Canned Foods: Main Reasons to Buy It
Soups and meals in cans have made life so much easier. Now you can get back from work without the constant worry floating in your mind – what to cook for dinner? Yes, it’s indeed better if you can cook fresh but convenience doesn’t harm anyone. In addition, contrary to somewhat popular belief that canned foods are unhealthy, we bring you a whole list of reasons as to why you should actually buy them. Read on.
Top 10 Reasons to Buy Canned Food
1. It has withstood the test of quality
Canned food may have become more popular in the last few decades but did you know that it’s been around almost since the 19th century? This puts a seal of trust and reliability on it. Also, the whole process of canning food items procured from the fields or the sea is super hygienic and tested for quality assurance at various stages. In fact, most propagators of canned food argue that meals when sealed in the can tend to retain their freshness and nutrition content longer.
2. It is convenient and saves time
We love seafood, pulses, vegetables, basically everything that is healthy and edible. But more often than not, we lack the time to soak pulses in a hurry to get to work, or clean and cut fish in a hurry to attend an important meeting. In all these cases, canned varieties come in real useful. Not to forget, they are real saviors when guests come unexpected. Keeping a few stocked at home always comes in handy to serve more number of people.
3. It’s less messy
Cooking meat, or even vegetables for that matter, is not without a mess created in the kitchen. Chopping vegetables, especially leafy ones, leaves a lot of clutter behind to clear up. Again, for someone who loves cooking, this isn’t too much of a pain. However, for time-deprived like us, adding canned tomato purees to curries, casseroles, and mince beef is far more convenient and less messy too.
4. It gives a healthy start to the day
For people who prefer cereal, granola, or porridge for morning breakfast can enjoy some tasty and healthy canned fruits on top of their meals. Not only would it boost the health value of the very first meal of your day, it’s far more time-saving than cutting, peeling, or chopping fruits yourself!
5. It’s perfect to satisfy short hungers between meals
This one is for kids at home. No matter how much you feed them and when, they seem to be always hungry within an hour or two. Needless to say, do we always have the time to stay in the kitchen forever? No, right? Just pour in canned soup in a bowl, heat it up and serve those hungry tots; this would keep them happy for a while and is also a healthier substitute to snacking on cookies, fries, and the like.
6. It’s easy to afford and readily available
You get them in all convenience stores and supermarkets. They are easily accessible when you need them, like the guest emergencies mentioned earlier, and they’re cheaper options than ordering in or dining out.
7. It’s the best first food for your baby
New moms would love this. Canned foods are packed with all the essential nutrients that your baby needs when it first starts eating. They also come in a lot of varieties in terms of flavor to suit different tastes. Plus, you’ll find everything you need – mashed potatoes, pureed fruit, and even juices. Perfect option for working moms.
8. It has better shelf life
Most home cooks would agree with this. While cooking, we tend to use half a tomato or onion for the dish, and leave the remaining half in the fridge to use the next time. And then, we forget about it, like forever! A few days later, the tomato goes bad and we end up feeling bad about all the food waste we unintentionally become a party to. With canned food, this issue is sorted. These packs and cans usually promise a longer shelf life than fresh fruits and greens. Most of them come without preservatives too, so you can be rest assured.
9. It offers larger choices
You can now say goodbye to preparing everyday menus for dinner, or worrying about what to cook for the next meal. Canned foods come in large varieties, large enough to keep your taste buds happy for at least the whole week. And then you can choose a different set for the next week in your weekend groceries. So you’re all sorted and covered.
10. It cares for the environment
Cans are recyclable, so that’s where they score one up over storing and using food from plastic containers. Most of these cans are made of recycled steel, which can be recycled again! What’s more, even the labels can be chucked away in the paper recycling bag. So a healthier environment assured with a healthy you.
The Canning Process
While a lot has been said about the pros of buying and storing canned food, let’s take a look at the actual method that goes into its preparation.
Step 1 – Processing
Canned food is essentially processed, but not without retaining its nutritional value. The food is procured fresh from farms or sea (depending on veggies or meat). It is then carefully peeled, sliced, chopped, diced, boned, shelled, or cooked – all under hygienic conditions.#
Step 2 – Sealing
The food is then tightly sealed in air-tight containers, which guarantees its freshness, nutrient retention, and higher shelf life.
Step 3 – Heating
The sealed cans are then heated to kill all harmful bacteria, generally present in fresh food, and also to prevent chances of easy spoiling. Canned food can therefore last for up to 5 years or longer.
Takeaway
With so many advantages up its alley, canned food is a big yes-yes for most of us craving for tasty, healthy and time-saving options. Go ahead and stock up!