NATIONAL SOUP IT FORWARD DAY

March 2, 2026March 2, 2026Jensperspectiveblog

National Soup it Forward Day on March 3rd encourages us to deliver love and kindness by the bowlful because a warm cup of kindness comes in many forms.

When I make a pot of soup, it’s nearly always enough to feed an army. Those time-worn recipes grow over time, and love seasons it to perfection. I make it to warm my home, to cure a cold and warm a soul.

Just as the recipes grow and provide a nourishing warmth, so can National Soup it Forward Day. When making one of your favorite soups at home, Soup it Forward. Deliver a healing pot of your delicious chicken noodle or split pea to a family or friend you know is in need. Perhaps they have been ill or down on their luck. Whatever the situation, a little of your home cooking and visit will be a nice change.

The Soup Sisters Cookbook: 100 Simple Recipes to Warm Hearts . . . One Bowl at a Time#SoupItForwardDay#HugInABowl — The Soup Sisters Cookbook: 100 Simple Recipes to Warm Hearts . . . One Bowl at a Time

The Soup Sisters and Broth Brothers Cookbook: More than 100 Heart-Warming Seasonal Recipes for You to Cook at Home #SoupItForwardDay#HugInABowl — The Soup Sisters Cookbook: 100 Simple Recipes to Warm Hearts . . . One Bowl at a Time

NATIONAL SOUP IT FORWARD DAY HISTORY

Soup Sisters founded National Soup it Forward Day to encourage everyone to make a difference in each other’s lives through the warm, healing kindness of sharing a bowl of soup.

Soup Sisters is an award-winning National non-profit organization Founded March 3, 2009. Since that time more than 1 million servings of nurturing and nourishing soup made by community people has been delivered monthly to 40 emergency shelters in North America for women and children fleeing family violence and domestic abuse. The organization’s Founder, Sharon Hapton launched Soup Sisters by celebrating a milestone birthday with a soup-making birthday party that provided the first delivery of soup to the Calgary Women’s Emergency shelter. That is the simplicity of Sharon’s vision: to give people a way to give back to their community by doing something tangible – getting into the kitchen, spending a night with friends, rolling up their sleeves and creating something heartwarming, heartfelt and with it a message of support to women and kids in crisis. Now operating in over 25 cities Soup Sisters and Broth Brothers deliver the gift of soup by providing a much needed ‘Hug in a Bowl’. Soup it forward with the universal comfort food and for added inspiration, you can find over 300 soup recipes in the Soup Sisters trilogy of cookbooks.

Find my families favorites below and find other recipes on my recipe page.

Chicken Noodle
Minestrone
Vegetable Beef
Loaded potato
Potato leek soup
Jen’s Easy Chili
White Chiken Chili
Beef stew
Ramen soup
Pho
Cauliflower
New England Clam chowder
Lobster Bisque
Split Pea Soup
National Eat Your Bean Day
National Soup Month
Homemade Soup Day

What soup will you be making on National Soup it Forward Day?

HOW TO OBSERVE #SoupItForwardDay & #HugInABowl

Make up your favorite soup and deliver it to someone you know who could use the warmth of kindness in their life. Use #HugInABowl and #SoupItForwardDay to share on social media.

Progresso Beef Pot Roast With Country Vegetables Soup, Rich & Hearty Canned Soup, Gluten Free, 18.5 oz (Pack of 12)#SoupItForwardDay#HugInABowl — Progresso Beef Pot Roast With Country Vegetables Soup, Rich & Hearty Canned Soup, Gluten Free, 18.5 oz (Pack of 12)

Campbell's Chunky Soup, Creamy Chicken and Dumplings Soup, 18.8 Oz Can (Case of 12)#SoupItForwardDay#HugInABowl — Progresso Beef Pot Roast With Country Vegetables Soup, Rich & Hearty Canned Soup, Gluten Free, 18.5 oz (Pack of 12)

NATIONAL CHILI DAY

February 25, 2026February 3, 2026Jensperspectiveblog

National Chili Day on the fourth Thursday in February honors one of America’s favorite winter dishes–chili. It’s also known as chili con carne (chili with meat).

Chili is most commonly made up of tomatoes, beans, chili peppers, meat, garlic, onions, and cumin. However, cooks offer up so many variations to the basic chili recipe. And, with so many varieties, chili cook-off competitions love to feature chili as a favored entry.

American frontier settlers used a “chili” recipe of dried beef, suet, dried chili peppers and salt. All this was pounded together and formed into bricks and dried. They could then boil the bricks in pots on the trails.

