned condensed soup was seen as something of older generations because it had been out for decades by that point.
So, Campbells, like most companies, turned to marketing. They said effectively 'you don't have to eat our condensed cream of celery, but can instead create casserole dishes or quick meals for the modern 1950s family' feeding the push to make more food faster and easier. Commercials, ladies cooking and housekeeping magazines, and such had constant ads with recipes to help home cooks buy and use condensed soups in other foods. This continued as advertising for decades well into the 1980s.
Due to this, condensed soup that is used as an ingredient in other dishes to help add flavor, work as a thickener or sauce, and so on are still around and still used to this day. Most people under the age of 50 do not add water to condensed soup and consume it as soup. They instead use it to create meals they either grew up with or meals relative to their region/culture that get passed down, like tuna noodle casserole.
So, to make a long answer very short, no Americans don't just crack open a can of minestrone and pour it all over a fully cooked finished meal. That's insane and entirely silly.
Nan_Mich@reddit
The US is very different geographically than Europe. Rural homes here may be 10, 30, even 50 miles from a grocery store. We lost our corner dairy and butcher stores in favor of grocery stores. Even in city and suburban families, most Americans could not send a kid or spouse to pick up a fresh ingredient nearby, but relied on weekly trips to a big grocery that carried everything for home food preparation.
In the 1950s - 1970s, when prepared foods were expensive and had to be eaten within a day or two, canned condensed soups allowed a home cook to throw together a quick, hot meal full of flavor. Root vegetables that keep well - carrots, potatoes, rutabaga, turnips, onions - and some meat were always available for making a meal. Condensed soup that was creamy and as thick as a cooled gravy, could make a meal with no fresh ingredients. Once frozen vegetables became more accessible and of better quality in the 80s, they could be added, too.
As better food preservation systems came online, a cook could keep things like sour cream and other dairy at home through the week. They used to spoil in a few days and a lot would be wasted.
Then frozen meals became better and were made with fewer preservatives and were more palatable. When nitrogen or other non-air packaging made things like fresh salads and cooked meats last more than a couple of days, food options for fresh prepared food made home cooking with only long-lasting root vegetables a thing of the past. Global transportation of fresh foods also completely changed our cooking styles.
Unless you lived through all the innovations of food availability over the past 70 years, you might not understand the role that canned condensed soups had in the American diet and that some still hold onto with nostalgia for the family dinner staples of our grandparents.
dirtyllama720@reddit
Yes*
My family did it growing up because it’s cheap and simplifies the recipe.
Now that I’m an adult, I don’t do this nearly as often.
It’s mostly a poor people thing
mrs-sir-walter-scott@reddit
And especially a southern thing. Casseroles are huge wins when you don't have a lot of time or money, and things like canned cream of mushroom soup can bulk up a casserole easily and cheaply.
rkb70@reddit
I can assure you that people in the Midwest use canned soup for casseroles even more than Southerners - it's practically an art form.
mrs-sir-walter-scott@reddit
You're so correct!! I was thinking of my family, which is comprised of Southern transplants to the Midwest. But you're right, the Midwest perfect the cream of X casserole.
earmares@reddit
I would disagree that it's a poor people thing. When I had less money, I was more likely to stir some flour and milk together and make the creamed soup- now that I have a little money, I can afford to pay for the convenience of creamed soup.
Bluemonogi@reddit
There are condensed soups like cream of mushroom or cream of chicken that are sometimes incorporated into casseroles. You could make the same base mixture from scratch as a sauce or gravy. It is just a shortcut. In the past soup companies put out recipes to use their product in things like this. Famously “green bean casserole” which is eaten by more than white people. People aren’t ruining their hard work by chucking in a can of soup randomly. The recipe was designed to use the product.
Some people dislike these kind of recipes and some are fine with it. Usually people who dislike them would not eat canned soup to begin with.
JoeMorgue@reddit
I've traveled enough to know this whole "Waaat? No you see I am confused for no other country than American eats food that is pre-prepared, processed, fast, convenient, canned, shelf stable, packaged or otherwise not picked from the fucking Earth the 5 minutes before we eat" routine that so many "questions" here is dependant on is a bunch of nonsense.
DogsBikesAndMovies@reddit
Wait, what people think Americans only eat cheeseburgers and think salad is a mayonnaise dish? If anybody thinks that, they're horribly wrong.
