Why Canned Goods Are The Secret To Delicious Dinners

When you're short on time and looking to save money, cooking delicious and healthy meals at home can feel impossible. But with canned goods as your secret ingredient, you can quickly whip up tasty home-cooked meals.

Canning has been a reliable preservation method since the 1800s. Whether in commercial or home canning, the process requires heating fruits, vegetables or meats to a high temperature that kills the microorganisms that cause food to spoil. Once hermetically sealed in tin cans, these shelf-stable goods can last for years, making them a useful addition to any pantry.

Jump to:

• How canned goods came to be pantry staples
• Making nutritious food affordable with canned goods
• How eating canned goods can cut grocery costs
• Canned foods for sustainable eating
• Challenging the myth about high sodium in canned foods
• Recipe ideas for canned goods
• Home canning: How to prep your own canned foods
• From pantry to plate: Revamp your dinners with canned goods
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How canned goods came to be pantry staples

Canned goods were first developed for the French military under Napoleon Bonaparte in 1810. The Canning Diva notes this was a valuable method of getting food to the front lines without it rotting. During World War II, they also provided nutritious food to Americans dealing with rationing at home.

Today, canned goods remain popular. PR Newswire cited a 2013 study that found that 98% of American households have canned goods in their pantries, with 24 cans as the average number. After the COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the need for shelf-stable foods, the canned food market grew 3.3%, according to Tasting Table, and has remained high since the pandemic.

As more households look to save money amid rising food costs, relying on the canned goods in your pantry can be the ultimate solution. Far beyond their uses as wartime rations and emergency supplies, canned foods can be a delicious solution to the question of what’s for dinner.

Making nutritious food affordable with canned goods

Canned foods offer an alternative to fresh fruits, vegetables, meats, and prepared foods. For many foods, the canned option will be significantly more affordable than fresh or frozen choices. This is a result of the long shelf life removing the need to transport foods quickly before they can spoil.

At the same time, canned foods are also high in nutrients. According to Canstruction, tinned fruits and vegetables have similar nutrient contents to fresh or frozen produce. Food companies typically can fruits and veggies shortly after harvest when they are at their ripest, preserving all the nutrients.

How eating canned goods can cut grocery costs

If your goal is saving money at the grocery store, try replacing fresh items on your list with their canned alternatives. According to data collected by the USDA, cut green beans, sweet corn, carrots, peas, and tomatoes are cheapest in canned form. For fruits, peaches, strawberries, apricots, and raspberries are cheaper canned than frozen or fresh.

Prepared foods, like canned soups, can trend higher than homemade versions per serving. Some of the cost here is convenience and many of these can provide a quick, single-serving meal. For added savings, however, consider making your own soups. You can use canned vegetables to make a hearty vegetable soup or canned tomato sauce to make pasta. This will result in an overall lower cost and also gives you the option of tailoring the flavors to your tastes.

Canned foods for sustainable eating

Purchasing canned foods can be far more sustainable than fresh foods. By eating canned produce, you can enjoy fruits and vegetables throughout the year, even when they are out of season locally. This reduces the amount of produce imported from distant locations.

Canned foods also reduce waste. While the average American household throws out more than 30% of fresh foods, the USDA confirms that shelf-stable food remains safe to eat as long as the cans are not dented, rusted, or swelling. This means you can keep food on hand to use when you’re ready. Once you have opened a can, however, be sure to store contents in an airtight container in the fridge and use them within four days.

Challenging the myth about high sodium in canned foods

Canned goods often have a reputation for being high in sodium. The Hawaii Food Bank notes that, although producers will often add salt for flavor during the canning process, canned foods do not appear on the Center for Disease Control’s list of high-sodium foods. If you are worried about salt intake, opt for low-sodium canned goods. You can also rinse canned vegetables before eating to remove about 40% of the salt.

Recipe ideas for canned goods

In addition to saving money, canned food can bring convenience to cooking. Tinned items, including meats, are cooked and ready to eat. Some canned items like fruits, tuna, or other canned fish are delightful all on their own. Enjoy a tin of fruit as a healthier dessert or add a tin of fish to your charcuterie board for a boost of protein.

You can also add canned beans to salads or pastas. Try chickpeas in your next pasta dish or black beans on a salad for a Mexican-inspired dish. Canned beans provide protein, fiber, and additional flavor to your favorite dishes.

If the texture of canned items is less appealing, the right recipe can mask it. Barbequed green beans, for example, dress up canned green beans for a tasty side dish. You can also mix canned vegetables into soups or casseroles for a nutritious and filling meal.

You can also make desserts with canned fruits. In the winter, rely on canned fruits if you’re craving a fruit pie. In summer, try grilled pineapple upside-down cakes with canned pineapple for a simple dessert.

Home canning: How to prep your own canned foods

Buying canned ingredients such as soups, pastas, and other foods is a convenient and affordable way to grocery shop, but you can also can foods yourself. This is a great way to preserve fruits and vegetables from your own garden or in-season produce you’ve bought in bulk.

Home canning requires the right canning tools and knowledge to get started. The canning process itself can also be time-consuming. But home-canned goods can be extremely affordable and help you make the most of a summer garden or farmer's market run.

From pantry to plate: Revamp your dinners with canned goods

If the canned goods in your kitchen have shifted to the forgotten corners of your pantry, now is the time to add them to your dinner menu. Full of nutrients and flavor, you might find that canned goods are the ideal way to make your meals more convenient and cost effective.

This article originally appeared on Food Drink Life.