Picture for the soup coupons page at Grocery Coupons 360What are soup coupons and why have them in the first place? Soup coupons of course are discount coupons on soup, like the name says. This author loves all sorts of soups, so free soup coupons were a natural for me – regardless of the type of soup you like – canned, dried, natural, with MSG or without, high sodium or low sodium, or the brand, like Progresso or Campbell’s, soup coupons online or printed come in to help out on the family budget.

Even though I started out this article on soup coupons emphasizing how much I like soup, I have become ambivalent about a lot of the supermarket soups as I’ve learned more about ingredients. For example, one of the ingredients in a lot of canned soup is monosodium glutamate, or MSG. That is an artificial flavoring that provides a savory taste to canned or prepared foods. Why is it added in? Well, some flavors naturally are lost in pre-prepared soups, in contrast with what Mom or Dad makes at home. So adding in some MSG may add a savory taste that a lot of people may like. However, taste is subjective and others feel it’s artificial and would prefer a more naturally flavored soup. MSG gives some people headaches too.

Personally, we prefer soups without MSG, and that’s where soup coupons come in. As more and more soup manufacturers get on the natural flavors, no MSG bandwagon, free soup coupons provide the opportunity for consumers to try out something new, without risking the full price. Now soup is not all that expensive, but saving a dollar or two or more on trying something new helps out. So coupons for soup, online or printed, or in a circular also help the soup companies by providing a way for them to bring in new consumers to the new improved tastes.

Low sodium soups v. high sodium soups is another avenue where free soup coupons come in. One of the huge drawbacks of a lot of canned soups is that they are very, very high in salt content. This is not just a problem for people with heart trouble who need lower sodium foods, but also for general health. With so many pre-prepared foods coming loaded with salt, especially sodium type of salt, adding in a canned soup with 400 mg, 500 mg or even 1000 mg of salt per serving is way to much, bordering on unhealthy.

For example, at the time of writing this, I took a break and went over to the cupboard and took a look at two cans of soup from major manufacturers that I had. One can was labelled “No Added Colors or Artificial Flavors” – good. It also said “No MSG Added” also great. So they were trying to appeal to consumers who increasingly are concerned about those additives. However, then I noticed that for eas serving there are 480 mg of sodium! That would count out that soup for a lot of consumers. For equal time, I also checked another can from another of the leading brands. That one also was labelled “No MSG Added” and “No Artificial Flavors”, both commendable, but it also was loaded up with sodium. According tot he label, there was 770 mg of sodium. Not good.

What is the solution to he sodium issue? Increasingly, consumer tastes are changing and demanding lower sodium soups. So, that is where free soup coupons online or printed come in. The soup brands are meeting the consumer demands by coming out with lower sodium formulations of their recipes. Often these may be called “light” or “low sodium”, so look for that on the label if you want to reduce the sodium intake in soup. Coupons for soup help to bring in new consumers, and also serve as a way to save while trying out something new.

Now that I covered some of the reasons why I like soup coupons, the question comes, where to get them. This page actually is a very good place to check. The brands listed and the links or ads are often updated so you have some assurance of going to a current offer. Often the coupons or coupon codes found online are out dated or expired, but by coming to this page, you can reduce the sifting through unusable coupons – for soup or otherwise. Another great way is to check the soup brand websites. Some of the major brands for which coupons may be offered are: Campbell’s, Progresso, Annie Chun’s, Amy’s Organic Soup, Healthy Choice Soup, Wolfgang Puck, Pritiken, Health Valley, Swanson, Manischewitz, Bookbinder, Pacific, Heinz and so on.

In summary, free soup coupons can be helpful on a family budget, particularly when trying out a new flavor, or a more healthy low sodium version or a no MSG version. Enjoy!