From Soup to Nuts

From Soup to Nuts

One of the old time sayings or figures of speech that has always confused me is the saying, “Soup to nuts.”  What hell does that even mean?  I’ve never related nuts to various soups. 

Having no life, I looked it up on Google.  I noticed there was a movie from the 1930 film called Soup to Nuts and it was a comedy. It was the first appearance of the comedic group The Three Stooges with Shemp included. Well, that's all and good, but it didn't answer my Soup to Nuts question.

So, I went to the Straight Dope, (( For centuries, any foods served at the beginning or end of a meal stood for the entire thing: the start and finish and everything in between. This expression was "from eggs to apples" and "from pottage to cheese." In the United States in the middle of the 20th century, the expression developed into "from soup to nuts." At many meals, soup is often the first course and a dessert with nuts is sometimes the last. The expression does not have to refer to only to meals, however. It could be the selection of goods for sale or classes offered. ))

So, it seems the saying means “from being to end” with nuts being a dessert of sorts.

Now, I know, and knowing is half the battle.