# Have you ever used Bear Creek soups? The chili?



## mldollins (Jun 21, 2008)

The potato soup is about the best tasting stuff out there and you can make a load from a small pouch.

The date on the pouch reads 2013 but I wonder if it could last longer than that.

My point is that a pouch costs around 3.50 and makes 8 cups. That's a cheap meal. I told my wife that if food shortages happen, we would be down to 2 meals a day one large and one small and one of those pouches would be a large main meal.

The potato soup is pretty carb heavy and tasty. I wonder how the chili tastes?


----------



## rean (Nov 18, 2008)

I wouldn't use them because the sodium content is so high. Some of the soups are over 50% sodium.


----------



## shawnlee (Apr 13, 2010)

They carry that stuff at the local bread shop......I might have to give the potato soup a try and the chili says it takes a can of tamato paste.


I look at them for BOB supplies, but might have to get one to try for regular eatin.

I doubt they are 50% sodium, more than likely what was meant was 50 percent of your daily value/intake.

Let us know how the chili is.........:gaptooth:


----------



## Guest (Aug 13, 2011)

I like the potato soup but I hate the chili!


----------



## Wisconsin Ann (Feb 27, 2007)

I like all of them. The broccoli cheese is excellent on a cold blustery day. The potato, as you said, is quite hearty and tasty. The minestrone has a really good taste, although I add a bag of frozen veggies (broccoli, or mixed veggies, or even one of those "combos" ) and once in awhile use up cooked macaroni in it

The chili is mild..reminds me of the Wendy's chili. Adding your own extra onions in the ground meat and some "chili powder" spices things up nicely. 

re salt...the soups have approx 1/3 of your "daily allowed" sodium per serving.(appx 860mg) :shrug: I rarely pay attention to those since I add in other ingredients to extend the basic soup. (although I really like the potato as it is)

Since the potato soup is mostly instant flakes it should last quite a few years(if not decades). I keep the bear creek soups stocked at the farm, and there are some in the car for emergencies. They're airtight although for long term, I'd store the bags in something mouse proof. mice WILL eat through the bags in the winter. 

You can often find them on sale...just keep your eyes open.


----------



## beaglebiz (Aug 5, 2008)

we have a local restaurant supply store that sells larger packages of the Bear Creek soups, and I picked up a few pouches at Big Lots during a sale a while back. I have not yet tried them, but Im glad to know they are tasty


----------



## Belfrybat (Feb 21, 2003)

I've never tried the chili, but the broccoli cheese and potato are both excellent. I "lost" a pouch of potato soup in the back of the cabinet a few years ago and it was still good 2 years past the use by date.


----------



## ||Downhome|| (Jan 12, 2009)

its a decent product. 

As far as the sodium, think thats more the canned stuff. bear creek is all dehydrated stuff.

I like the chili I use stewed tomatoes though and a beer. spike it up a little too. I consider it a base. best to let it reconstitute before cooking. the thing I dont like is they put rice in it, means you need to keep a eye on it.


----------



## belladulcinea (Jun 21, 2006)

We really like the potato soup and you can add so many things to it to stretch it even more. I'm going to try a potato soup mix recipe that I just found and if we like it just as well I may make them myself. The broccoli and cheese is good too, the tortilla soup is pretty basic but it's good.


----------



## scooter (Mar 31, 2008)

I bought a couple of the soups that come in the 1lb. 14oz. plastic containers with the screw on lids. I've tried the wild rice soup and added cut-up chicken to it and it was very good. I bought them when they were on sale at Fleet Farm with the intention of storing them with my other prep foods.


----------



## debbiekatiesmom (Feb 24, 2009)

we've used the broccoli chesse soup and it was really good. definitely will buy more of their products.


----------



## Spinner (Jul 19, 2003)

I like most of them, but like others have said, most need a few extras to beef them up a bit. I add extra veggies to the veggie soup, the potato soup is great just the way it is. I haven't tried the chili yet, but have a couple bags in buckets. I added some pouches to each of my "weekly buckets". 