Many people here have told truths, such as u/SliceOfCuriosity pointing out that we don't actually eat cream of mushroom soup by itself. It's normally an ingredient to be used in a casserole. This is one of many examples.
Puppy_Bellies@reddit (OP)
Oh sorry my comment might not have been clear enough, I was saying that people generally know that the cheeseburger/mayonnaise salad thing is a myth these days, but yes people did used to believe that
DogsBikesAndMovies@reddit
Understood. Thanks for the clarification.
GhostOfJamesStrang@reddit
People will believe anything about Americans as long as it's bad.
Waisted-Desert@reddit
In those recipes, the can of soup IS the flavoring. Generally recipes that use a can of soup are easily thrown together for a large meal. They're not crafted recipes made with dozens of ingredients and delicately balanced spices. It's 5 or 6 things tossed into a pot or baking dish then heated.
CoffeeChocolateBoth@reddit
We all eat different things! Canned mushroom soup goes in green bean casserole! Cream of chicken soup is good over slowly baked chicken. Mushroom soup is great over minute steaks. All soup is condensed with a added can of milk. :)
LandofRy@reddit
Never heard of this. I'm sure someone's tried it somewhere but it definitely isn't a thing
Mental_Freedom_1648@reddit
Casseroles made with cream soup bases are definitely a thing. What state are you in?
LandofRy@reddit
Rhode Island! Judging by the comments it is 1000% a thing and I've just never had it apparently 😂
clearliquidclearjar@reddit
Never had green bean casserole at Thanksgiving? Using canned cream of whatever soup in a casserole or hotdish base is common as can be.
LandofRy@reddit
Nah nobody in my family has ever made that, didn't realize this was a thing people did with canned soup!
I read the "instead of eating soup" part of the question and took it like people here didn't eat soup and instead used it as like a mixer or something, hence my comment lol
PistachioPerfection@reddit
Seriously? You haven't ever heard of casseroles made with Campbell's condensed soups? It's most definitely a thing.
Check these out!
Numerous_Delay_6306@reddit
used for casseroles tbh
snarkwithfae@reddit
People swear by their cream of crap soups here. I’m not one of those people.
KagakuNinja@reddit
Soup companies such as Campbell's used to print recipes on some of their soup cans, they probably also published cooking books. Today you can find the recipes online. Other food companies did similar things, Jello, Cheese Whiz, and the iconic Chex party mix. I think this kind of thing was more common 40+ years ago, corporations creating recipes to help sell more of their products. Some of the recipes were quite bizarre.
My mother never did this. My stepmother used to cook a casserole using Campbell's mushroom soup. My grandmother made some barely edible snacks using Cheese Whiz, and she made Chex party mix which is quite tasty.
I never do this, although it is common to use pre-made soup broth, sometimes sold in cans.
blipsman@reddit
Typically, it's specific types of canned soups like condensed cream of ___ soups. These are canned soups that would be combined with milk or water typically to thin them out into soup one would eat, or conversely they get used in caseroles, etc. as sauces.
sonotorian@reddit
Yes, this: https://www.campbells.com/recipes/15-minute-chicken-rice-dinner/ is common.
Nan_Mich@reddit
I will throw a can of cream of chicken soup (which is a condensed soup) into the pan drippings and water used to loosen pan drippings of a pork roast to make gravy.
There used to be a Golden Mushroom Soup from Campbell’s that I would use to moisten bread when I made stuffing for stuffed pork chops. Then, the rest of the can was used with the water from loosening a drippings to make gravy.
XayahTheVastaya@reddit
I haven't heard of canned soup as an ingredient, but I'm curious what you mean by salad as a mayonnaise dish. There are some foods with mayonnaise being a major ingredient that are called salads, like egg salad or chicken salad, but they wouldn't just be called "salad".
Mental_Freedom_1648@reddit
You've never heard of people making casseroles with cream of mushroom soup?
XayahTheVastaya@reddit
No, my family tends to get baked dishes in a frozen tray. I'm starting to learn cooking from YouTube and books but what I've done so far is mostly on the stovetop.
asphid_jackal@reddit
There are some people who believe that because we call it chicken salad, that's the only thing we think salad is. They think we use these salads as a replacement for garden salads
polkjamespolk@reddit
One on a while, I'll make an enchilada casserole with a sauce made of one can OEP enchilada sauce, one can Campbell's tomato soup, and one can Campbell's cream of mushroom soup.
