Glorious canned foods

Canned food rocks. I don’t care what anyone says. I like frozen food too. The fresh stuff is fine, but too often it rots in my fridge while waiting for me to get inspired to cook it. Canned foods are usually processed very quickly today and manage to retain most of their nutrients - unlike the wilting, withered green who-knows-what in the back of my fridge. So which get the best rating:

1. Canned salmon. I admit it’s one I haven’t tried but it maintains its omega-3 wonderfulness and is packed with bones which mean more calcium for you. Remove the fat though. That part’s yucky.
2. Canned pinto beans. In our house we go through a case every two weeks. Often we don’t even heat it up. Put it in pasta, in soups, smashed on a tortilla, with rice and scrambled eggs it’s a great breakfast.
3. Canned tomatoes. Definitely. I can’t ever seem to get to a fresh tomato in time, but you can now get canned tomatoes with herbs, without skin, chopped, whatever you can imagine and they retain their lycopene and vitamins A and C.
4. Canned smoked mackerel. If you say so. I can’t even feign interest in this one, but apparently they are high in protein and omega-3, plus it’s cheap.
5. Canned sardines. Ok, what’s up with the fish? I won’t go near sardines because they smell awful. Maybe if you eat them you can’t smell them. I know they are very good for you and loaded with omega-3, but I’d rather eat canned salmon.
6. Canned kidney beans. Yes, love. Again, these are great in soups, rinsed and put in a salad they are awesome. Loaded with protein and fiber, B1 and iron.
7. Canned pumpkin. Not the pie filling which is loaded with unhealthy sugar and other additives. Natural pumpkin is high in fiber and fat free. Mix with a broth and make a risotto or squash soup.
8. Canned clams. Enough with the seafood already. These are high in zinc and protein. Rich in iron. Put them in a linguine with garlic and I might eat it too.
9. Canned chicken. I admit we eat this almost every day. I put it in salads, soups, chicken salad sandwiches. I drop a whole can into pasta with canned pinto beans and that is my kids’ favorite all time meal. Put it on a cracker with a sundried tomato and a sliver of cheese. I’m going to go get some now.
10. What would you add? Tuna is always good. Water packed. I love canned garbanzo beans. Make a nice hummus or dry them on low heat in the oven for a pop in your mouth snack.

Don’t underestimate the canned food. Some of us couldn’t live without it.

Source: Fox News