Every pantry tells a story, and honestly, some canned goods deserve starring roles while others should stay in the background. Industry reports suggest that millions of Americans regularly consume ready-made or canned chili, with consumption projected to continue growing. Yet not every can deserves a spot on your grocery list. Per Britannica, canned food has been around since the early 1800s, and while the process sure has evolved over the years, the goal hasn’t changed too much: Preserve food so that it can be stored for an extended amount of time. Typically, canned foods, grains and other non-perishable items will last you at least six months. Many will last up to one full years – or even two.
So what makes the cut for your ultimate pantry lineup? Let’s dig into the champions and the duds that every smart shopper should know about.
The MVP: Canned Diced Tomatoes
Canned diced tomatoes are one of the ultimate pantry staples. Almost every meal we make seems to start with a can of tomatoes. These ruby red beauties pack a nutritional punch while maintaining their flavor integrity through the canning process. These canned red beauties give a vibrant flavor and essential nutrients like lycopene, an antioxidant powerhouse. They’re perfect for whipping up pasta sauces, simmering soups, or adding tang to chilis.
Unlike fresh tomatoes that can turn mushy within days, canned versions maintain their texture and actually concentrate in flavor when cooked. As you cook canned tomatoes, these juices will concentrate, conferring umami-rich notes integral to building complexity in your favorite marinara or bisque. Plus, they’re available year-round at consistent quality, making them your reliable kitchen companion whether it’s peak tomato season or the dead of winter.
Protein Powerhouse: Canned Beans
Canned beans are such a kitchen workhorse. They bulk up soups and stews, they add tons of fiber and protein to everything from salads, like this hearty Southwest Cobb Salad to dips like our Sweet and Smokey Bean and Corn Dip. Black beans, kidney beans, and chickpeas (or garbanzo beans) – these three bean musketeers deserve a permanent spot in your pantry.
Yes, you probably already know and love canned beans. They’re your back-burner lover – there for you when you need them, content to sit quietly in their protein-packed cans when you don’t. The convenience factor can’t be overstated here. While dried beans require overnight soaking and hours of cooking, canned beans are ready to rock in minutes. They have to be soaked and cooked for a long time before you can eat them, and when the power goes out, and you need food right away, you’ll starve if these are the only things in your cupboard. Keeping cans of beans in the cupboard alleviates this problem. They’re pre-cooked and can be heated up on a propane stove or via a solar-powered cook pot. Because they’re soft straight out of the can, you won’t be waiting hours to eat.
Ocean’s Gift: Quality Canned Fish
That’s why canned tuna is a great pantry staple. With a simple handheld can opener, a few condiments or even an avocado, and some bread, you have a sandwich. Albacore is a popular option for its taste and some health aspects – WebMD notes, it packs higher levels of omega-3 fats – but it also boasts mercury levels three times as high in albacore as those in light tuna. Per recommendations, canned tuna should only be consumed a few times a month, but if you’re particularly concerned about mercury, light is the better option.
In the case of an emergency, it’s recommended that you have 5½ ounces of canned meat or plant protein available per day. The average can of tuna has about 5 ounces, so you get most of your recommended daily allotment with just one can of tuna. Tuna is also a source of B vitamins, including B12, omega-3 fatty acids, and an important source of vitamin D. Sardines truly are one of the superior canned fish options (and, really, when’s the last time you spotted fresh sardines at your local big-box grocery store?). If you’re not already a sardine fan, it’s time you acquainted yourself with this salty, little, versatile fish.
Creamy Essential: Coconut Milk
You guys know how much we love coconut milk – do you love it, too? A plant-based milk that turns everything it touches into silky, creamy, buttery, rich goodness – what’s not to love? Coconut milk isn’t technically a canned food (it’s usually shelf-stable in aseptic cartons), but it deserves a place on this list for its versatility and ability to transform dishes. This creamy, tropical staple adds richness and depth of flavor to curries, soups, stews, and stir-fries.
Full-fat coconut milk is an absolute must – we use it in our warm and healthy Breakfast Quinoa and it makes our Easy Cauliflower Curry so luxuriously creamy. Whether you’re creating dairy-free alternatives or simply want to elevate your cooking game, coconut milk brings restaurant-quality richness to home kitchens. For a lighter touch, use coconut milk to create flavorful poaching liquids for chicken or fish.
Broth: The Foundation Builder
Chicken, vegetable, or beef broth – these flavorful liquids are essential pantry staples. They form the base for countless soups, stews, and sauces, adding depth of flavor without the hassle of hours of simmering. Look for low-sodium broths to control your sodium intake. Soup is a natural for a quick meal in itself or as a foundation for other dishes. If you want to experiment, try a basic beef, chicken or vegetable stock and create your own masterpiece. You’ll still be saving hours over making the stock from scratch.
