Category: News

Soup Brings People Together, and We Need More of That (A Soup Story)

It’s summer. And hot.  Very hot.  Everything smells like sunscreen and pool water.  There are playground rocks in every crevice of my furniture, and I’m pretty sure my son is made of sand.  My kids, 10 and 6 (their ages, not their names), have been playing in the sprinkler all morning, but every few minutes they tell me it’s “soooooo hot.”  They emphasize their complaints with slouched shoulders, anti-gravity neck, and dragging feet. It’s like they’re heat-activated zombies.

It is hot, so I don’t begrudge them their misery.  I’ve always loved summer, though. It’s warm, bright, and my garden is just about ready to harvest.  I’ve invited some friends over, so I ordered a few quarts of Spoons soups for lunch.

And, boy-oh-boy, did that decision cause a production this morning.  I’m still smiling at my daughter’s expression when she came downstairs and heard me on the phone with Spoons. She was expressly concerned about her mother’s mental state.

When I got off the phone, her look of horror was followed by “Why are you getting hot soup?  It’s supposed to be, like, 100 degrees today.”
I told her, “Go wake your brother, and I’ll explain.”  She backed away slowly, as if turning her back was too dangerous.
My son came downstairs, rubbing his eyes and looking mighty grumpy.

“Ok,” I told them.  I poured them each a glass of milk.  “Sit, and I’ll tell you why we’re having hot soup on a hot day.”

They both sat slowly, not taking their eyes off me.  It was like they didn’t want to make any sudden moves. “Soup has been used for a long time in almost every culture around the world during all times of the year.  Many people eat soup to help them digest their meal. They don’t feel so full after eating because the soup temperature and ingredients help break all that stuff down.”  They visibly relaxed.

I smiled. “I know you think you crave colder things in summer, like ice cream and Slushees, but that’s not really what we should be doing when we’re hot.”

They looked at each other questioningly, so I gave them a second to wonder. “What should we be doing?” my daughter asked skeptically, giving me a sidelong look.

“Well, when you’re hot, your body temperature is higher, so you shock it when you give it something cold.  You have these messengers in your body that tell your brain what’s going on. Your brain then tells the rest of your body what to do.  When you shock it with cold, the brain tells the body “WARM UP!  IT’S FREEZING!’”  Their laughter rang when I yelled it in what they’ve deemed my ‘silly voice.’ They looked comforted by the humor.

“When you’re hot,” I continued, “and you give your body something hot to eat, then those messengers tell your brain it’s hot, and your brain tells your body to cool down.  Eating hot food – especially in dry weather like Colorado’s – tells your body not to store so much heat and to sweat it out. When your sweat dries up, the heat is absorbed by the air, and you feel cooler.”

They sat quietly for a while after this ground-breaking information. I went about my day, and they gradually got to moving about theirs.

As I sit here in the backyard watching my kids jump through the sprinkler and waiting for our friends to show up, I wonder if they’ll remember the soup talk, or if I’ll have to tell them again when it’s time to eat.

I had no reason to worry, though.  When we went to pick up the soups at Spoons, my kids were thrilled to tell the staff what they learned about hot soup on hot days.

“Your brain yells at your body!” my son shouted excitedly.

“Yeah. Soup is, like, the best thing to not confuse the brain,” my daughter said knowingly.

“That’s pretty cool,” the store manager said smiling down at my kids. “Did you know all our soups are homemade recipes that are prepared and cooked daily?  We end up giving a lot of extra food to the food bank.”

My kids looked at each other.  “There’s a bank for food?” My daughter looked affronted. I smirked. Couldn’t help it.

The manager said, “Sort of. The food bank offers food to people in need.”

My son turned to me with big eyes, “Can we do that?”

The manager’s explanation and my son’s response sparked a conversation in the restaurant.  Complete strangers weighed in on the topic, and the staff smiled brightly as they answered questions fired at them from all sides.  Today, my kids received a valuable education not just about soup and the body, but about compassionate business ethics and group communication.

At that moment, I realized how valuable education can be, and how much food, especially soup, can bring people together in a family and a community.

 

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This is a fictional story loosely based on real customer reviews.  All information about Spoons is true and accurate.  If you enjoyed reading it, please share with your friends!  We’re always looking for ways to reach out to our community and provide entertaining education about food.  We hope you enjoy some soups this summer, and we’re honored to be a part of your story.

 

Sources for this article:
Smithsonian
Special Broadcasting Service
Blue Apron Blog

Eating a plant-based diet is often wonderful for your health. Fruits, vegetables, legumes, and other plants are full of essential nutrients and fiber.

