​Soup in a jar: Winter is upon us

The temperatures have plummeted, the clocks have changed and the prospect of the holiday and party season ahead means that many of us are looking for ways to stay as healthy, well and as nourished as possible!

Chilly weather calls for sustaining and hot meals - and soup is the perfect option. Delicious, warming and very easy to make with either the freshest of organic home-grown ingredients (or the slightly sad looking veg you want to use up at the bottom of the fridge) - soup is an absolute multi-tasker.

Even better, when you use Kilner jars or Mason jars to transport your creations, you can do so without waste and support the environment, as Mason jars and Kilner jars are all made from recyclable glass - and will go on for years if you take good care of them. Even better, both types of glass containers come with different caps, stoppers or screw lids to suit your needs.

The starting point for all good soup - stock

Stock is actually surprisingly easy to make, despite all the mystique. Ideally, find a slow cooker and place it on a low setting, before adding onion, carrot, celery and bones of your choice for a meat or fish stock. You can buy organic and grass-fed beef bones from your butcher, as well as organic chicken carcasses. Head to your local fishmonger for fish bones for delicate fish stock. Or load up on vegetables - even those slightly wonky looking ones - for a vegetable stock; ideally a mix of onions, celery and carrots. To your stock mix add a teaspoon of apple cider vinegar and a bay leaf.

Let meat stocks slowly simmer for around 24 hours, fish stocks for around 1-2 hours and vegetable stocks for around an hour. Add seasoning to taste. Your fresh stock will be full of flavour and nutrients, such as skin-loving collagen, which also boosts the immune system. Let it cool and place it in the fridge until you are ready to make a soup.

Making your soup

There are so many soup recipes to be found, it all depends on what ingredients you have in, what's in season and what you love. Why not experiment with some classic combinations? Carrot and coriander is very simple to make, as is roasted vegetable soup, where you basically roast tomatoes, peppers, courgette and garlic before blending with your stock and adding a little creme fraiche.

Lentil dahl can be made into a thin soup and customised with coriander, lemon and other favourite ingredients, or you could make a hearty beef goulash soup with lean beef, sweet potato, chorizo and lashings of sweet smoked paprika. (There's a great recipe on the BBC website here: https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/beef-goulash-soup)

Perhaps you love fish? In which case, why not try a creamy chowder, which will really sustain you on those colder days. Chowder combines your fish stock with rice, bacon, sweetcorn, cream and delicate chunks of white fish and prawns, perhaps with a little saffron. Try this recipe: http://allrecipes.co.uk/recipe/10788/slow-cooker-clam-chowder.aspx

If you follow a vegan diet, why not combine vegetable stock with soba noodles, fried tofu, spinach and mushrooms - cooked with plenty of garlic, ginger and soy for an absolute immune-booster: https://health.clevelandclinic.org/recipe-soba-noodle-and-mushroom-soup/

And if you basically crave an entire meal in a glass jar, then why not try an Italian filled pasta soup - combining tortellini with bacon, spices, cream stock and vegetables for the ultimate in filling lunchtime indulgences: https://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/rustic-italian-tortellini-soup/

Tips for making great soups

1. Double up your recipes so that you have leftovers and make meal prep a breeze.

2. Buy quality ingredients for quality results.

3. Spend time sweating your 'aromatics' - garlic, onion, celery and carrot - in a little butter or oil before you move on.

4. Simmer gently - boiling will simply cause your veggies to go mushy and your meat to toughen.

5. If you're cooking with cream, warm it before you add to your soup or it will curdle.

6. Freeze your leftovers for up to two months. If you even have any left that is...

Stock up now

We have received new batches of Kilner jars and Mason jars into our warehouse as we know our customers value these kitchen multitaskers more than ever when it starts to get cold. So buy your portable, eco-friendly and chic soup containers now and start cooking up a batch of hot soup, broth or chowder for your next meal.

We offer great prices, fast delivery and ready customer service from our helpful team. And why not sign up to our newsletter too or follow us on social media for regular news update, product releases, tips and special offers for the colder - but festive - months ahead? Discover the Wares of Knutsford difference today and find out why our customers head to Wares time and time again for everything they need in the kitchen and beyond.