canned foods
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Canned foods are easy to prepare AND save money! 5 that should be in your kitchen

February 1, 2023
3 min read

Canned foods should be a kitchen staple.

February is canned food month!

Liz Weiss shares the benefits of canned foods, and her top five you “CAN” try.

For more recipes and ideas from Liz, follow her on Instagram @LizWeiss and LizsHealthyTable.com.

Get the Corny Salmon Cakes recipe on Liz’s website.


 

Why Canned Foods?

Canned foods ease mealtime stress

Stocking your pantry with an assortment of canned foods—things like canned beans, salmon/tuna, tomatoes, corn, pumpkin, pears, peaches—adds ease to meal planning. They are versatile, convenient, and inexpensive.

Canned foods nourish the body and the soul

Eating the recommended daily servings of fruits and veggies can be a challenge, but it turns out that when canned produce is incorporated into the diet, people tend to eat more of it. And yes, canned foods provide all sorts of nutrients that we all need for good health including fiber, potassium, magnesium (regulates muscle/nerve function, blood sugar levels, blood pressure), and omega-3 fatty acids, a nutrient important for brain, eye, and heart health.

Canned foods lead to less food waste, so they save money

Canned foods can serve as a flavorful replacement for more perishable fruits and vegetables. Less food waste means you ultimately spend less money on groceries. Just how much do U.S. consumers waste? Well, a recent study found that on average, U.S. households toss nearly $2,000 worth of food every year. Whether you’re on a tight budget or not, knowing you can “save” thousands of dollars—with the help of canned foods, of course—is a big win.

Liz’s Top 5 Canned Foods

  1. Canned seafood (especially salmon) – Rich in omega-3 fats and helps people meet the goal of eating 2 seafood meals a week. Recommended daily amount of omega-3s are 250 – 1,000 milligrams, but I follow the recommendation of 500mg daily from Always Omega3s. To put that number in perspective, a 3-ounce serving of salmon has over 1,000 milligrams.
  2. Canned beans – Black beans, pinto, cannellini, kidney … so many to choose from. Drain and rinse to wash away 40% of the sodium. Recommended amount to eat each week according to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans is 1.5 cups. When comparing bean eaters to non-bean eaters, research shows that bean consumers have a lower body weight and a greater intake of nutrients, including fiber, potassium, magnesium, and iron (nutrients most Americans don’t get enough of).
  3. Canned tomatoes – Rich in lycopene, an antioxidant that can reduce risk of prostate cancer.
  4. Canned vegetables (corn, pumpkin) – So many to choose from. Try adding canned pumpkin to pancakes, smoothies, and chili recipes, and even canned spinach to lasagna!
  5. Canned olives – Contain good-for-you monounsaturated fats. Popular in the Mediterranean diet … one of the healthiest on the planet.

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