10 Awesome Facts About Canned Foods
Today, I’m sharing 10 awesome facts about canned foods. There are a lot of people out there who do their best to avoid shopping for canned foods because of various rumors that they may have heard about them from others relating to taste, texture, lost nutrients, etc. But when it comes to being prepared for an emergency, canned foods are an excellent option that you and your family can fall back on, and you should certainly consider having a significant inventory.
I’d like to take a few minutes and clear up some of the misconceptions you may have, and also share why it’s so critical for you to have a pantry that’s fully stocked with them. These are 10 facts about canned foods that you may not know about. Please stock a few can openers, at least more than one. Can Opener or #10 Can Opener
10 Awesome Facts About Canned Foods
1. Canned Foods Last a Long Time
You can store canned foods for years and still get the same great taste and nutrition out of them as you would the day when they were first sealed up. Stocking up on canned goods isn’t just meant to help your family survive an apocalypse, but they’ll also last through a hurricane, power outage, or any other major disaster. This is because they’ve been properly commercially sealed so that nothing can get in or out. While there is a sell-by date on each of these containers, they’ve been known to still be safe to eat even years after these suggested dates.
2. Canned Foods Is the Safest Form of Food Packaging
Canned foods come in a durable and safe metal can that seals its contents up airtight. This helps to prevent any bacteria or other contaminants from getting in and ruining the food inside. While other types of food packaging are almost guaranteed to be compromised following a disaster, such as a flood or a hurricane, you can rest assured that your canned foods will still be safe to eat. Another comforting thing to know is that the canning process is also known to help kill any bacteria that might be present in the food.
3. Canned Foods offer Similar Nutrition as Fresh or Frozen Foods
Some of you may be skeptical about this next one, but it’s been proven that canned foods have nutrition that’s comparable to those of fresh and frozen foods. That’s right! Depending on what you’re stocking up on, canned meats and vegetables are an excellent source of protein, fiber, vitamins, and other essential minerals. This is especially due to the canning process, which helps to preserve all of these nutrients. 15 Foods To Buy When You’re Broke
4. Canned Foods are Minimally Processed
It also may come as a surprise to you, but canned foods are considered to be minimally processed as well. This is because they go through a very short process from the time that they’re harvested until the time that they’re canned. In fact, some fruits and vegetables are canned within hours of being picked! This helps to lock in their freshness and flavor until you’re ready to open up the can and enjoy them. How to Properly Store Food for Long-Term Storage
5. Canned Foods are More Convenient
One major advantage that canned foods have over fresh or frozen foods is that they’re much more convenient. You’re able to stack them on shelves so that they aren’t taking up as much space. Another bonus about canned foods, you don’t have to worry about them going bad quickly if you don’t have power or refrigeration.
Plus, they don’t require any cooking since they’ve already been cooked during the canning process. This means that you can easily eat them right out of the can, if you want or need to. But hopefully, you still have some type of heating method available so that you can experience the best flavor and texture you’re used to from your heated foods. How Long Does Canned Food Last?
6. Canned Foods are Affordable
Another great thing about canned foods is that they tend to be very affordable, especially when you buy them in bulk. When stocking up for an emergency, you’ll want to buy as much as you can when the pricing is right, which is possible because canned foods won’t break the bank. This is especially helpful if you have a large family that’s on a tight budget or need to feed a lot of people in case of an emergency. How to Make Prepping Affordable
Here in Utah, most of the grocery stores will hold “case lot sales” where they put many of their more popular canned goods on sale if you’re willing to purchase by the case. I always stock up on my favorite canned soups, meats, fruits, and veggies. I’m pleasantly surprised at how much I can save.
Another option as you shop for canned foods is to keep an eye out for the “house brands” that generally cost a lot less. The big chain stores, including Wal-Mart, Kroger, Albertsons, Safeway, and others, always prominently display their brands. I’ve found the nutrition is pretty equal to the famous brands, but the flavor, texture, and appearance may be slightly different.
