Why is it that canned foods get a bad reputation? Sure, eating fresh-from-the-garden fruits and veggies is always the best option, but it’s not always feasible. I think there is also a misconception that canned foods contain a lot of chemicals to keep it fresh, or are high in sodium, which is not always the case.
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. Sadly I toss out a lot of fruits and veggies each week that go bad before we can finish eating them. That drives me nuts! I can’t even imagine how much money we waste on foods that go bad before we have the chance to enjoy them.
I love having canned goods on hand to help when I need to whip up a quick meal. Canned foods are often inexpensive too which helps when you have a budget you must stick to.
You can used canned foods in a variety of recipes. You can enjoy the foods “as is” (straight from the can) or toss them into other recipes for quick and easy meals.
Check out this great video from Cans Get You Cooking that tells you a little more about canned foods.
I like the part where she says that even gourmet chefs use canned foods. Plus I also enjoy using canned goods so I don’t have to do a lot of cutting and dicing as mentioned in the video.
I always keep plenty of canned goods on my pantry shelves. They are not only great to use in recipes but also good to have on hand during power outages. I also like that my kids can whip up easy after school meals using canned goods found in our pantry.
Here are a few of my favorite, easy to make recipes that utilize canned goods.
Lentils & Pasta
- 2 cans of Lentil Soup (I use Progresso)
- 1 can of mushrooms (optional – I happen to LOVE mushrooms!)
- 1 jar of spaghetti sauce 1 box of a small sized pasta garlic, salt & pepper to taste
Directions: Cook pasta according to the directions on the box. After it’s cooked, drain out the water and return the pasta to the pot. Add in the two cans of Lentil soup, a whole jar of spaghetti sauce and garlic, salt and pepper to taste (I normally use garlic and garlic pepper). Warm it up until hot.
I normally serve this with slices of mozzarella cheese.
This meal is super quick, easy, affordable and tasty. The lentils and the pasta make it very filling. My husband and son especially love it when I make this. My husband loves it the next day too. He says it actually tastes better the following day.
I can also whip up a stew quickly and easily with canned goods. I try and use fresh whenever possible but if I don’t have what I need on hand I go with canned goods. My family, especially my daughter, love canned potatoes. Canned broth is always great to keep on hand to add to meals (I love making rice with chicken broth…yummy!)
Another recipe my family loves is made with canned beets.
Beets
- 1-2 cans of beets
- Balsamic or flavored vinegar to taste
- A dash of Olive Oil (optional)
- Garlic Salt & Pepper to taste
Directions: Drain the can (or cans) of beets, eliminating the juice. Pour the beets into a bowl. Add Balsamic or flavored vinegar to taste (I use about a cup er can usually). Add a dash of Olive Oil (optional) and then season with garlic, salt and pepper to taste.
Currently I make this recipe with Raspberry vinegar and it’s really good!
My mother in law used Olive Oil with her beets. I don’t always use it that is why it’s optional.
This is another fast, easy, inexpensive and tasty dish made using canned goods.
If you would like a little inspiration on what you can make with canned foods check out the Cans Get You Cooking Pinterest page www.Pinterest.com/CansGetUCooking.
You can also check out the Cans Get You Cooking on Facebook and on YouTube. On their YouTube page there are some great recipes as well.
Do you keep a lot of canned goods in your pantry? What is your favorite recipe (or recipes) that you make using canned goods? Feel free to comment. I’m always on the look out for new recipes to try out with my family.
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.
I don’t but my dad does. He never used to cook when he worked and he’s elderly now, so great for him. I eat a lot of raw things from the Farmer’s Market. He doesn’t have that so canned works great for him.
We use cans alot when the garden isnt producing. We always have soups for the winter!
i even like canned pumpkin better than fresh pumpkin
I love Progesso Lentil soup and had no idea you could be creative with it, I love this recipe. I’ll have to watch for recipes with cans more often – I have plenty and I sometimes wonder what to do with them besides the obvious!
We live in a rural area and there’s not always fresh produce that is worth buying by the time it has traveled to us. So I buy a lot of canned food. I especially enjoy canned beans they are as good as home cooked to me
i do like to keep canned goods on hand, like you say they have a long shelf life and are less expensive. one of my favorite recipes is for salmon patties. you just remove the bones from the salmon, add an egg, a few crushed saltines and a little oil. mix together with your hands and form patties. cook on the stovetop until light brown. i usually serve these with peas.