However, some nutrients are easier to get from plants than others. Iron, a mineral that is essential to a healthy lifestyle, is readily available in meat, poultry, and seafood. Because of this, some vegetarians, vegans, and individuals who eat a primarily plant-based diet struggle to eat enough iron. 

If that’s you, don’t worry. Eating enough iron takes some thought, but isn’t impossible.

Why iron matters

Iron is a mineral that carries the oxygen in red blood cells throughout the body. Iron helps cells produce energy, and it also removes carbon dioxide. Finally, iron helps children and adolescents develop properly. When your iron levels are too low, you develop iron deficiency anemia.

Iron deficiency can cause:

• Fatigue
• Weakness
• Dizziness
• Headaches
• Pale skin and nails

Everybody needs iron. However, pregnant women and adolescent girls often don’t get the amount that they need. Different people have different iron needs depending on their age and gender. Adult men and women above the age of 50 should have 8mg of iron daily. However, women ages 18 to 50 should consume 18mg every day. 

Iron Sources

1. Legumes – Consider eating beans and lentils. Soybeans contain 8.8 mg per cup, lentils contain 6.6mg per cup when cooked, and other beans have similar iron content.
2. Leafy Vegetables – Spinach, kale, and other greens contain between 2.5-6.4 mg of iron per cooked cup.
3. Potatoes – One large potato contains about 3.2 mg of iron. Be sure to eat the peel though. That’s where most of the iron is located!
4. Olives – Olives contain around 3.3 mg of iron per 100 grams.
5. Beets –  Beets contain 1.1 mg of iron per cooked cup.

Nuts, oats, quinoa, and other grains also contain iron, as do other fruits and vegetables.

At Spoons, we aim to meet the dietary needs of our community. We serve several plant-based meals that are high in iron. Visit our menu to check out your option.

How to absorb iron 

There are two main sources of iron: heme and nonheme. Meat products contain both types, but plants only contain nonheme iron. Although your body can use both types of iron, it absorbs heme iron much easier.

Luckily, individuals with plant-based diets can help absorption by eating their iron sources with foods full of vitamin C. The vitamin helps your body release more of the nonheme iron. Try pairing your iron sources with:

• Bell peppers
• Broccoli
• Red cabbage
• Tomatoes
• Sweet potatoes
• Cantaloupe
• Oranges
• Mangos
• Strawberries

Additionally, some studies suggest that eating iron throughout the day helps you absorb more of it. Rather than eating all of your iron in one meal, make sure you’re eating fruits and vegetables throughout the day.

Other Tips

Make iron absorption easier for you. Try tracking your food intake. Calculate the amount of iron that you eat on an average day, and adjust your food choices from there.

Some people, especially those with anemia, choose to take an iron supplement. Although many individuals prefer to reach their iron goals through food alone, supplements can help you if you are struggling. Talk to your doctor about what is right for you.

Getting enough iron on a plant-based diet takes thought and a bit of work. However, doing so will make you a healthier individual. Plus, you might find some fresh, tasty meals along the way.

At Spoons Soups, Salads and Sandwiches, our meals are made with thoughtful, fresh ingredients. Give one a try. You won’t be disappointed! Visit our menu to learn what we’re serving today.

Sources:

https://www.eatright.org/food/vitamins-and-supplements/types-of-vitamins-and-nutrients/iron 

https://www.vegansociety.com/resources/nutrition-and-health/nutrients/iron

https://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-11840/easy-ways-to-get-more-iron-on-a-plantbased-diet.html

E. Coli is known for the debilitating sickness it can cause. Unsurprisingly, when the bacteria show up in food, people worry. Although the fear is understandable, there’s also confusion and misinformation surrounding E. Coli. Today, we look at E. Coli, produce, and the precautions you should take to avoid getting sick.

What is E. Coli?

E. Coli is a type of bacteria that lives in some animals’ (including humans’) intestines. Although most strains of E. Coli are harmless, some can cause physical problems, including diarrhea, pneumonia, difficulty breathing, and urinary tract infections.

One strain of E. Coli, called O157:H7, is especially bad. It can cause acute kidney failure in children, and it also causes extreme intestinal problems, fever, internal bleeding, and seizures. This strain causes an estimated 31 deaths in the United States each year. When you’ve heard of an E. Coli scare, this is probably the strain you’re hearing about.

You can get E. Coli from:

• Eating raw meat.
• Eating unpasteurized dairy products.
• Eating contaminated fresh produce.
• Swimming in bodies of water, like lakes or ponds.
• Touching contaminated animals. 

E. Coli and Your Salad

Salads are supposed to be good for you, right? The recent E. Coli outbreak in romaine lettuce may suggest otherwise. However, don’t give up on your greens just yet.

Because E. Coli lives in the intestines of animals, meat is much more likely to be contaminated than vegetables. In fact, most vegetables become contaminated when they have come in contact with raw meat or animal waste. 

