Ingredients & Nutritional Information
Beef Barley Soup Ingredients
Beef stew meat, canola oil, onion, celery, carrots, Worcestershire sauce, beef bouillon, Italian seasoning, barley, salt, pepper.
May Contain: nuts, egg, dairy products
Best Before Details
Homemade soup is best consumed within 5 to 7 days in the refrigerator, and it should be frozen for longer storage, ideally within 3 days of making. You will find the ‘Prepared Date’ on the bottom of your soup container indicating the day it was made. Never leave the soup at room temperature for more than two hours. Discard soup that smells, looks, or tastes off.
Reheating refrigerated soup
For soup that has been stored in the refrigerator, you can use either the stovetop or microwave.
- Stovetop: Transfer the soup to a pot and warm it over medium heat, stirring occasionally until it is steaming hot. Bring brothy soups to a boil for a minute or two.
- Microwave: Pour the desired portion into a microwave-safe bowl. Cover it loosely and heat on high for 1–2 minutes at a time, stirring after each interval until heated through.
Freezing & Thawing Instructions
Freezer storage
Timeframe: Frozen soup can last for up to 3 months, but creamy soups are best eaten within one to two months. The container it is in is freezer safe.
Thawing options
- Refrigerator (safest and best quality): Place the frozen container of soup in the refrigerator overnight, or for 8 to 10 hours, to allow it to thaw slowly. This preserves the soup’s texture and prevents bacteria from multiplying.
- Cold water bath (for faster thawing): If you are short on time, place the airtight or freezer bag of soup in a bowl of cold water. Change the water every 30 minutes until the soup is thawed enough to be removed from the container. Do not use hot water, as this can bring the temperature into the “danger zone” where bacteria grow quickly.
- Direct to pot (from frozen): For a one-pot method, place the frozen block of soup directly into a saucepan over medium-low heat with a splash of water or broth. Stir frequently and break up the frozen parts with a wooden spoon as it thaws to ensure it heats evenly.
Reheating frozen soup
- Stovetop (recommended): After thawing, transfer the soup to a pot and heat gently over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally. For broth-based soups, you can bring the soup to a full boil for at least one minute to kill any bacteria. For creamy or starchy soups, simmer gently and avoid a hard boil, which can cause the soup to separate.
- Microwave (for small portions): Place the soup in a microwave-safe container and heat in short bursts of 1–2 minutes, stirring in between each interval. This helps prevent the edges from overheating while the center remains cold.
Key safety tips
- Don’t re-freeze thawed soup without reheating: If you thawed soup in the refrigerator, you can refreeze it within 3–4 days without reheating. However, if you thawed it in the microwave or a cold water bath, you should reheat it to a safe temperature before eating or re-freezing.
- Reheat to 165°F (74°C): For maximum safety, leftovers should be reheated to an internal temperature of at least 165°F. You can use a food thermometer to check.
- Avoid the “danger zone”: Don’t let soup sit at room temperature for more than two hours. The temperature range between 40°F and 140°F (4°C and 60°C) is ideal for bacteria to multiply.