Oh, about those "weekly buckets". I have 52 buckets, I've been filling each of them with 1 weeks worth of food. Mostly dehydrated foods, but I add wheat berries, sugar, spices, hot chocolate mix, dried or canned fruit, any cans needed to complete meals, etc. so each bucket holds a complete weeks worth of food. It's amazing how I can fit 21 meals + snacks in a bucket! Each bucket is numbered so they are rotated in the order they were packed. My plan is to get it set up so I use the oldest bucket and refill it with new storage goods every week. That way I'll always have a year supply of filled buckets.


----------



## mldollins (Jun 21, 2008)

hamburger obviously. But what about beer as someone mentioned?


----------



## belladulcinea (Jun 21, 2006)

Or cola, one of the crowd pleasing chilis at out chili cookoff had coca cola in it! You could also add some dried veggies to it!


----------



## mpillow (Jan 24, 2003)

Spinner said:


> I like most of them, but like others have said, most need a few extras to beef them up a bit. I add extra veggies to the veggie soup, the potato soup is great just the way it is. I haven't tried the chili yet, but have a couple bags in buckets. I added some pouches to each of my "weekly buckets".
> 
> Oh, about those "weekly buckets". I have 52 buckets, I've been filling each of them with 1 weeks worth of food. Mostly dehydrated foods, but I add wheat berries, sugar, spices, hot chocolate mix, dried or canned fruit, any cans needed to complete meals, etc. so each bucket holds a complete weeks worth of food. It's amazing how I can fit 21 meals + snacks in a bucket! Each bucket is numbered so they are rotated in the order they were packed. My plan is to get it set up so I use the oldest bucket and refill it with new storage goods every week. That way I'll always have a year supply of filled buckets.


Great idea!

As for the soup mixes it can always be "Whatyagot Stew" ground squirrel, rabbit, roadkill plus wild edibles...


----------



## halfpint (Jan 24, 2005)

We often bring them on ski trips. My family doesn't like the chili much, but the potato and broccoli cheese are favorites.
Dawn


----------



## Rainy (Jan 21, 2010)

Haven't tried the chili, but i love their soups.


----------



## ||Downhome|| (Jan 12, 2009)

mldollins said:


> hamburger obviously. But what about beer as someone mentioned?


Green peppers, jalapenos,onions,garlic,hot sauce,canned beans,macaroni,liquid smoke.

you can use chicken,turkey,pork instead of hamburg too or steak

you got to have a little shredded cheddar and oyster or saltines crackers to add on top after its cooked.

my grand dad makes his chili from scratch in a cast iron kettle on a tripod over the camp fire. He always adds a few beers that's where I got it from, its not chili with out that beer IMO. you don't need premium stuff either. cooking it over the fire imparts a smoky taste too, suppose a little liquid smoke could do the same.


----------



## Wisconsin Ann (Feb 27, 2007)

along with what Downhome suggests, venison is really good in it. (as is rabbit). 

instead of ground meat, try just browning cubed meat and then putting everything together and let it cook. nice change. 

Using chilis in adobo sauce instead of the can of tomato paste or sauce is....FANTASTIC, btw. uufffdah! spices things up nicely


----------



## ||Downhome|| (Jan 12, 2009)

Wisconsin Ann said:


> along with what Downhome suggests, venison is really good in it. (as is rabbit).
> 
> instead of ground meat, try just browning cubed meat and then putting everything together and let it cook. nice change.
> 
> Using chilis in adobo sauce instead of the can of tomato paste or sauce is....FANTASTIC, btw. uufffdah! spices things up nicely


LOL I didn't even think to name my burger or steak. Its venison don't eat much beef, cash poor but a good shot.

really just about any meat would be good in chili.

guess I should of said extra beans instead of canned beans?


----------



## Ode (Sep 20, 2006)

I have enjoyed that brand for years, yummy! I wouldn't worry too much about the sodium content, the people who are sensitive to sodium are the only ones who need to worry about that sort of thing in general, as long as you aren't eating super salty foods all the time. Balancing the sodium with potassium and magnesium is the key to having an equitable balance of these in your blood. As long as you have a balance, you won't have the blood pressure issues most people attribute to excess sodium levels. Those symptoms are generally caused by an imbalance in your blood levels.


----------