For example, when an animal with E. Coli defecates in the field where the vegetable grows, the vegetables may become contaminated. Intense rain can also push fecal matter into fields. Modern farming techniques and the separation of animals and fields make this cross-contamination rare, but it unfortunately still happens.  

When food is contaminated, the FDA lets the public know about it on their website. They track, investigate, and try to remedy the problem. Tracing food back to the correct farm is challenging. However, new tracking techniques have made this easier and faster. For example, the Produce Traceability Initiative improves and standardizes such techniques. 

E. Coli Precautions

Scientists are still evaluating how the recent E. Coli outbreak in romaine lettuce from Yuma, Arizona, occurred. Although we do not source any lettuce from this region, we follow strict guidelines to protect all of our produce. In fact, our restaurants continue to receive good and excellent ratings from the Larimer County Restaurant and Grocery Store Inspections. 

Here are few precautions you can take at home to keep yourself safe.

1. Keep your kitchen clean. Wash all of your fruits and vegetables, even if they come prewashed. Also, make sure to regularly clean your kitchen counters, sink, and utensils.
2. Regularly wash your hands with hot water and soap. This is especially important after you’ve come in contact with animals and after you’ve cooked meat.
3. Don’t mix cutting boards, knives, counter space, or any other object when you are cooking with meat.
4. Separate your meat at the bottom of your refrigerator, so that it doesn’t come in contact with other food.
5. Cook all your meat and eggs thoroughly. Use a thermometer to make sure all of your food is cooked the recommended amount.
6. Don’t leave your food at room temperature. Instead, put groceries away quickly and store leftovers immediately after eating.

At Spoons Soups, Salads and Sandwiches, our salads are made with thoughtful, fresh ingredients. Give one a try. You won’t be disappointed! Visit our menu to learn what we’re serving today.

Sources:

https://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/food-poisoning/what-is-e-coli#1
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/ground-beef-chicken-more-likely-to-cause-severe-foodborne-illnesses-in-us/
https://www.freedrinkingwater.com/water-contamination/tips-on-protecting-your-home-from-ecoli.htm

At Spoons, we consider ourselves a Northern Colorado staple. Our franchise started as a simple restaurant with a lofty vision. Founder Tom “Chef” Stoner moved to Fort Collins, Colorado, with one goal in mind: to create the best soup restaurant in the world.

In 2003, Tom and his wife Renee accomplished this dream. They opened the first Spoons restaurant in the Northern Hotel in Old Town. Business owners, tourists, and the Fort Collins public loved the soups and salads we served. We quickly became known as the spot for balanced and comforting meals. In fact, the restaurant was such a hit that we expanded to a new location just six months after opening. Our second location at Campus West gave college students a budget-friendly, nutritious meal that they actually wanted to eat.

Since then, Spoons has expanded even further with locations in the Lory Student Center, in Allison Hall, on Harmony Road, and on Link Lane. As a family-owned business, Spoons prioritizes providing families with fast, inexpensive, and healthy food choices.

Adding six locations isn’t the only way we’ve grown. Over the years, our team has listened to your requests. As a result, we now offer vegetarian and gluten-free food choices, our menus change every day, and we serve sandwiches too.

More about food changes!

We’re 15 years in, but some things never change. For example, you can still find our founder Tom chopping parsley in the kitchen and dreaming up new soups. We also still choose to use the freshest, most local ingredients possible. Finally, we’re still committed to improving our trade and to serving our community. Thank you for joining us along the way!

Salads are a great go-to meal. They’re easy to prepare, and they’re often tasty and nutritious. But, sometimes, salads are misunderstood. Today we evaluate five popular salad myths and learn what’s really true about them.

Myth #1:  All lettuce is created equal.

Lettuce comes in 5 major types: leaf, romaine, crisphead, butterhead, and stem. Each of these types of lettuce has many variations within it.

The most popular types of lettuce today (I’m looking at you, iceberg!) have been modified to taste less bitter. Unfortunately, this means that you aren’t getting as many nutrients as possible when eating it. A good rule of thumb? Darker lettuce varieties have more nutrients.

However, some people can’t stand the taste of dark lettuce. Don’t let this make you ditch salad! Even mild lettuce varieties offer some nutrients. When paired with other vegetables, you’ll still be consuming necessary vitamins.

Myth #2: Salad isn’t filling.

If you think a salad is a bowl of grass with a sprinkle of dirt, you’ll definitely go hungry. However, a salad can be whatever you want it to be. We suggest eating salads that have carbohydrates, protein, and fat. Vegetables, fruit, cheese, meat, eggs, beans, dressing, and nuts are foods that pair well together to create a satisfying and tasty, meal.

