Montana’s Most-Searched Winter Soup Isn’t What You Expect

Wintertime in Montana for a lot of people means change. We change the way we dress, we drive, and even the way we eat.  

For some, it’s time to pack up the BBQ grills and the smokers. For others, it’s a chance to crank up the stovetop or the crock pot and start making those hearty soups and stews.  

There is something special about walking into a house filled with the smells of soup on the stove on a cold Montana winter day.  

What Google Trends Reveal About Montana’s Soup Searches

When it comes to soups, Montanans have their favorites, or at least the ones they search for the most online.  

The Mountainside Music Academy, which teaches music, compiled Google trends of the most searched soups across the country over the last twelve months, and Montana’s results aren’t like any other state.  

According to the data, Midwest states prefer chicken noodle soup. The Northeast states like a nice minestrone, while the Southern states search for wonton soup.  

Here in Montana, the most searched soup isn’t any of those — it’s tomato soup.

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I have a theory as to why that is. Montana is home to the beloved 4B’s restaurant chain, which are known for their famous tomato soup. This year, one of their locations closed its doors for good in Missoula. My theory is that when the Missoula 4B’s closed their doors, lots of people searched for their tomato soup recipe online.  

READ MORE: Beloved Missoula Restaurant Location Closes Permanently

There are still a few 4B’s restaurants left in Montana where you can still get their famous tomato soup. For a lot of Montanans who have seen these beloved restaurants close their doors over the years, many now search for the recipe online to make it at home.