I will not apologize and I wonder why anyone cares what I like and how I make it.
GiraffesCantSwim@reddit
I like the cut of your jib.
Premium333@reddit
This is a shortcut method for very specific subset of dishes, mostly casseroles.
Think, or Google, Thanksgiving green bean casserole which ises cream of mushroom soup as a base to buold flavor on. Ive cooked that dish from scratch and it was 20% better and 500% more work. The juice wasn't worth the squeeze.
Another category is dips, but these mostly make use of powdered soup base and not cans of liquod soup.
Anyway, yes it happens, no it doesn't happen that often or as a normal cooking activity in most homes.
TikTok, and social media in general, is nit intended to accurately represent anyones life. Not even the people who are making the videos. Its just acripted horseshit meant to get you to watch the next video and nothing more.
HurtsCauseItMatters@reddit
For years I didn't realize how easy bechamel was to make and as someone who grew up on old 1970s-early 1990s cookbooks, those things are FULL of "add cream of mushroom soup" entries.
Even though I routinely, even then made roux's for gumbos it never occured to me what the purpose of the soups were. A lot of things we do because that's the way they're done and we don't really think about the why.
The first time I made green bean casserole from scratch was LIFE CHANGING. I wish I was kidding.
Candleforce-9728@reddit
Condensed cream of mushroom soup was a key ingredient in convenience recipes in the 60s and 70s but began to be shunned in the 80s.
Now you see it mostly in the Midwest in classics like hotdish.
GiraffesCantSwim@reddit
Shunned in the 80s? The South didn't get that memo. We are a casserole loving people. Everyone thinks everything is deep fried or barbecue, but you go to a potluck and there will be plenty of casseroles.
Voluptuous_Vulcan@reddit
Canned soup based meals don't usually require much work. Part point of using soup is cuz you're looking for something easy.
beardiac@reddit
Americans definitely eat soup as soup, and we also eat plenty of foods that don't involve soup.
But the soup companies have spent decades propagating the idea of recipes that use their soups as ingredients - often in the form of casseroles. So it's not ruining an otherwise perfectly good dish because the dish without the soup is just a handful of ingredients.
I'd also argue that very few Americans eat these types of dishes on the regular. We make green bean casserole as a traditional Thanksgiving side dish (which involves cream of onion soup). So that's like once a year. Some other soup-based casseroles might pop up in rotation once every month or so (especially as easy weeknight meals in the winter).
metsfn82@reddit
Condensed soup is basically a flavored béchamel sauce that saves times in a recipe. Nobody is making a dish then throwing in a can of vegetable beef soup
12B88M@reddit
A meal I ate a lot in college was a box of cheap macaroni and cheese, a pound of cheap hamburger, a can of peas, corn or green beans and a can of cream of mushroom soup.
Make the macaroni and cheese as normal, brown the hamburger and mix together. Add the vegetable and soup. Mix thoroughly. Heat until warm and eat.
A lot of food for very little money and it actually tastes pretty good.
It makes enough for at least 3 meals.
Bear_Salary6976@reddit
Sometimes it is, however, I don't think it is a super common ingredient. Most dishes that I see that call for a can of soup are mostly dishes that are easy to make. A casserole is likely the most common dish that uses a can of soup. Most casseroles involve putting all of your ingredients into a baking dish and then baking it for 30 min to an hour. Very simple dish. Most Americans are probably divided as to if they taste good or not.
RemotePossibility399@reddit
And people think only Americans are ignorant of the world.
MadMadamMimsy@reddit
In thec60s and 70s soup companies came out with tons of recipes using soup as a base fir the casaroles, or on pork chops...there were a huge variety of ways. This was also the era of Hamburger Helper (not my thing, many loved it). Anyway, these often became family favorites and got passed down.
Don't knock it til you've tried it, ok? It might not be your thing, but some of it might surprise you. (No, I don't cook like this, nor did my mother, but my husband loves this stuff)
RunJumpSleep@reddit
I grew up with a can of cream of chicken mushroom as gravy for rice. It’s really good. I have a recipe that uses canned tomato soup for chili. It’s good but can come off as adding a little too much sweet sometimes.