Additionally, the fiber and high-water content of most salads will make you feel fuller for longer. If you want a salad but still can’t find ways to make them filling, consider pairing them with a quick carbohydrate source (like bread or a sandwich) that will satisfy your initial hunger pangs.

Myth #3: Salads are boring.

Lettuce, carrots, tomatoes, and Ranch dressing. Eat that every day, and you’ll quickly get bored. However, At Spoons, we like to get creative with our salad ingredients. We add nuts, cheese, meat (learn why we’re proud of our quality chicken), and countless vegetables to create tasty meals that won’t leave you hungry.

Here are a few ways to make your salads more interesting.

1. Play with texture. Add walnuts or crackers for crunch. Berries add something chewy, and avocados bring smoothness.
2. Make it sweet. Consider adding honey to your dressing, or throw in some apples for a bit of natural sugar.
3. Switch up the dressing. This one seems obvious. However, a dressing change can make basic vegetables taste Thai-inspired, Italian, or whatever you like!
4. Experiment with grains. Consider adding pasta, rice, crackers, or quinoa to your salad. They bring new textures and flavors — plus, you get rid of leftovers faster!

Myth #4: Salad dressing is good for you.

Salad dressing can certainly be great for you. They give a salad plenty of healthy fat. Plus, they often add the flavor that actually makes you want to eat a salad!

However, most store-bought salad dressings are full of sodium, preservatives, high-fructose corn syrup, and unhealthy fats. They also tend to be high in calories. The average person should not consume more than 12-16 grams of saturated fat a day, according to Harvard Dietician Kathy McManus.

McManus suggests limiting dressings to 120 calories, 200 mg of sodium, 2 grams of sugar, and 1 gram of saturated fat per serving.

Myth #5: Salads are always a low-calorie choice.

Vegetables certainly won’t pack on the pounds. In fact, a 1 ½ cup of just vegetables is only 30 calories on average. However, an article showed that the average calorie count of salads from popular American restaurants was about 450 calories. Some salads have the same number of calories as a burger.

Indeed, dressing, proteins, and toppings make salads delicious and filling. But these additions can also tighten your waistline over time. Be mindful of what’s in your salad. Our website includes nutrition information for every meal so that you can make decisions that are best for your health. If you need, ask one of our team members to exclude ingredients from your meal.

At Spoons Soups, Salads and Sandwiches, our salads are made with thoughtful, fresh ingredients. Give one a try. You won’t be disappointed! Visit our menu to learn what we’re serving today.

Sources:
https://www.livestrong.com/article/420531-does-iceburg-lettuce-have-any-nutritional-value/
https://www.health.harvard.edu/blood-pressure/is-your-salad-dressing-hurting-your-healthy-diet
https://www.livestrong.com/article/311095-how-many-calories-are-in-a-tossed-salad/
http://www.thisisinsider.com/calories-in-fast-food-salads-2017-9

Every week our owner Tom Stoner and Chef Dave can be found at local farmers markets bagging seasonal local produce to incorporate into their menu items at the 5 Spoons locations in Fort Collins.

Tom Stoner has always wanted Spoons to be the “Ritz Carlton” of soups, sandwiches, and salads. And that journey begins in the kitchen. Spoons is unique in that everything served is grown and prepared locally. All of the salad dressings, soups, and sandwich meat is seasoned, sliced, and cooked in our own Kitchen.

Understanding our standard of serving fresh ingredients, local farmers often come to Spoons before they take their products to the market, knowing our value of local food on our menu. Chef Dave recently bought 200 lbs. of local butternut squash that will be incorporated into different soups over the next few months– such as Pumpkin Green Chilli, Cajun Pumpkin, and Roasted Garlic Pumpkin Soup.

At Spoons, our focus is on the process to serve you our best. From finding the best ingredients, to creating the best food, and serving it to you at our best price, we have you in mind through the whole process.

Our journey always starts with you, our family, and leads us to finding high-quality ingredients. Short cutting the process of finding wholesome ingredients and creating our own recipes would be easy, but that wouldn’t be best for you. The passion we hold at Spoons is to deliver an incredible variety of soup, sandwiches, and salads in a way that our customers know they can count on every single menu item being sourced responsibly and made carefully.

Each morning Chef Dave enters the kitchen hours before dawn, he works with an empty pot as an artist works with an empty canvas. Adding ingredients, tasting the soup, looking for the jewel hidden in every pot. The goal? To create a jewel and take it from our Chef’s pot to your family’s bowl.

Spoons exists because Fort Collins deserves great food. The community of Fort Collins has given back to us in so many ways and supported our dream of opening a soup restaurant that serves quality, local, and wholesome food. We owe it to you to give you our best, because you haven given your best to us.