Progresso Vegetarian Soups

How long has progresso been labelling their vegetable soups as either vegetarian or non-vegetarian? Cuz I could swear that maybe 6 months ago they put no such warnings at the top of the ingredient list. But I'm not all that observant. Still it's certainly nice that they do, whenever it started.

It's strange that vegetable soup isn't always vegetarian. It's a confusing and quirky world in which we live. One cannot assume because it says veg on the front that's it's truly veg inside. Most prepackaged rice mixes aren't either. There's lotsa stuff you can casually grab in the supermarket thinking it's animal-free when infact, it's anything but. To truly avoid animal products one must vigilantly read ingredients lists. A daunting task at times, considering how lengthy some can be.

But here is a little help. Some items I've found that are safe.

Campbell's Select Southwestern Style Vegetable Soup (vegan).
Progresso Garden Vegetable, not regular vegetable
Progresso Lentil, regular or 99% Fat Free
Rice a Roni Spanish Rice
Rice a Roni Fried Rice
Knorr Red Beans and Rice
Knorr Teriyaki Rice (vegan)
Most Near East Rice and Cous Cous Mixes (vegan). Read individual packages. Many flavors are, some may not be.
Campbell's Condensed Cream of Asparagus Soup, Cream of Broccoli, Cream of Mushroom, Cream of Celery.
Progresso Tomato Rotini Soup
Campbell's Condensed Tomato Soup (vegan)
Top Ramen Oriental Flavor (vegan)
Simply Organic Pesto Sauce Mix (vegan if you don't add any parmesan, vegetarian if you add kraft grated parmesan)

I specify kraft grated parmesan because they explicitly told me theirs is animal free. others may also be. you need to check with the maker. many are not.
Still, ingredients and recipes can change at any time. Always double check.

Comments

Gregwashere said…
Of course hard cheeses like parmesan cheese aren't *really* vegetarian because they have animal rennet in them taken from cow's intestines.
I'm not trying to be a jerk, just trying to be accurate... :)
The site below explains it quickly:
(If you are into cheese making, this is also a good source for info)

http://www.cheesemaking.com/store/pg/244-FAQ-Cheesemaking-and-Rennet.html
alcholic poet said…
i appreciate your input.

that was part of the point of the post. i personally contacted kraft and asked and they assured me their parmesan is animal free. they also said their natural swiss is as well. every cheese maker is different. reading the faq on their website or sending them an email are the easiest ways to determine which cheeses are truly animal free.

on that same token though, all cheese can technically be considered vegetarian as the enzyme is a byproduct. animals aren't slaughtered specifically to obtain the enzyme.

it's no different than eating food with sugar in it. sugar may be processed with animal bone char. but foods containing sugar as an ingredient are generally considered vegetarian.

it's when you try to be vegan that you hit that moral crossroads of how far to go with it.

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