10 Ways to Make the Most of Soup Sunday

By Ashley Brantley February 20th, 2014

For most people, soup is an appetizer. Or a side dish. Or that thing you make when your fridge is full of random ingredients that only go together if you throw them all in a pot. But soup is much more than that to me.

The FBI Therapy Dogs will be there in bulletproof vests. For serious. — The FBI Therapy Dogs will be there. Here they are in their bulletproof vests because we want to give you a heart attack from adorability.

I eat soup for breakfast. I had a soup bar at my wedding. And when my fiancé was forced to answer questions about my most annoying habits for my bachelorette party, he said, “she always wants soup.” So yeah, I have a problem.

But like all good addicts, I have much to offer amateurs; those of you who have never found yourselves curled up in a corner licking the bottom of a soup bowl because you just. can’t. get. enough.

And with Our Kids Soup Sunday coming up this Sunday, Feb. 23, in Nashville, you can try these tips out at the best soup throwdown of all. (Seriously, it’s the Olympics of soup. But with drinkable water, working heat and fewer stray dogs.)

10 Tips for a Successful Soup Sunday

1. Taste everything.

As an Our Kids Board Member, I hear a lot of people talk about how you just can’t taste all the soups. Lies. LIES, I tell you! While people readily admit it’s easy to access all of the soups, they think there’s just no way they can taste them all before getting full.

To that I say buck the heck up. Don’t eat before you come, don’t take more than 2 bites of a soup you don’t love, and stay hydrated. Which brings me to:

2. Drink water.

While my body is a sodium-fueled broth machine, yours likely isn’t. Soups tend to have healthy doses of salt and fat (or the good ones do anyway), so forgo the soft drink and keep your water bottle handy. Our Kids makes this easy by handing out free water from Daily’s, so drink up.

3. Grab a map.

If you are one of the small-stomached individuals who doesn’t aspire to taste them all (for shame!), the map is your friend. Check out where your favorite restaurants are stationed, see which soups you simply can’t miss and form a plan of attack. Maps will be available at the top of the escalator at LP Field and will also be posted on Our Kids homepage the morning of the event.

Pimento Cheese Soup with Crostini & Bacon Jam by PRB. Bacon jam. Dreams do come true.

4. Get social.

See what soup-goers are talking about and make your own recommendations using the hashtag #SoupSunday. Research is key to killing it at Soup Sunday, so connect with restaurants early to get a head start on your planning.

For example, Porter Road Butcher instagrammed a picture of their Soup Sunday entry yesterday, so I know they’re on the top of my hit list. Follow Our Kids on Facebook and Twitter to see all the goodies in real-time.

5. Rethink the starting line.

Don’t feel like you have to join the first line you see. Take a lap and jump into a shorter line that’s off the beaten path.

6. Get creative.

Once you’ve got your soup, secure a seat. Walk a little farther around the Club Level at LP Field to lesser-known tables. Or pull up to a wall somewhere out of the way and chow down. Or hell, if you’re skilled enough to walk and eat soup at the same time, show us how it’s done.

7. Bid on cool stuff.

A lot of people don’t know that the silent auction at Soup Sunday is about as badass as it gets. From an Orlando Vacation Package to a Cubs Weekend to gift certificates from just about every restaurant in Nashville, anyone can find a deal that speaks to them. Don’t skip it.

8. Vote.

This year, Teddy is bringing Deacon. Collective swoon. — This year, Teddy is bringing Deacon to help him judge. Collective swoon by all women in Nashville.

This one sounds obvious, but a lot of people don’t do it. Can’t taste every soup? Doesn’t matter. You can still vote. (This is America, dadgummit!) Just be sure to get your ballot in by 1:15.

9. Don’t skip the extras.

Balloon artists. Face painters. Massage therapists – The works. Take them all out for a spin. Then hit up the Buns on the Run food truck. They’ll be serving mini cinnamon buns, coffee and smoothie samples all morning.

10. Buy a quart.

Another thing most people don’t know about Soup Sunday is that you can buy any leftover soup for just $5/quart. Figure out your favorite and take it home.

And that’s all, folks. Get your tickets, get your gameface on and we’ll see you on the field.

The Ford Our Kids Soup Sunday presented by US Foods benefits Our Kids, a nonprofit organization that provides
medical evaluations and crisis counseling for children and families struggling with child sexual abuse. Parthenon is proud to donate our time to be Our Kids’ marketing partner and a sponsor of Soup Sunday.