Taste, texture and overall nutritional value all played a role here. And yes, taste is subjective, but it’s a serious factor here: How robust is the flavor? Is any ingredient overpowering, or worse, do they all meld together into a sea of sameness?

As for texture, I considered variety, noting that everything should be bite-sized and tender, so you’re never reaching a finger inside your mouth wondering if you just chipped a tooth on a barely simmered celery stalk.

For the nutritional value, I sought general guidelines and recommendations from Nolan Cohn (opt for lower-sodium, avoid trans fats and look for a mix of carbs, protein and healthy fats). I then cross-referenced all to see which soups had the highest marks across all three categories to arrive at this ranking. (So yeah, I got really nerdy with this.)