I just heard this on public radio's "Marketplace" and I have decided I'm done with it.
It's the metaphorical range, from soup to nuts. In this case it was dairy products, something like "from milk to cheese to butter to yogurt."
Hack journalists are now on notice. If your range of values isn't inherently apparent from the end points, then I'm circling it with my red pencil. And don't think I won't use a red pencil on my computer display.
Well, I have to say that the expression "soup to nuts" never made much sense to me either. But I've never used a red pencil on my monitor. 🙂
IMHO, you are being a bit too literal about these types of metaphors. It's not like a number line in mathematics, with rigorously defined end-points and a continuum in between. It's a metaphor, it's been in common use for ages, and it's not likely to go away.
I'm not sure why you say I'm being literal, particularly since I identify it as a metaphor. I said its tiresome, hackneyed, played out, over, clichéd, hoary, ... Hold on while I consult the thesaurus.
No offense intended, as I agree with your point about the phrase being overused. My use of the term "literal" was in reference to your comment:
If your range of values isn't inherently apparent from the end points ...
Perhaps I just missed an intentional sarcasm.
All I meant by that is that from niw on I consider all metaphorical use of the range to be avoided. I'm still allowing for literal use.