The Soup Aisle Commitment: Why We Show Up

At The Soup Aisle, we’re not a massive operation with corporate infrastructure – we are literally two people trying to feed our community well.

Just a small business running on genuine care, determination, and honesty.

We’re Here to Help You

First and foremost, if you’re ever confused about how our soup system works, please reach out to us. Seriously. Whether you’re new to our subscription model, unsure about customizations, have questions about ingredients, or just want to chat about soup—we want to hear from you. Our system might not be complicated, but our offer is unique.

We are a meal startup company that uses local ingredients and focuses on community first, and we’re committed to making sure you feel confident and supported in how you’re getting your soup! We’ve built The Soup Aisle with real people in mind. That means we think about the person with dietary restrictions who needs to know exactly what’s in every batch.

We think about people on tight budgets who need affordable, nourishing food.

We think about the customer with mobility challenges who needs flexible delivery options.

We think about caretakers managing someone else’s dietary needs alongside their own.

We think about folks who don’t want to think about choices and just want something simple, healthy, and fresh. (And if it just so happens to be a gourmet soup then bonus!! 🤣)

If any of these describe you—or if something else describes your situation—we want to know, and we want to help. We have an ever-evolving menu and we take requests! 😋

Behind the Scenes

Real talk: running The Soup Aisle means experiencing the beautiful chaos of a small business trying to do right by people. Yesterday, I found myself with no cell service in Kensington while messages were flooding in from customers about an order system glitch I couldn’t even see, much less respond to. There I am: Driving with a cooler full of orders and no way to text. The anxiety of that situation—knowing people were waiting for answers and I literally couldn’t reach them—that’s the stuff that keeps us going. Because the moment I had service again, fixing it became the priority. That’s just what you do when you actually care about the people you’re serving.

Fixing these issues are on the top of our list.

Customers aren’t looking for perfection from a two-person operation. They’re looking for honesty, effort, and the assurance that we care enough to make it right.

We’ve gotten better at our systems, and we’re still working on it. We’ve tightened our processes, and still we try harder. We’ve learned what to look for before problems happen, but mostly, we’ve learned that our customers appreciate knowing the person packing their soup is the same person who drives an extra 45 miles to fix a mistake. That matters.

Good service isn’t about having all the answers; it’s about genuinely listening to the response. It’s about remembering that the person ordering soup might be ordering it because they’re managing a health condition, recovering from something, caring for someone else, or simply trying to eat better, or think about more important things then stirring a pot for an hour. (That’s our job!!!) Our job is to make your life easier.

We Don’t Do This Alone

We want to give a special shout-out to Erin’s dad, who helps us with deliveries. Having family support this business isn’t just out of convenience. (Patrick needed help.)

The person that delivers your soup from us will always understand the value of what we do.

Let’s Connect

If you’re part of The Soup Aisle community, thank you. Thank you for trusting us with your meals, for being patient with our growing pains, for reaching out when something isn’t right, and for understanding that behind every bowl of soup is a real person committed to your satisfaction. You matter to us more than you know.

The Soup Aisle isn’t just ladling out soup — we’re trying to serve our community ridiculously good food at an honest price.

Opinions Are Like Spoons – Everyone’s Got ‘Em

Featured

The Great Soup Divide: Stirring The Pot

The air crisps up and suddenly everyone’s got an opinion about soup. It’s that time again—soup season—and while most people can agree on one thing (it’s the best season), the great soup debates are officially bubbling over.

Ask someone you know, “is cereal a soup?“

Half the room tilts their heads, the other half pretends not to be personally offended. One person mutters something about “milk-based soup” 🤣 – another refuses to make eye contact and starts humming. Suddenly, your quiet dinner has turned into a philosophy seminar. Coworkers turn against each other. Welcome to the great soup divide—where ladles are drawn and wars are waged. (Well, not really but you never know!)

The Cereal Question That Started It All

Here’s where things get interesting — because structurally speaking cereal checks every box. Solid ingredients suspended in liquid, eaten from a bowl with a spoon. I thought that was soup 101.

So why does a cold bowl of milk and grains suddenly become controversial?

Rice and milk soups exist in Puerto Rico. Many cream of barley soups originated from Persia. Italian rice and milk soup dating back to the 1800’s. All grain plus milk, all genuinely recognized as soup across their respective culinary traditions. If those count, cereal’s structurally identical makeup becomes harder to dismiss on merit alone. (Plus, a lot of work went into making those delicious fortified grains!)