Quality broth transforms simple ingredients into sophisticated meals. The most fantastic thing about canned soup is that you could stock your pantry with 20 or 30 cans of the stuff and still enjoy a different meal with every single can. Not only is there an enormous number of different types of canned soup at your average grocery store, but, even with just a simple, humble can of soup like cream of chicken, there are near-endless ways to then use that single can.
Corn: The Texture Champion
Of all the canned vegetables, canned corn has mostly the same taste and texture as fresh or frozen, making it a pantry win. But there’s other good news as well. Aside from retaining its taste, it’s a long-lasting canned food. If you store canned corn at 40 F, expect it to last for five or six years. It’s a good source of vitamin A, as well as a lot of different minerals and carbohydrates. And it stars in some pretty tasty pantry-to-table recipes, like corn chowder or corn casserole. Finally, since your average can of canned corn is already cooked, you only need to heat it up in a pinch.
Canned corn adds a touch of sunshine and sweetness to any dish. While it’s a familiar addition to salads and potato salad, canned corn’s potential goes far beyond those summer staples. Creamed corn is a quick and delicious side dish, or you can use it to add richness and sweetness to chowders and stews.
Skip This: Most Canned Vegetables
It is said that canned vegetables have the same nutritional value as their fresh or frozen counterparts. Still, the taste and the texture of canned veggies are often found lacking. Many are mushy, taste bland or too salty, or are generally subpar. There’s no way canned vegetables can compare to fresh in some recipes; they tend to suffer in the texture department, becoming mushy and soggy from the brining and canning process. This can be a real turn-off for some who are particularly sensitive to textures, and it does make a difference even in cooked recipes, particularly with vegetables that I prefer to eat more on the al dente side, like green beans and carrots.
The sodium content is another major concern. When CIHR researchers tested the sodium content in various packaged foods, they found almost 30 per cent of canned vegetables exceeded maximum sodium levels. That said, the sodium content in canned vegetables varies widely, often between zero and 2,800 mg per 100 g of food. In our taste test, Kroger Leaf Spinach in a can finished last, thanks to tasting “like absolutely nothing” and having a mushy texture. Kroger’s canned spinach also has some nutritional issues to be aware of.
Skip This: Canned Pasta Dishes
Pre-cooked pasta in sauce is one of the unhealthiest canned foods. While they might be tasty meals, the reason they have that addictive flavour is due to high levels of sugar and salt. For example, canned pasta products like Heinz Alphaghetti typically contain high levels of sodium and sugar. That’s 65 per cent and 18 per cent of your recommended daily intake, respectively.
Canned pasta dishes like spaghetti or ravioli might save time, but they sacrifice quality. These meals are often loaded with sodium and sugar while offering mushy noodles that lack texture. Heinz canned spaghetti, for instance, contains 1,490 mg of sodium and 18 grams of sugar per serving, covering a large portion of your daily intake. The texture of these products resembles baby food more than restaurant-quality pasta, and the sauce often tastes artificial and overly sweet.
Skip This: Processed Canned Cheese
Appearance is a big part of the dining experience and what you see when you first open that can matters. If you get the ick straight from the jump, it’s going to be difficult to enjoy your food. Unfortunately, that’s exactly what you experience with most canned processed cheeses. On Amazon, one reviewer urged consumers to steer clear of this product, stating it was “Bland. Do not buy. I am creative, but this cheese was horrible, even for a pantry emergency stock.”
The texture and flavor of canned processed cheese products simply can’t compete with fresh alternatives. Reviewers also mentioned it was pungent and not so spreadable. These products often separate during storage, creating an unappetizing appearance that’s tough to overlook, even when you’re desperate for a quick snack.
Skip This: High-Sodium Soups
Soup is healthy, right? It has meat or beans, vegetables and broth – all what you’d consider healthy foods. However, many canned soups contain way too much salt. One study from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) shows condensed and ready-to-serve soups have some of the highest sodium levels in the Canadian packaged food industry. Canned soups are a staple in many pantries but can be surprisingly unhealthy due to their high sodium levels. A single serving of Campbell’s Condensed Tomato Soup contains 480 mg of sodium – over 20% of the daily recommended limit.
One cup of canned soup could have half your daily allotment of sodium. These popular, convenient, readily available foods have sky-high sodium (one cup of canned soup, for instance, could have half your daily allotment of sodium, for instance). While convenient, most commercial soups pack enough sodium to blow your daily limits, making homemade versions a smarter choice for regular consumption.
The canned goods aisle can be your best friend or your worst enemy, depending on what you choose. Smart shoppers know that quality canned tomatoes, beans, fish, coconut milk, broth, and corn deliver both convenience and nutrition. Meanwhile, mushy vegetables, processed pasta dishes, artificial cheese products, and sodium-heavy soups deserve to stay on the shelf. What’s your take on this pantry lineup? Share your thoughts in the comments.