Huge_Lime826@reddit
I will often pick up a packet of a chicken rice dish and add a can of chicken noodle soup with it. Delicious!!!
madogvelkor@reddit
In casseroles usually. It basically ends up being a cream base to the dish. Usually we would use cream of mushroom or cream of celery soup.
MovieSock@reddit
Canned cream-of-something soup was first "invented" to be eaten as a soup. However, over time many people discovered it could be used as a substitute for homemade cream sauce in one-pot casserole dishes or cottage-pie types of dishes. The people who made these dishes were usually making them as simple, quick, just-for-the-family meals; this was not usually something you made for dinner parties, this was something you made if you had a large family and little time to cook.
Many creamed soups became less popular over time as soups, but the canned cream-of-whatever soups stayed popular because people were still using them as an ingredient.
Note: it's only the cream soups where people do this. No one that I know of is using canned chicken noodle soup as an ingredient, they're eating it straight.
PistachioPerfection@reddit
Absolutely! And someone previously said it was a "poor people" thing. Maybe in their world. Generally, that's not true.
30 minute recipes from Campbell's
PsychologicalFox8839@reddit
The soups in question are condensed and used without diluting them.
AncientGuy1950@reddit
Pretty much every culture has things in their food that others find questionable.
Yes, we used canned soups, usually cream based soups, as an ingredient, particularly in casseroles. It's easy and it tastes good.
Now tell us where you're from so we can express distaste for your food prep.
forgotwhatisaid2you@reddit
Some do but for the most part these are just canned sauces that happened to come from Campbell's Soup so they are called soup and sold in the same section as their soups. I have never heard of anyone eating Cream of Celery soup as a soup.
TemperMe@reddit
I’m not sure I fully understand… Soup is a dish itself and something we commonly eat. There are a few rare dishes that call for things like “cream of mushroom” or “French onion soup”. Most people, if they make those dishes, will just be canned version and it’s not much relative to the dish size.
I’m thinking mostly just a handful of casseroles.
Grindar1986@reddit
Plenty of people pointed out the cream ofs. Mom used to have a few recipes that would use tomato soup.
stoneworther@reddit
I'm guessing tiktok cooking videos are all insane and probably not at all what Americans actually eat..
As for what we actually eat, canned soup is frequently used in casseroles. You do not see it too often otherwise, at least in modern recipes.
Would have been much more common in the past when canned food was more prominent. There's one dish from my childhood that takes cream of mushroom soup from a can that I always liked and still make.
jsmeeker@reddit
yes. Typically as a "shortcut". And it was a thing WAY before TikTok became a thing
No-Lunch4249@reddit
Yeah I've used it before. Its a quick and easy base for things like casseroles or some crock pot meals
TCFNationalBank@reddit
It's definitely a thing, in many casserole recipes it will call for canned soups. I suppose you could also build the soup from scratch if there's something about canned soups you dislike.
Same sort of way you could buy a boxed chocolate cake mix, yes you could get the same result by making from scratch but you pay a bit extra to skip a few steps. it also will probably cheaper if you are someone who doesn't often bake and won't work through a whole sack of flour, big bag of sugar, cocoa, etc.
bangbangracer@reddit
After WW2, canned foods like condensed soup were a massive novelty, and cookbooks were flooded with modern recipes using this new thing to simplify your life and chores, and they took off. You don't have to make your own soups and sauces anymore. You can cut out that entire step when you just want a cream sauce on a piece of chicken.
It is a thing, but it's not like we're chucking a can of chunky beef stew into a recipe. It's stuff like cream of mushroom and cream of chicken being a base for a hot dish, or for making "company chicken" in one pan.
pmyourhotmom@reddit
lol are you asking if we like add soup to random dishes? We do not
bdrwr@reddit
Many "poor people" dishes involve recombining cheap meals like that. That's not a strictly American thing.
Also, certain canned soup brands are condensed/concentrated, so using it as an ingredient is closer to using a stock or a demi glace than just soup.
The one main example I can think of is the classic green bean casserole, which calls for Campbell's cream of mushroom soup as the liquid base. It's delicious; classic Thanksgiving dish.
Cpt_Rossi@reddit
Look up a recipe that uses canned soup in it. You'd probably get a much better understanding of how it's used.
cerealandcorgies@reddit
sure, I just toss a can of chicken noodle or beef stew or mini ravioli into whatever dish I'm making, always turns out better that way
refasu@reddit
It's used where more authentic recipes would start with making a roux.