7. Canned Foods come in a Variety of Options
When it comes to canned foods, you’re not just limited to canned meats and vegetables. You can also find things like fruits, soups, sauces, and even some desserts. This gives you a lot of options to choose from so that you can stock up on what your family likes to eat and also have a variety of choices when it comes to mealtime.
8. Canned Foods are Easy to Transport
If you needed to evacuate your home quickly, you can easily grab a few cans of food and take them with you. Canned foods are also easy to transport if you’re going on a camping trip or any other type of outdoor adventure. Some emergency preppers even have a supply of canned foods in the trunk of their cars that they can use if a disaster were to happen and they could no longer return home.
9. You Can Still Watch Your Salt Intake with Canned Food
Perhaps you’ve been avoiding going the canned food route for some time now because of the amount of sodium that you’ve heard is present. Did you know that canned foods only contribute to about 1% of the average person’s overall daily sodium intake when it comes to their diet?
There’s also the fact that there are a lot more low-salt and no-salt options that you can choose from instead these days. And by simply draining and rinsing, you’re able to remove as much as 41% of the total sodium content that was present in the canned product, if you need to for health concerns. 12 Unusual Uses for Salt
10. You Have Lots of Brand Options with Canned Foods
One of the blessings of living where we do is the fact that we have so many choices when it comes to which brands of canned foods to purchase. We all love Campbell’s soups, but you also have Heinz, Progresso, Swanson, Healthy Choice, and others, including the house brands mentioned above.
The options for canned fruits, meats, and vegetables are also very extensive. Try different brand names, how they come prepared, and even organic when grown, to see what you like. If cost isn’t an issue for you, the choices seem endless.
10 Awesome Facts About Canned Foods
Final Word
Regardless of whether you enjoy eating canned foods or not, they’re a great backup option to have for your family during and following an emergency. Which of these 10 facts about canned foods surprised you the most? Can you think of any other interesting facts about canned foods that emergency preppers should know about? I’d love to hear from you! May God Bless this world, Linda
After my husband had a heart attack last year we had to really keep an eye on his sodium intake, after much research, we found out that if you rinse canned veggies & beans before eating you are removing about 90% of the sodium making it much healthier
Hi Karen, I’m sorry to hear about your husband’s heart attack, my friend. I’m glad he’s okay. I LOVE hearing that you did the research on how to remove 90% of the sodium from canned veggies and beans by rinsing them!!! It makes sense, thank you for sharing! Linda
Hi Linda,
You always stress that we should do our own research & I learn so much from your newsletters, thank you
Karen
Hi Karen, aww, thank you, my sweet friend. Your words melt my heart! Thank you, Linda
Great post, as usual, Linda. We do stock up on canned goods. Some are even salt free. We have taken 2 or more canned veggies and mixed together for a good meal. You can make so many different meals our of just canned foods. We do keep a variety of what we eat. I have even bought some from Dollar General and Family Dollar stores. We don’t have a local Dollar Tree where I live.
Hi Deborah, thank you, my sweet friend, for your kind words! It’s so funny you mention salt-free ones. I’m writing a post on canned veggies and fruits. I learned a lot just by looking at the cans. I will be stocking up more of them now. I would love fresh or frozen fruit and veggies, but having some canned goods makes me sleep at night. I need to go check the dollar stores! Great reminder, thank you, Linda
we don’t have case lot sales, and big box stores are abt 2 hours away.. the sales by gro chain and dollar stores of all kinds help me avoid a trip.Then i avoid the trip expense and use the trip money for restock.
Hi Denise, I totally agree, I will not drive 2 hours for cases of food. I am blessed to live in Utah where these are common. I have started ordering cases from Sam’s Club, with my annual fee (Harry told me about it) they ship almost everything for free. Linda
Linda, Stores- i usually shop are :4,12, 25, and29 65 miles,..with fuel costs up the 2 closest stores get most of my $$ unless i am going to one of 3 other towns in addition…and have planned list.
