The temperatures have dropped and blankets are now strewn on the corner of every couch in your house. That means it’s officially soup season!

Sure, soup warms up the body, can be easily made in the Instapot or crockpot, and makes for great leftovers. But, there are many more things I love about soup.

You can trick even the pickiest eaters.

You can totally be sneaky about it and add broccoli, spinach, kale sweet potatoes, butternut squash, canned pumpkin, carrots, bell peppers, etc. to some broth and blend it all together in the Vitamix or Ninja Chef (what I have) and boom—no one ever knows what’s really in it. It’s creamy, tasty and is totally camouflaged under the spices you put in it. I won’t tell if you don’t. ;)

Helps you eat gobs of vegetables

Don’t feel like chomping away on a relish tray to get your veggies in? Put it in a soup. Can’t choke down another salad? Add kale (and your other salad items) to the soup! It’s a magical way to get those veggies in while changing up the menu. Plus, they add a variety of colors and textures but the most important thing is just to get them in there!

Brings out your creativity

Anything goes when it comes to making soup. There are endless combinations so let your creativity come alive here. Some of my favorites combos are:

• chicken sausage, white bean, roasted sweet potato and kale

• roasted garlic and tomato garnished with fresh basil

• butternut squash, curry spices and coconut milk, garnished with a bit of Sriracha and fresh basil.

Double down on your nutrients

Soup is a great way to get in your daily dose of nutrients in one small compact bowl, especially if you blend it before eating. It’s amazing what you can jam into a soup! Add mini bell peppers for vitamin c and beta-carotene, beans for fiber and protein, butternut squash for anti-inflammatory benefits and vitamin C, or kale for vitamin K and iron. There’s so much more going on then just a splash of color and texture…you’re taking in vitamins with every bite.

Easy on the digestive tract

You may not think this is a big deal but our digestive tract can get quite the workout, especially if you eat a lot of meat, processed foods, alcohol, coffee or corn. Hey, no judgment—just a heads up to what may be causing some major irritation on your insides. Eating soup is a great way to give the digestive tract a break because a lot of it is already broken down. There’s a lot less effort required and it’s great to give the bod a break here and there.

Hard to mess up

I’ve had my share of questionable combos but it really is hard to mess up soup. I mean you add some broth, meat and/or vegetables, spices, heat…done. It’s easy to throw together and what’s even better is that there is usually enough for lots of leftovers.