I recently participated in a Soup Swap (it’s like a cookie exchange!) with some friends in Richmond.  Instead of bringing cookies to exchange, everyone brings soup and then goes home with several meals of soup for their family.

It’s a brilliant idea, really.  I mean, who doesn’t want to have a few nights off from cooking around the holiday season?

My freezer is now stocked with bags of soup that I can just pull out as needed on a busy day in December!

Here are some ideas for you if you want to plan a Soup Swap with your friends!

-Determine how many people want to participate (6-8 is good; less if the families are large).  You could also do this with a larger group (like 12) and still have each person only cook for 6 families.

-Let everyone know how much soup to make (i.e., 8 bags of 4 servings each) so that everyone who brings soup will get to take soup home.  Four servings is good for families with 2-4 people.

-You can have people “sign up” for different types of soup ahead of time, but you don’t have to.  We didn’t, and we still had an awesome variety of soups with no repeats!  Here is a great source for soups that freeze well.

-Ask everyone to package their soup in Zip-lock (I recommend the name brand) freezer bags.  (I like to ladle my soup in once it’s cool.)  It’s helpful if everyone labels their bags of soup (even if it’s just with a Sharpie) with the type, the date, the servings, and any heating/serving instructions.

-Designate a time and place where you can exchange your soups.  Have everyone bring a cooler so they can transport their soups home after the exchange.

-I recommend freezing the bags of soup flat (before or after the exchange) so that they store better in the freezer and so they thaw more easily.  I also recommend thawing the bags of soup inside a bowl or on a dish of some kind just in case the bag leaks.

Have you every participated in a soup swap?  Aren’t they great?

Happy swapping!!