In addition to being cold and flu season, winter also means it’s soup season. From cozy stews to crocks of chili and every nutrient-packed broth in between, there’s nothing quite like a hot bowl of soup on a cold winter’s day. While I love pairing grilled cheese with tomato soup and making veggie soup when it’s sub-freezing temps, there’s something that’s just so nostalgic about chicken noodle soup when I’m feeling under the weather. As the temperatures drop and fevers skyrocket, it only makes sense to reach for a can of chicken noodle soup and a cough drop — but would you have them together? Progresso seems to think so, as the soup brand released limited-edition Progresso Soup Drops last week. While I’m not sick right now (knock on wood), I tried the Progresso Soup Drops so you don’t have to. Thank me later.
What are Progresso Soup Drops?
Dubbed “soup you can suck on” Progresso Soup Drops are chicken noodle soup-flavored hard candy that come in a cardboard “can” designed just like the iconic Progresso can with 20 individually wrapped candies each. Designed for a “convenient, on-the-go soup experience,” Soup Drops feature the classic flavor and comfort of chicken soup in a bite-sized, individually wrapped savory candy.
What do Progresso Soup Drops taste like?
According to the product description, Progresso Soup Drops taste “like broth, savory veggies, chicken, soft egg noodles, and a hint of parsley have all been stirred up in a surprising way that’s sure to wow your taste buds.” After tasting this little sucker, I can confirm that my taste buds were definitely wowed — but not in a good way.
To put it gently, the drops were absolutely awful. I tend to approach food collaborations with an open mind, especially given my past successes (shoutout dill pickle toothpaste), but Progresso Soup Drops were simply vile — and this is coming from a girl who is known to suck on ginger and sip straight chicken bouillon when I’m sick.
Once I popped the soup drop in my mouth, I immediately tasted chicken stock, then got the dough-y flavor of egg noodles. Already, it was pretty spot-on in terms of chicken soup flavor, but I can’t say any of it was enjoyable. The hard candy was flecked with spices, and I tasted savory notes of salt and pepper, plus parsley, and the expected umami flavors of a broth-y bowl of soup.
But what really threw me was when the hard candy tasted sort of…sweet? My taste buds simply couldn’t process the savory hard candy when all I wanted was soup, and I made it about 30 seconds before I decided I couldn’t take it anymore. Sorry Progresso, but I had to spit the drop out and chug some mouthwash instead.
While I am glad I tried it, I can’t say that I will be reaching for soup drops the next time I’m sick. In fact, this may have just ruined canned chicken noodle soup for me. Instead, I’ll stick with my sick day favorites: Progesso Vegetable Classics Minestrone soup and a bag of cherry-flavored Hal’s lozenges, thank you very much.
How do I try Progresso Soup Drops?
Chicken noodle soup enthusiasts can get their hands on the limited-edition Progresso Soup Drops by visiting ProgressoSoupDrops.com every Thursday through the end of National Soup Month while supplies last. Each order of Progresso Soup Drops also comes with a can of Progresso Traditional Chicken Noodle Soup, all for just $2.49 — the standard price of a Progresso soup can — plus an additional 99 cents shipping fee.
This winter, stock up on the soup you can suck on — both for comfort when you need it, and so you can say you tried (and survived) it.