The counterargument usually comes down to this: cooking matters. Most soups require heat, and the kind of flavor-building that happens when ingredients meld together. Cereal skips that ceremony entirely—you just pour and eat. So maybe that’s the real divide?

Some people draw the line at intent. Others at temperature. A few stubborn folks still insist soup must be hot, warm at minimum, which—let’s be honest—is just gatekeeping. We accept gazpacho and vichyssoise as cold soups without question – and gazpacho doesn’t take any heat whatsoever to make.

Simmer Down or Soup Up

At The Soup Aisle, we believe people’s soup-pinions say a lot about them. Some of us are thick‑and‑hearty loyalists—the kind who believe a soup should stand on its own, no sides required. Others lean toward minimalist broths or puréed soups. Then there are the free spirits who treat every bowl like a chance to experiment, tossing in a dash of things until it feels just right. That’s not our style.

I guess that’s what makes soup beautiful: there’s no right way to love it. Soup is the great equalizer. Some people love it for making Pantry Raid Soup. Or call it what you will – wherever you’re from, people know those soups by unique names.

Fridge Forage Soup

Freezer Soup

Leftover Soup

Clean-Slate Soup

Kitchen Sink Soup 🤮

Surprise Soup 🤢

Scraps Soup 😬

A nice, warm bowl of soup softens sharp opinions and reminds us that good food is meant to be shared. (Preferably with someone who doesn’t judge you too much!)

Where Do You Land?

The cereal debate is just the tip of the bowl. The real question is about how we define the things we love – and whether those definitions even matter. Is a soup defined by what’s in it, or how it’s made? Or why you made it?

(Luckily, this is a soup blog and we’re not about to philosophize whether a hotdog is a sandwich.)

Whether you’re debating the philosophical nature of cereal, or just need something warm to carry you through the cold, we have so many comforting choices for you.

Savoring the Season: Behind the Scenes at The Soup Aisle

Every week at The Soup Aisle, our menu is a celebration of New England’s summer bounty, thoughtfully crafted for your table. As July unfolds, we’re spotlighting flavors that pair sunshine and comfort, convenience and creativity—just check out this week’s menu: Mediterranean Orzo Salad, Lemon Blueberry Muffins, Chilled Cucumber with Sesame Tofu, and Lemony Fish & Orzo soup.

Stress-Free Order, Community Connection

Weekly delivery to Exeter, Kensington, Brentwood, and Stratham means you can enjoy artisan soups and sides without the fuss. Or, take advantage of free pickup in Amesbury at 14 Cedar Street—our way to keep it neighborly and accessible.

Easy online ordering: Select your menu items and reserve a spot for delivery or pickup—no phone tag, no guesswork.
Menu transparency: We post our weekly lineup and ingredient labels in advance so you can plan your meals and savor the anticipation.
Real flexibility: Whether you’re grabbing favorites for the week or assembling a picnic, our rotating menu ensures there’s always something new and something familiar.

Food That Travels Well—And Tastes Even Better

At The Soup Aisle, we know that great food should fit your lifestyle—whether you’re craving a quick dinner fix or packing for a picnic at Swasey Parkway. All our offerings are designed to travel well and taste just as good under a summer sky as they do at your kitchen table.

Seasonality, Local Sources, and Specials

Our menu is built on what’s freshest right now. When cucumbers are at their peak, you’ll spot them in gazpachos and salads. Blueberries in muffins and cakes, local fish in our soups. It’s a weekly celebration of Seacoast farms and food artisans.

Thanks for Making Us Part of Your Summer Table

Every order from The Soup Aisle supports a local business grounded in craft and community. Your feedback, favorite moments, and recipe requests inspire us and keep our menu lively. Feel free to reach out with suggestions or just to say hello—our kitchen is always open to conversation!

Ready to savor this week’s offerings or curious about what’s coming next? Order now!

Artisan Soups. Picnic Faves. Baked Goods.

Beat the Heat: Serving Excellence When the Temperature Soars

As late June brings record warmth to Exeter, we see each rising degree as an opportunity to deliver delicious food and thoughtful service—no matter the weather.

The Summer Heat Challenge

The relentless heat of late June brings unique operational challenges. Temperature control becomes more critical than ever as we watch our refrigeration systems work harder. But rest assured: we are vigilant as ever when it comes to food safety.

Green Goddess Gazpacho: A Summer Revelation

This delightful trend has become the star of our summer lineup. This stunning cucumber and avocado based soup creates a gorgeous show stopper with a wonderfully vibrant color — and we used amazing produce from Chickadee Hill Farm in Rowley, MA.

