It’s not just Lismore App reader Ellen Kronen who’s been making soup as the autumn weather grows cooler - it seems soup making ingredients are the newest growth sales items at our supermarkets. Read Ellen’s recipe: Winter warmer soup

As The Lismore App’s search for recipes from the local community continues, Woolworths reported today that dried soup mix packets sales have “exploded” and are up by up 200% as people make more warming soup at home.

Adventurous cooking

The supermarket chain also reported that people are becoming healthier and more adventurous in their cooking, with ingredients such as cardamom, saffron and dried sesame seeds doubling in sales. 

“Roasted peppers are up 65%, Asian and hot chilli sauces are both up 40% and capers are up 35%,” Woolworths reported.

“Vitamin sales, plus ground ginger and turmeric sales are up 120% and sauerkraut sales are up 76%. 

However, it reported that "sales of cough and cold products are much lower this year compared to last year”.

Buying limits lifted

In happy news, the supermarket chain also reported that with the panic buying now easing, product buying limits have been lifted on cleaners, eggs, dried noodles, pasta sauce, rice and sugar.

No surprises that toilet paper still has a purchase limit (and if you haven’t yet taken a strange selfie at the toilet paper isle when it’s full of product – there’s still time!)

Only six items still have product limits attached to them: hand sanitiser and toilet paper still have a limit of four; while antibacterial wipes, disinfectants, flour and handwash have a limit of two.

Winter warmer soup recipe

The Lismore App reader Ellen Kronen sent in her winter warmer soup recipe and invites you to try making it at home.

"With the weather getting cooler (and having time to cook) I've been making lots of pumpkin soup - the ultimate comfort food," Ellen said.

"This recipe I think came from a Women's Weekly cookbook about 20 years ago but it's morphed quite a bit since then!

"It's pretty free-form and really easy to cook."

Read the recipe in the Coronavirus > Recipes section of The Lismore App: Winter warmer soup

Send in your recipes to The Lismore App

If you have a recipe you'd like to share with your community, email it to liina@lismoreapp.com.au

Please include ingredients, method and why you like to make it, or where it came from and a picture of it if you have one.