I recently bought a box of my favorite chicken soup, only to find the best ingredient missing. What the heck?
What Happened to the Golden Egg in Mrs. Grass Soup?
When you’re feeling under the weather, there’s nothing quite as comforting as a bowl of soup. My grandma always made Mrs. Grass soup for me when I was sick, and I came to love its signature taste. I remember watching her prepare it: She’d put the soup mix and noodles into boiling water, and then she’d add the magic ingredient—the golden egg.
Recently I was feeling a cold coming on, so I bought some Mrs. Grass soup. But when I opened the box, I was shocked to find my beloved magic egg wasn’t there!
Homemade Chicken Soups Galore!
Coconut Curry SoupEnjoy a taste of Thai cuisine with this coconut curry soup that needs just 20 minutes of prep time. Packed with chicken, vegetables and bold spices, it's a comforting and delicious dish for busy weeknights.
Chicken Barley SoupChicken barley soup is such an easy comfort food, you'll want it on rotation for all of soup season.
Zesty Chicken SoupThis spicy chicken soup is chock full of chicken and vegetables. Best of all, it freezes nicely, making a second meal with little effort! —Gwen Nelson, Castro Valley, California
Homey Chicken Noodle SoupChicken noodle soup brings back memories of childhood. This revamped version with a healthy twist is a favorite at my house, especially after we've been working outside on a cool day. It takes the chill off.—Cynthia LaFourcade, Salmon, Idaho
Curly Noodle Chicken SoupI created this recipe to serve at a dinner I hosted for a group of friends. The main course was Italian, and I needed a good soup, so I converted a favorite tortilla soup recipe by substituting pasta and adding different seasonings. —Maxine Pierson, San Ramon, California
Thai Curry SoupPacked with vegetables and protein, this Thai curry soup is an easy, flavorful dish that takes just 30 minutes to prep and cook.
Italian Chicken SoupThis satisfying soup gets its Italian flair from fennel, thyme, basil and orzo pasta. If you don't start with a low-sodium or sodium-free stock, you might want to decrease the amount of salt called for in the recipe. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Gnocchi Chicken MinestroneThe inspiration for this recipe comes from my Italian heritage—my mom was a wonderful soup maker. Using frozen gnocchi saves time and adds extra heartiness to this chunky soup. —Barbara Estabrook, Rhinelander, Wisconsin
Ginger Chicken Noodle SoupThis is one of my favorite soup recipes to serve in the wintertime because it's super easy to make and fills the house with a wonderful aroma. My whole family loves it! —Brandy Stansbury, Edna, Texas
Cold-Day Chicken Noodle SoupWhen I was sick, my mom would make me this heartwarming chicken noodle soup. It was soothing when I had a cold, but this soup is a bowlful of comfort on any chilly day. —Anthony Graham, Ottawa, lllinois
Zesty Chicken Tortellini SoupI love coming home knowing this soup is waiting for me. Don't hesitate to toss in whatever veggies you have on hand. —Nancy Latulippe, Simcoe, Ontario
Chicken Soup with SpaetzleHere's a new and interesting twist to traditional chicken soup. Everyone who samples it can't resist the delicious soup paired with homemade spaetzle.—Elaine Lange, Grand Rapids, Michigan
Chicken Curry SoupThis cozy, comforting chicken curry soup packs in warm spices and hearty vegetables.
Chicken Noodle SoupYou don’t need a whole chicken to make homemade chicken noodle soup. Here's how to make it with bone-in chicken, chewy egg noodles and an aromatics-infused broth.
Avgolemono SoupAvgolemono soup is a classic Greek lemon chicken soup. Fortunately, it's harder to pronounce than it is to make!
Chicken and Vegetable Noodle SoupOur Deaconess Group uses this recipe when cooking for members of our congregation. It makes a huge batch, so it's ideal to freeze portions in microwave-safe containers. Then just thaw and reheat in the microwave for a filling meal. People who try this soup say it's the best they have ever tasted. —Stacey Christensen, West Valley City, Utah
Lemon Chicken Orzo SoupLemon Chicken Orzo Soup is an excellent choice for when you want something that's satisfying but not too heavy. A little lemon zest and juice go a long way in this take on a Mediterranean favorite.
Chicken Alphabet SoupI'm a teenager and love to make this fun chicken soup for my family. It makes me so happy when they tell me how much they like it! —Sarah Mackey, New Smyrna Beach, Florida
Chicken Gnocchi Pesto SoupAfter tasting a similar soup at a restaurant, I created this quick and tasty version. It’s rich and creamy, and couldn’t be easier to make! —Deanna Smith, Des Moines, Iowa
Cajun Chicken & Rice SoupWe enjoy this comforting, spicy soup frequently in our household. It's really good served with hot cornbread. —Lisa Hammond, Higginsville, Missouri
Chicken & Spinach Tortellini SoupShredded rotisserie chicken is complemented by fresh green spinach and cheese tortellini in this quick-to-fix soup. It makes a great starter or a light meal with a salad and crusty bread. —Charlene Chambers, Ormond Beach, Florida
Crockpot Chicken Noodle SoupNothing says "simple" like using a slow cooker to make Crockpot chicken noodle soup! Prep your ingredients, set the slow cooker and wait for magic to happen.
Creamy Chicken Noodle SoupA batch of this creamy chicken noodle soup is our answer to soup season or flu season. The soup's satiating nature and wholesome taste will deliver warmth and coziness when you need it most.
Asian Chicken Noodle SoupOne night I didn’t have any noodles for my chicken soup, so I gave it a twist with wonton wrappers. It was great! Don’t skip the celery leaves; they bring great flavor to this Asian chicken soup. —Noelle Myers, Grand Forks, North Dakota
Turkey Noodle SoupTurn your holiday leftovers into a comforting meal with this turkey noodle soup recipe. Save that turkey carcass to create the robust roasted turkey broth!
30-Minute Chicken Noodle SoupThis quick and easy chicken noodle soup recipe is perfect for a cold, wintry day. It is my favorite thing to eat when I'm not feeling well; it makes me feel so much better. —Lacy Waadt, Payson, Utah
So, what’s this magic egg all about?
If you’ve never had Mrs. Grass soup, let me press pause and fill you in on why this is such a big deal. The “magic egg” was included in the package (like the ones shown above), along with the noodles and soup mix. This Golden Flavor Nugget, as it was called by Wyler’s, the original soup maker, released chicken bouillon, oils and additional flavor into the water as it boiled, giving Mrs. Grass soup its signature taste. Maybe the egg never made it into my box. I decided to investigate.
Turns out, I’m not the only one who missed the egg.
I was surprised to learn that many others were noticing missing eggs, too. It seems the nuggets began vanishing sometime in 2016. I reached out to the Heinz Co., the current maker of Mrs. Grass, and they sent the following reply:
“In an effort to continue offering a better product to our consumer, we’ve removed the Golden Egg Flavor Ball from our Mrs. Grass Homestyle Noodle & Vegetable Soups. The Golden Egg Flavor Ball will no longer be reflected on the packaging.”
While that’s not much of an explanation, it doesn’t sound like the egg is coming back anytime soon. I’m disappointed, to be sure, but thankfully there are plenty of homemade soups to be had if you miss the egg too much to go back.
Psst: Heinz (and these other beloved brands) is way older than you may think.