Hi Denise, wow, I used to complain about 12-15 miles to the closest grocery store. I rarely went because it was too far away. Yet, I look at the miles you have to drive. Linda
… Linda, this may not fit well with this topic, am sending for YOUR info… if u need to edit or remove is not a problem, i don’t have a private e mail for you.
the costco and sams , other larger chains,are 65-75 miles, and one must go thru several small towns. there are several at these distances, must make a choice, and not in same direction. if something important,bulk, a friend who will select and pickup stuff for me… 2-3x a year… that does help… @ 4 miles i have 3 choices, a employee owned store, a DG and Fam dollar/ $tree combo., @ 12 miles a family owned, dollar general and taxes 3c/1$ cheaper taxes. …25-29 mile is comparable to your smiths +several other large box stores. we limit all trips and have been doing it for 5yrs.combining all possible to monthly trips are there are times all my gro is done monthly
.the closeout stores are there too.( 3 different), canned meat and veggies, pastas and spices +frozen.
HI Denise, this is a great comment, thank you. I used to grocery shop once a month because of the driving distance. Plus, I do not like to grocery shop, this is why gardening has always been important to me. I shop less. The distances you have to shop would be a challenge for those who do not stock up on what they need. Linda
We do have two tomato plants in containers. They are huge, but no tomatoes yet. There are blooms though. I am craving fresh home grown tomatoes.
HI Deborah, I wonder if you may need to hand pollinate??? I plant flowers to bring the bees. If you have blooms you should see some tomatoes soon, hopefully. Linda
Keep in mind the dates on products are sell BY dates.
I have experienced canned foods like Spam, and pineapple going bad, before their extended dates. both cans were sealed and swelled.As possible check food on intake to verify good, taste, texture..
… i follow a u tube called tjpreps, she found meat, still several years in date ,that did not have texture or smell of her desired product. YESTERDAY!!She opened 3 cans 2 were not right…
.. i rotate all high acidic foods to a 6 month Before dates, as much as possible, passing to someone who needs them quickly or feeding the chickens. high acid i try to get in glass jars.THe tin can flavor-might not kill me, but would find it difficult to eat even when a lack…
Generic string beans from associated grocers and other corps are products of same lines that produce big name brand.our stores in rural Tn often run @50c,can, or 5/2$.
Since i have limited space,. I stock most by flats,in one or 2 stacks….in 12 count, i rotate them in stack so when “USE Pantry” runs out, i don’t need to move more than a few flats to replace expended.Yes i alternate which of our favorites and by flat dates, longest to bottom.
+ save the paper flats and use them intermittently for toppers and to receive cans purchased w/o flat. On items we use few of… canned butterbeans, with w/c corn i store 6 of each-often mix those for succotash… To stock my pantry I look at how often- we prefer to eat AND how often we would eat IF other foods were scarce-….+quantity of each veg/mix i like to use for a meal.. how often a week/month and multiply by 60 or 14.(to give me 2-8 weeks to get restocked.. I re-assess every 2-3 months..not only stock but for projected shortfalls in supply…last time. I found string beans, and veggie mix were insufficient for my chosen time frame/projected use
Since large cans are sometimes more available, We purchase 1) tomato products like diced tomatoes in number 10’s and re jar as we need, juices in qts, diced,concentrated in half pints. 2) also…corn and string beans to intentionally dehydrate.. same could be done with canned bean varieties..this practice used consistently,avoids waste, esp if making smaller batch soups and stews and only require a small amount for a need. i chop string beans into shorts, and corn in food processor to reduce sizes- stores w.less air spaces, grind used determines how slow/fast rehydration possible. i also store okra dehydrated. was, slice uniform dehydrate til brittle,store in glass/seal w/oxygen absorber. 3 yrs and counting on small batch…
Dehydrated food stores in 1/2 the space or less of canned. it is cooked.fully and can be eaten as veggie crunchies or covered w/ warm water and used as fresh.