Made with fresh ingredients (obviously), lemon, and just a hint of jalapeño for that perfect summer kick. This soup embodies everything we believe about seasonal cooking: celebrating the moment while honoring the craft. We’ve been refining our variations throughout the month to capture that elusive balance between refreshing and satisfying. We see why this one is so popular.

Elevating Customer Service in Every Season

Our customer service is about creating moments of connection. Our recent website upgrade represents more than just technological advancement; it’s our commitment to making your experience with us as smooth as possible. We noticed that a lot of our customers were struggling with our platform because we had started out so small! Our new checkout process has reduced order times significantly, and our enhanced order reminder system ensures you never miss a pickup or delivery window. These improvements might seem small, but they reflect our belief that excellence lives in the details.

Digital ordering systems have become essential in today’s food service landscape, and streamlined payment options don’t just improve efficiency—they free up your time to focus on what matters most.

Community Connection and the Exeter Community Fridge

Our donations to the Exeter Community Fridge has been an extremely rewarding aspect of our community involvement. Community fridges have emerged as powerful tools for addressing food insecurity, operating on the simple principle of “Take what you need, give what you can.” Over the past months, we’ve been able to donate substantial amounts of food, contributing to feeding our neighbors with dignity and accessibility.

However, as we navigate this period of growth and transition, we’re temporarily pausing our Exeter Community Fridge donations. This isn’t a step back from our community commitment—it’s a strategic pause that allows us to upgrade our systems and processes so we can return with even greater capacity to serve our neighbors. Community fridges rely on consistent, quality donations. We will continue to donate during this time because we want to ensure we can deliver on that reliability.

Expanding Our Delivery Services

The food delivery landscape is continuously evolving. This is reflected in an increased demand for our expanded delivery service. We’ve optimized our delivery logistics to handle the summer heat challenges, ensuring that our soups arrive at the proper temperature and maintain their quality throughout transport. This is about extending our kitchen’s standards to your table, wherever that might be.

Seasonal Favorites and Beloved Returns

While innovation drives us forward, we understand the comfort of familiar favorites. This month, we’ve been repeating some of our most beloved soup offerings alongside new creations like our Green Goddess Gazpacho. Summer soup service requires a different kind of precision than winter offerings. Our seasonal ingredients must be at peak freshness, and our service timing must account for the customer’s comfort.

Looking Forward Through the Heat

As we move through these scorching June days, we’re reminded that exceptional service means rising to meet whatever challenges present themselves. The heat may be rising, but it has only strengthened our resolve to serve our community.

The summer heat is relentless, and so is our dedication to excellence. In every soup we prove that great service knows no season. The heat may be on, but The Soup Aisle continues to serve with a cool confidence.

The Art of Chicken & Stars: The Soup Aisle’s Signature Soup Masterpiece

This week at The Soup Aisle, we’re offering one of our signature soups, Chicken & Stars – a beloved classic reimagined. The delicate star-shaped pasta swimming in rich golden broth is beloved by soup enthusiasts of all ages. What transforms a simple soup into a signature offering worthy of celebration? The answer lies in our meticulous attention to detail and unwavering commitment to quality. Our Chicken & Stars begins with carefully selected ingredients – tender, premium chicken, hand-cut vegetables, and those delightful little pasta stars that bring a touch of whimsy to each spoonful.

The foundation of any exceptional chicken soup is its broth, and ours simmers slowly to develop remarkable depth of flavor. Our vegetables are diced for consistent cooking and visual appeal –carrots, celery, and sweet onions that add complexity and a delicate flavor balance.

The Star of the Show

The pasta stars themselves deserve special mention. These delightful morsels are added at exactly the right moment in the cooking process to achieve perfect al dente texture. What makes star-shaped pasta so beloved? Perhaps it’s the touch of joy they bring to the bowl, or how they recall childhood comforts while still satisfying sophisticated palates. Whatever the reason, there’s something profoundly comforting about star-shaped pasta swimming in a nutritious and satiating soup. For many people, this soup evokes cherished memories – perhaps of meals enjoyed during childhood winters.

A Soup for All Seasons

While many associate chicken soup with cold weather comfort, our Chicken & Stars soup transcends seasonal boundaries. Its bright, clean flavors make light enough to enjoy even as temperatures rise. We also make a vegetarian version using plant-based chick’n which we are excited to be offering sometime next month!

This week, we invite you to experience a signature offer that embodies our commitment to excellence in every bowl we serve – Chicken & Stars soup from The Soup Aisle.