I don't care for it.
EV9110@reddit
Some easier recipes call for it, especially casseroles.
-blundertaker-@reddit
So a lot of what you see being used as an ingredient are the super basic Campbell's soup. They're fine on their own but so simple they can be used to cut a lot of work out of making something from scratch. Like, even if I wanted cream of mushroom soup I'm gonna be churching up that can of Campbell's. As a soup on its own, they aren't great.
People in the Midwest are big fans of casseroles, or "bakes". Chuck a bunch of shit into a baking dish and throw it in the oven at 350°F for 30 minutes.
I've gone to the trouble of making a green bean casserole from scratch with fresh green beans, and it was fucking delicious. However there's still a bit of nostalgia just throwing it together with canned beans and a can of cream of mushrooms and that little tin of French's fried onions.
I could make chicken stock, but I use it so little and value my time enough that stock from a box will suffice.
Consistent_Damage885@reddit
It is a real thing. It came about when Campbell's canned soups were becoming a thing. There were people who worked for the brands and had the job of coming up with recipes to use their products that would be published on the can labels, in newspapers, and in cookbooks.
The soups go into casseroles, which are one dish dinners that were popularized in the 1950s and a hit with busy homemakers. Mainly cream of mushroom, cream of celery, etc.
These days casseroles are not as popular for daily meals but there are ones that are family traditions for holidays. The most iconic one is green bean casserole often served at Thanksgiving or Christmas.
Squirrel_Doc@reddit
It’s not instead of, it’s both.
We eat canned soup by itself. But also, we have some recipes where we add a can of condensed soup to it. Condensed soup is very thick and creamy, and has flavors like chicken (cream of chicken soup) or mushroom (cream of mushroom soup), so sometimes we use these to replace cream in some recipes.
Usually these are in quick and easy recipes where you don’t have to measure stuff. Just dump in a can of soup and whatever else and cook/bake and you got a meal. I don’t think these kind of meals are widely regarded as very good, so it’s more of a convenience thing. Also tends to be cheap. So not everybody uses canned soup as an ingredient, but a lot do.
TheTree-43@reddit
Sort of. Condensed Cream of mushroom/onion soup is a common ingredient in casseroles (or hot dishes as Minnesotans call it when it's a main). But these aren't really a soup in the same way that a can of chicken noodle or beef and vegetable soup are. It's just a convinient seasoned and thickened source of dairy.
A steakhouse or similar restaurant might serve a cream of mushroom soup that's made from scratch, but that would be significantly gussied up compared to the can
WaitClickBang@reddit
During the mid-century, food companies specifically hired chefs and food engineers to create new recipes that contained their products- to better promote their use. Canned soup is a mainstay in many casserole and other dishes of that era. Green bean casserole in particular is a Thanksgiving classic that often contains canned soup.
Stuie299@reddit
Yes, but not in the way you're probably imagining. Its stuff like cream of chicken, or cream of mushroom. Stuff that is really more of a canned ingredient than a soup. We're not just chucking a can of beef and barley, or minestrone into random dishes.
crazycatlady331@reddit
It's not as popular now but at one point, Campbell's Cream of Mushroom soup was a popular ingredient, especially for things like casseroles. I personally don't like it (as I don't like mushrooms) but I'll eat a casserole with cream of potato or cream of chicken.
Like fashion, food trends tend to come and go. I don't think casseroles are as popular now as they were in previous generations.
SnowblindAlbino@reddit
Sure, there are lots of canned soups (like all the "cream of _____" types in particular) that almost nobody eats as soup. They are handy bases for all sorts of quick meals though. As convenience foods became widely popular in the post-WWII era, soup companies like Campbell's were happy to publish recipes from their test kitchens that were made entirely from off-the-shelf ingredients, like canned soup, dried pasta, and frozen vegetables. There are even canned soup cookbooks that were quite popular.There are many hundreds of such recipes and lots of families still use them for convenient/quick meals...like Minnesota's famous Tater Tot Hotdish!
