Whether you prefer New England or Manhattan clam chowder, making it from scratch is a labor of love. Even if you find a way to streamline the process it still takes quite a bit of time and effort.

Adding this ingredient to the store-bought clam chowder you're heating up can steer pre-made ingredients into a more luxurious lane.

The greatest clam chowders usually come from a dockside restaurant, but if you don’t live in a Lifetime movie, you might not have access to one. The next best thing on a rainy day is the canned stuff.