At the Columbian Exposition in Chicago in 1893, the San Antonio Chili Stand helped people from all over the United States appreciate the taste of chili. Because San Antonio was a significant tourist destination, it helped Texas-style chili con carne spread throughout the South and West. In 1977, House Concurrent Resolution Number 18 of the 65th Texas Legislature designated chili con carne as the official dish of the U.S. state of Texas.

Before World War II, hundreds of small, family-run chili parlors (also known as chili joints) popped up throughout the state of Texas as well as other places in the United States. Each new chili parlor usually claimed some kind of secret recipe.

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Seriously Good Chili Cookbook: 177 of the Best Recipes in the World#NationalChiliDay — Lodge 6 Quart Enameled Cast Iron Dutch Oven with Lid – Dual Handles – Oven Safe up to 500° F or on Stovetop – Use to Marinate, Cook, Bake, Refrigerate and Serve – Blue

Ways to enjoy chili

There are many ways that people enjoy the great taste of chili, some of which include:

Add chili to hot dogs to create chili dogs.
Top burgers with chili and enjoy a chili burgers.
Combine chili and cheese with fries and make chili cheese fries.
Make the ultimate baked potato by stuffing it with chili.
“Frito pie” is chili with spaghetti noodles.
Transform mac and cheese into chili mac.
Mix rice and chili for another flavor favorite.
Change it up. Black beans instead of red, green chilis, and sour cream.
My favorite is topped with fresh green onions and sharp cheddar cheese.

NATIONAL CHILI DAY HISTORY

Rich Kelly of Hard Times Cafe in Arlington, VA founded National Chili Day. The day has been celebrated with cook-offs, pot lucks, feeds and bottomless bowls since at least 2006.

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HOW TO OBSERVE #NationalChiliDay

There are so many ways to enjoy chili. Just about everyone has their own recipe, too.

Jen’s Easy Chili
White Chicken Chili

Use #NationalChiliDay to post on social media.

Hormel Chili With Beans#NationalChiliDay — Hormel Chili With Beans

Hormel Chili Hormel Natural White Chicken Chili with Beans
#NationalChiliDay — Hormel Chili With Beans

NATIONAL CLAM CHOWDER DAY

February 24, 2026February 3, 2026Jensperspectiveblog 3 Comments

Each year on February 25th people across the nation have a bowl and spoon ready to be filled with clam chowder as they prepare to participate in National Clam Chowder Day.

A clam chowder in its simplest form is a soup or stew containing clams or fish. The most common type of chowder includes milk or cream as well as potatoes, though the Manhattan clam chowder has tomatoes.

The origin of the word “chowder” is up for a little bit of debate. The French word for cauldron is “chaudiere.” The English word “jowter” means fish peddler. Both are on the hook for possible origins.

In chowder, along with the clams, it is common to find diced potatoes, onions (often sautéed with pork or bacon drippings) and celery. Try pan frying diced spam and mushrooms, caramelized onions are a good touch too. I add browned tofu in place of potatoes with extra mushrooms to make it keto friendly.

Following is a list of the basic clam chowder variants:

New England clam chowder
Manhattan clam chowder
Rhode Island clam chowder
Delaware clam chowder
New Jersey clam chowder
Hatteras clam chowder
Minorcan clam chowder
Long Island clam chowder
Puget Sound clam chowder

If you enjoy Clam Chowder be sure to enjoy these soups as well. National Vichyssoise Day, National Gazpacho Day, National Seafood Bisque Day, National Gumbo Day, National Turkey Neck Soup Day, National Soup it Forward Day, National Clam Chowder Day, Homemade Soup Day, National Pepper Pot Day, National Soup Month, National Menudo Month, National Slow Cooking Month, Chicken Noodle, Minestrone, Vegetable Beef, Jen’s Loaded Potato, Jen’s Easy Chili, White Chiken Chili, Beef stew, Pho, New England Clam chowder, Lobster Bisque, Split Pea Soup, National Eat Your Bean Day, Homemade Chicken Noodle, Tuscan Sausage Tortellini, Grown Up Ramen, French Onion, and Creamy Cauliflower Soup.

HOW TO OBSERVE #NationalClamChowderDay

Make your region’s best clam chowder. Better yet, have a clam chowder taste-off! Invite friends and family to cook up a variety of chowders from all over the country and try them all. Let us know which one you liked best. Maybe you’ll find a new appreciation for chowders.

My Easy Slow Cooker New England Style Calm Chowder. I changed the recipe to make it more low carb friendly.

Use #NationalClamChowderDay to post on social media.