Docnevyn@reddit
In 2026, not often. All of your stereotypes (except maybe the cheeseburger one) are outdated. There were recipes in the past that had cream of something (usually mushroom) soup as the moister instead of water or stock. This was in the 50's and 60's before people started paying attention to calorie counts.
lollipop-guildmaster@reddit
There are canned soups that are basically meant to be ingredients and that no one would eat on their own, like consomme and the entire "cream of" line. Nobody's just chucking a can of chicken noodle into a casserole.
jessek@reddit
It’s a midwestern thing and it’s used in casseroles
Current-Photo2857@reddit
Yes, there are definitely some recipes I make using canned soup. One is green bean casserole, which calls for cream of mushroom soup. Another is a cheesy rice & broccoli bake, which takes cream of mushroom, celery or broccoli soup. My mother makes a chicken pot pie casserole that incorporates a cream of chicken soup.
Classic-Push1323@reddit
The "soups" that people use as ingredients aren't really something you'd eat straight from the can. It's usually cream of mushroom soup, which is a roux made with sauteed mushrooms, onions, garlic, herbs, flour, butter, cream, and broth. If you don't want to buy it you can just make a roux at home and add that.
JediLincoln14@reddit
It's an ingredient in some dishes. Campbell's had a whole line of very basic soups that can be used for the purpose. But it doesn't "ruin" anything because it's an intended ingredient. It's mostly for casseroles and the like.
Gloomy-Difference-51@reddit
Canned cream soups, yes. Cream of celery, cream of mushroom and cream of chicken are examples.
klydsp@reddit
Condensed cream of chicken or mushroom are used a lot in casseroles. I've had Thanksgiving green beans with it. Regular soups like vegetable, chicken noodle, or beef barely I've not used in anything.
cofeeholik75@reddit
Beef Stroganoff using canned cream of mushroom soup & sour cream.
Most casserole recipes call for some kind of canned cream soup (chicken, celery).
airynothing1@reddit
I’ve done it with cream of mushroom to give texture and flavor to a casserole or a stroganoff sauce, but I’ve never done it with any other soups or seen it done personally. Then again I’ve also never seen someone eat cream of mushroom soup by itself lol.
acbuglife@reddit
Just look up Campbell recipes. The soup is condensed and can give great flavor base or serve as a cheap option to add more to meals. It's been a thing for decades.
jquailJ36@reddit
Things like cream of [whatever] condensed soup is just condensed bechamel or veloute where someone else did the tedious part.
Obi_Uno@reddit
Definitely happens. But probably not super routinely.
I bet most families use canned Cream of Mushroom soup as an ingredient in their annual Thanksgiving Green Bean Casserole.
CyanHunter130@reddit
Some canned soups are almost meant to be used as a base for cooking, kind of like soup stock. Canned cream of mushroom soup is a relatively common example for things like casseroles
Livid_Number_@reddit
What kind of soup? I absolutely use certain soups in recipes like “cream of” soups and tomato soup. Please don’t judge the whole country because some “influencer” is ruining food for attention.
ButterscotchOdd8257@reddit
Yes, sometimes people use it for convenience. It's usually only certain kinds of soup though.
andmen2015@reddit
Not all canned soups work as ingredients in recipes. It's mostly the soups that begin with "Cream of"
humanofearth-notai@reddit
Yup, lots of dishes call for it. It reduces the number of items you need at home and steps for the same effect.
No-Mouse4800@reddit
Sometimes.
seancbo@reddit
Absolutely. I use Campbells Cream of Mushroom all the time as an ingredient. Skips steps, tastes great.
The basic soup cans are pretty light on flavoring in the first place, so they really don't overwhelm anything like you might think they would.
thatsad_guy@reddit
It not unheard of. It just a quick way to make an easy meal.
gator_mckluskie@reddit
only if it’s a “cream of ____” soup. like cream of mushroom, cream of jalapeno, cream of chicken.
also way more common with 70s/80s “midwestern” casserole type dishes. i never use it in recipes
MangoSalsa89@reddit
I make casseroles that I'll use a can of condensed cream of mushroom soup as an ingredient, for example. It adds a nice creaminess and depth of flavor to a heavy dish. It's not used that frequently but there are some things it works in.
Trambopoline96@reddit
My smoked queso recipe calls for one can of cream of mushroom soup, so...yes this is a thing.
OtherwiseAlbatross14@reddit
Are you talking about stuff like cream of X soup? Because yeah that's more of an ingredient than an actual soup. Other than that and maybe a can of chili in a chili cheese dip, I can't think of much