Hi Denise, thank you for your thoughts on canned goods. Life is good when our pantry is stocked. Linda
Where do you find canned ham? I remember this from childhood but dont see these in regular grocery stores.
Hi Mama Deb, I bought this can at Walmart. I saw some at Smith’s/Kroger’s and Harmon’s (Utah store) as well. They will be in the canned tuna, and canned meat section. Linda
Mama Deb,
check Dollar General, and Aldi if you have those stores. if it is in stock in whse Dollar General would order to store… don’t know if they still do.
. one branded name is DAK. if you find it available latch on to it. I also stock the bacon flavored spam, treet and generics simlilar. we don’t eat any often but like options. luncheon meats thin sliced, coated in egg and seasoned flour , fried in a little bacon grease til browned,..will replace other meats for a snack, sandwich or breakfast meat. one 12 oz can gives our small family 2 meals prepared this way.
Hi Denise, I did not know they make bacon-flavored SPAM! Thank you! Linda
We do prefer to stay with name brands. We use canned tomatoes, paste and sauce along with ground beef, diced onios and mushrooms with peppers to make my own rice/pasta/spaghetti sauce. Not exactly from scratch, but it works for us. Tom likes canned whole corn when fresh isn’t available. Canned button muhrooms for roasts, most other vegetables we prefer frozen when fresh is unavailable.
Hi Chris, I call that cooking from scratch, my friend. I still buy a few jars of spaghetti sauce, you are making it! I love hearing this! I’m with you on the name brands. I tried a few store brands and they have too much liquid or the consistency isn’t the same. I can make spaghetti sauce like you and I love it! I think we all love fresh and frozen but sometimes we have to make do and canned food will work. Linda
Canned mandarins oranges, drained (my youngest grandson loves the juice) mixed with fresh raspberries n raspberry jello taste great. The mandarin oranges also mix great with jellied cranberry sauce.
Hi Chris, oh, I have both the mandarin oranges and raspberry jello! Yummy! I will have to try the Mandarin oranges in the cranberry sauce!! Why didn’t I think of that?? Great tip! I love it! Linda
Hi Linda:
I wish I only had to complain about 15 miles to the Grocery Store. Ours are 45-50 miles for even a Walmart and the other 2 we shop at are 180 miles one way. The only time I go to the last stores is when we have Dr. appointments at VA and then we stock up on things that we use from there.
You made my day when you sent this email. I am working on my monthly needs shopping list and there were several items we use that you had in the picture and you gave me hints to get some other things.
Thank you my Good friend
Hi Jackie, whoa, you really have to plan ahead!! WOW! Thank you, my sweet friend! Linda
If you have a Sam’s Club or Costco membership, you can have your items shipped to you. Might make it easier if you live a long distance away. I also think you can have canned goods mailed from (www)walmart.com. Then there is Amazon. With the cost of gas today, it may be cheaper to pay the shipping.
I have a couple of cookbooks that use canned foods and have used those to make meal boxes with all the cans necessary for that recipe and have 3 months of meals that way. I add the cans to the box (I use plastic tubs from dollar tree) to make 1 or more meals. I use a snack sized ziplock bag for all the spices. Some of the meals will need meat added and I have a collection of canned meats, freeze dried meats and frozen meats that I can use for those. I bought a few cookbooks at garage sales or Amazon to use to find the recipes, I have a couple of those at the end of this message. If you search Amazon, there are others that have come out since the pandemic that might be good. If you have Kindle Unlimited, you can borrow the cookbooks using that.
One of the cookbooks is the Can Opener Gourmet https://amzn.to/3QghHd3
Another is 100 Day Pantry https://amzn.to/3xJJQ58
I found a SPAM cookbook, not something we would buy as none of us likes SPAM but if you do, this might help a lot https://amzn.to/39ofL1w
Hi Topaz, thank you for the cookbook links, my friend! I love them! I love using Sam’s Club, Harry told me about the free shipping with the annual membership. I save money by staying out of the store and my car stays in the garage. It’s a win-win. Linda