Soup's IN!

This cold-weather staple is the hottest (pardon the pun) way to get your veggies—and slim down, too.

They’re everywhere, pills and potions claiming to be natural appetite suppressants. But we’ve found one that really does the job, and here’s the kicker: You can make it in your own home for a fraction of the cost—and it’s delicious, too.

We’re talking about soup. Starting a meal with a steaming cup of vegetables swimming in broth and loaded with flavor is one of the best ways of cutting back on the number of calories you eat during the rest of the meal. Here’s why: Broth-based soups get you started feeling full, but contain very few calories. Plus, if your soup starter packs lots of vegetables like the one featured here, you’re getting a good dose of fiber that adds to your feeling of fullness.

This tactic works so well that the Pritikin Program, the regimen that’s helped millions get healthy and lose weight, recommends starting every meal with soup (well, maybe not breakfast—unless you’re going Japanese, like our skin expert at right). Just stick with brothy soups rather than rich, creamy versions, and portions that contain about 100 calories. Of course, you may love this particular recipe so much that you’ll want to have seconds and skip dinner altogether. You won’t get any argument from us.