Canned Food?

[EmberSanja]

I'm trying to devise some recipes to make and I'm wondering if canned foods (like peas, beans, etc) are okay to use in recipes. They're already cooked, so they'd be a time saver, but I don't know about the sodium and whatever else. Obviously you can rinse them but how much of that stuff has soaked in, you know??

Thank you for any and all answers! :jumping40

 

[SilverSage]

I would encourage you to go for fresh food whenever possible, and frozen after that rather than canned. Even aside from sodium and metal content, canning is one of the least effective ways to preserve nutrients.

 

[LeaKP]

Frozen is great - an added plus is when it's super hot you give them a few frozen peas and carrots and you are a hero!

 

[EmberSanja]

Thank you both! I'll be going to the store in an hour or two to get fresh, and I'll be using some frozen as well. Canned is out!

 

[Kiwibird]

Avoid the store bought variety (added sugar and preservatives), but if you have a home dehydrator, dehydrated fruit and veg is also great for them.

 

[Scott]

The only canned food used for chop are garbanzo beans, as they don't freeze well. I buy organic in BPA-free cans* and thoroughly rinse to eliminate as much sodium as possible.


*I've heard the non-BPA liners aren't much better.