Chicken Soup with Rice

Well, it's official. Our household has fallen victim to the flu. Since my pediatrician is not testing for H1N1, we're not sure which flu. But it is the flu. And today, I am the latest victim, so this blogpost comes to you in a feverish haze. I apologize in advance for any typos!

Basically, my strategy when the kids get a cold or the flu is to push fluids - even if it means bending the rules. So, yes, you can have a popsicle before noontime. And yes, you can have yet another juice box, even though we are at home and I ordinarily only allow them to be consumed outside of the house since they are more expensive than bottled juice. And yes, you can have way, way, way more than the recommended 4 ounces of juice per day. And you can drink it in the TV room while sitting on the couch (instead of in the kitchen at the table). What? You'd like another glass or purple Kool-Aid? No problem.

There's nothing like some Chicken Noodle Soup or Chicken Soup with Rice when you're feeling under the weather. I make a to-die-for Chicken and Matzoh Ball Soup. It's sort of a combination of my Italian cooking upbringing with some Jewish penicillin thrown in. I first make a roast chicken (like on a Sunday) and then make the broth from the remains. But, as I mentioned above, I now have the flu too, so I've only got enough energy to pop open a couple of cans. Plus, truth be told, my kids hate my homemade chicken soup. Well, actually, my 4 year old daughter eats it, but picks out the escarole. And my 6 year old son, no way!

What the kids really want is Campbell's Chicken Noodle Soup with one of their favorite characters on the label. I love how when we shop, these cans with Princesses, Cars, and Shrek, are strategically placed right at kid-eye-height. They always end up in our cart. But here is the good news that I so need on this flu-ridden day. These soups score OK on the NuVal scale when compared to regular canned soups. In fact, Campbell's Chicken Noodle Soup with Disney Cars on the label scores higher than Cambell's Select Harvest Healthy Request Chicken with Egg Noodles. Woo hoo! Check out these scores:

Campbell's Chicken Noodle Soup with Cars: 35
Healthy Choice Chicken & Rice: 33
Progresso Healthy Favorites Chicken Noodle Ready to Serve: 30
Campbell's Chicken Alphabet Soup: 29
Campbell's Select Harvest Healthy Request Chicken with Egg Noodles: 29
Progresso Chicken Noodle Ready to Serve: 25
Campbell's Chicken Soup with Rice: 24

Campbell's Soup has made a good effort in reducing the amount of sodium in their kids' soups, as reported here in this Supermarket News article. Good for you, Campbell's! And this mom, who should probably be headed to bed, says thanks!