Campbell’s Chunky Soup, New England Clam Chowder

Progresso Rich & Hearty, New England Clam Chowder Soup#NationalClamChowderDay — Campbell’s Chunky Soup, New England Clam Chowder

HOMEMADE SOUP DAY

February 3, 2026January 2, 2026Jensperspectiveblog 2 Comments

February 4th heats up with National Homemade Soup Day. In every cuisine, soup provides a rich basis of flavor and history.

Before the era of modern transportation, soup was a product of regionally available foods. For this reason, there are thousands of soup recipes available today.

The Essential Soup Cookbook: Comforting, Hearty Favorites#NationalHomemadeSoupDay — The Essential Soup Cookbook: Comforting, Hearty Favorites

The Soup Cookbook for Beginners: 365 Days of Savory and Seasoned Recipes to Reinvent the Joy of Soup with Simple Ingredient and Step-by-Step Instruction
#NationalHomemadeSoupDay — The Essential Soup Cookbook: Comforting, Hearty Favorites

Many soups also offer medicinal properties. What was once considered a wive’s tale, chicken soup now has the backing of the scientific community. Yes, chicken soup helps relieve the symptoms of the common cold. How? Well, scientists believe that a bowl of the soup may reduce inflammation of the lungs. It is thought that chicken soup slows down the activity of white blood cells that can cause inflammation.

But that’s not all homemade soup does. Every cook knows the most important ingredient that goes into every pot of simmering soup. They keep the ingredient stored where it will do its best work, too. As they work, they season the soup from their heart giving it just the right amount of love each and every time. Whether they add it with the noodles or the vegetable, the broth or the cream, each cook knows there’s enough to go around. That’s why homemade soup heals the best.

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HOW TO OBSERVE #NationalHomemadeSoupDay

Tell us about your favorite homemade soup. Share a recipe or a memory. Gather the family to learn how to make your best recipe and share the love. Need a new recipe to add to your collection? From chowders and broths to creamy bisques, chances are you’ll find a recipe to love too.

Use #NationalHomemadeSoupDay to post on social media.

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NATIONAL GAZPACHO DAY

December 5, 2025November 14, 2025Jensperspectiveblog 4 Comments

National Gazpacho Day, on December 6th, recognizes a flavorful soup that cooks serve cold. Gazpacho is typically a tomato-based vegetable soup. Originating in the southern Spanish region of Andalucia, Gazpacho is widely consumed in Spanish cuisine, usually during the summer months.

The original Spanish recipe includes stale bread, tomato, cucumber, bell pepper, onion, and garlic. Other ingredients include olive oil, wine, vinegar, water, and salt.

Gazpacho Cookbook: Discover the Delicious Delights of Cold Soups with these Amazing Gazpacho Recipes
#NationalGazpachoDay — Gazpacho Cookbook: Discover the Delicious Delights of Cold Soups with these Amazing Gazpacho Recipes

99 Gazpacho Recipes: Explore Gazpacho Cookbook NOW!
#NationalGazpachoDay — Gazpacho Cookbook: Discover the Delicious Delights of Cold Soups with these Amazing Gazpacho Recipes

Following is the typical method of preparing gazpacho:

Washing vegetables
Peeling tomatoes, garlic, and onions.
Chop all vegetables (traditionally pounded with mortar) and process in a food processor.
Add the soaked bread.
Blend part of the processed contents until liquid, depending on desired consistency.
Blend in chilled water, olive oil, vinegar, and salt to taste.
Add remaining processed ingredients.
Garnish as desired.

Gazpacho offers cooks many modern variations. Abundant fresh fruits, vegetables, and herbs make a delicious gazpacho, too. Consider using ingredients such as avocados, cucumbers, parsley, watermelon, or grapes. However, recipes offer meat stock and seafood varieties for gazpacho, too. Don’t hesitate to try something new. If the grocery offers something fresh on special, look for a recipe that will get you experimenting. You won’t regret trying something fresh, especially in the fall or winter. Your palate will thank you for the fresh spices, herbs, and vegetables.

Even though we serve gazpacho cold, some recipes call for a cooked broth. When the gazpacho is too warm, sometimes ice cubes are added.

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HOW TO OBSERVE #NationalGazpachoDay

Try this refreshing soup to change up your menu. Share your favorite recipes or find a variety of options online. Enjoy this Traditional Gazpacho recipe from foodal.com. We also have a delicious Garlic Gazpacho for you to try. You don’t want to miss out on that!

Use #NationalGazpachoDay to post on social media.

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Ways to enjoy chili

NATIONAL CHILI DAY HISTORY

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