The warm weather is finally here. In fact we’ve been having a heat wave here in New York with temperatures of 90 degrees or more (blah!).
The warmer temperatures are ideal for hanging out by the pool, heading off to the beach, picnicking and backyard barbecues. The temperatures also mean fresh fruits and vegetables will be in abundance at grocery stores and farmers markets, making the prices drop dramatically from what they sell for throughout the year. Now is the time to stock up on fresh fruits and veggies and freeze them, or can them, for the rest of the year.
People have been canning foods since the early 1800’s as a way of preserving foods. Canned goods can have a shelf life of one to five years.
Canned foods sometimes get a bad reputation. Eating fresh from the garden vegetables and fruits is certainly the best option, especially raw. However that is not always an option for most families.
I buy a lot of fresh fruits and vegetables. I love that my kids enjoy them, but there are times that things go to waste because they go bad before my family can eat them. I must waste hundreds of dollars a year on fresh fruits and veggies that go bad before we can use them. That is why I tend to keep a lot of canned goods in my pantry. That way I know that I have the vegetables or fruits that I need for my recipes, especially when the fresh variety is not available to me. And let’s face it, canned foods are often less expensive than their fresh counter parts.
Back in 1997 the University of Illinois Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition found that canned vegetables and fruits provide the same dietary fiber and vitamins as fresh foods. In some cases canned foods provided even more. Take for example canned pumpkin. Canned pumpkin (my dog LOVES canned pumpkin) provides consumers with 540% of their recommended daily intake of Vitamin A. If you consumed a fresh pumpkin it would provide you with only 26%. I honestly don’t know why that is. I found this information while researching canned goods.
Did you know that fruits and vegetables start to lose vitamins the moment they are picked? Often fresh fruits sit in warehouses for days, or can be in transit for weeks, before they make their way to your local grocery store. The next time you go shopping inquire as to where the fruits and veggies came from. You’d be surprised to know that many come from South America which means they have been in transit for a while. That means a lot of valuable nutrition has been lost. That is why it’s much better to purchase from a local farmers market. The foods you find there have only been picked a day or two earlier and therefore have more nutritional value. Not only that it’s better for the local economy and it saves our planet from unnecessary fuel use.
Often fresh fruits and vegetables are picked and harvested before the food is even ripe. When it comes to canned foods the fruits and vegetables they are normally processed within hours of being harvested. That helps them to retain and preserve more vitamins than fresh foods.
I know that the sodium content of canned foods is a concern for many. Trust me, it’s a concern for me too. The last thing I want to do is serve my family foods high in sodium. We don’t even use salt. We season only with pepper or garlic pepper. Some canned foods might be high in sodium (always read the label) but these days most canned goods have had their sodium content significantly reduced. Not only that you can easily find canned foods that are low in salt, no salt, low in sugar and made with no sugar. I always buy low salt/no salt or low sugar/no sugar when I buy canned foods when available.
Canned foods are a staple in many pantries across the country, not only in homes but also in food banks too. Canned foods have a long shelf life so you can take advantage of great sales and stock up on your favorite foods. Canned foods are often inexpensive which helps when you have a budget you must stick to.
I cannot wait for the day we have a house and more storage space so I can take advantage of great sales and stock up. For now I’m limited by the amount of room I have available in our pantry or cabinets.
I am participating in a campaign called Cans Get You Cooking. Over the next several months I’ll be sharing with readers my favorite recipes that utilize canned foods as well as more information about canned goods.
Cans Get You Cooking has set up some pages that I think my readers would enjoy. First of all you should check out their YouTube channel where you’ll find a lot of great recipes, tips and more. My personal favorite is the Grilling Sides video where I learned how to make a frozen treat using canned peaches and yogurt. It looks so good and I cannot wait to try it out with my family.
If you want more recipes you should check out the Cans Get You Cooking Pinterest pin boards. Not only will you find recipes but you’ll also find craft ideas made with cans, storage solutions and more.
Lastly there is the Cans Get You Cooking Facebook page. There you’ll also find recipes, tips, information and much more.
Do you cook with canned foods? What is your favorite canned foods to buy and keep on hand? Do you have a favorite recipe that uses canned goods? Feel free to comment and let me know.
Kimberly
*I am participating in a blogger campaign and received a gift card to shop for canned goods. There was no other compensation. The opinions expressed are my own unless otherwise noted.
Denise Taylor-Dennis says
My canned favorite is green beans. I am certainly not opposed to canned foods they can be time savers.
Sandy Cain says
Nice post. That is bizarre about the canned pumpkin having so much more nutrients than the fresh. I think I heard that often canned foods are processed when perfectly ripe, and thus the nutrients are preserved, rather than spending days (or more?) waiting to be shipped to market, and then sitting on shelves, losing their vitamins, etc.
Tammy S says
We buy a lot of canned fruits & veggies. I like having them around for quick and easy meals. I get tired of throwing out fresh fruits and veggies because they spoil before we get to them. Canned goods can save you time and money.
Christian Alejandro says
Awesome campaign! Keep up the good work!!!