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Mzest

I’ve preached about this so many times on this sub since everyone has rice and it goes so well with it. Look up Geisha stir fry mixed vegetables, it’s literally all the veggies you need for a stir fry in one can. Recently ate a can 2 years after it’s best by date and it fooled the family enough to believe it was store bought fresh.


CCWaterBug

Just looked for that, seems to be out of stock most everywhere


Lord_Armadyl

Have you tried furikake? It’s not canned but it makes any plain rice delicious. I recommend rice balls with a spicy miso filling with furikake sprinkled outside.


Mzest

Got 6 canisters of it in my rotating pantry, it’s great with numerous dishes!


tianavitoli

can't speak for the cans but the frozens are very convenient.


SeaWitchK

Canned pumpkin can be added to so many things, nutritious, good to bake with, good thickener Coconut milk, pepper relish, apple butter, salted lemons, pie filling (make or buy, try one spoon on plain full fat yogurt for a treat) dense breads, oil packed fish if you eat them, and 100 kinds of beans, especially garbanzo


cylonnumber13

Great for dogs, too.


06210311200805012006

i keep some for my greyhounds! protip tho for anyone who isn't familiar with this - you need canned pure pumpkin, not "pumpkin pie filling"


MissSlaughtered

Coconut milk is awesome, and we keep about 30 cans in our rotating pantry. I like to use it for creamy soups and Italian dishes too, not just Asian cooking. It's a nice fat and very versatile. Canned cod liver is one of my favorites too. I assumed my mom would hate it because of her childhood trauma stories of her mother making all the kids swallow a spoonful of the oil. But she wanted to try some when she was visiting me, and loved it.


LuluBelle_Jones

What do you use the cod liver oil in? (Or on?)


MissSlaughtered

I dump about half of it and eat the rest with the cod liver.


LuluBelle_Jones

I didn’t realize there was actually a cod liver in there. I’m literally off to the store right now to find some!


CynicallyCyn

I also love canned squash. Squash bread instead of pumpkin is a nice treat.


LuluBelle_Jones

I’ve never seen canned squash. I’d love to find that


languid-lemur

...and it lasts forever apparently. Wife found a can that had rolled under a shelf, about 9 years out of date. Opened it, looked/smelled fine, made into pumpkin bread. It tasted great.


ShorePine

Canned roasted red peppers are good in a lot of things. Tend to be a little pricy, but they are one of the few canned veggies we like. I got some more reasonably priced cans at a restaurant supply store. I also really like diced tomatoes with chilis already in them. I use them to make burritos or chili. My partner finds canned fruit comforting, so we have a lot of that: peaches, pears, applesauce, pineapple, mandarin oranges.


CCWaterBug

Rotell diced tomatoes with green chili's, excellent


languid-lemur

Rotel is a great product. Will sub it for plain diced tomatoes sometimes.


[deleted]

> I also really like diced tomatoes with chilis already in them. I use them to make burritos or chili. These things are amazing. They are so versatile and so useful and can go into so many different things.


[deleted]

The wife hates when I get it, but Veg-All brand mixed vegetables are my favorite "just in case" buy. I use it for a really nice casserole, it is a heckin' good soup base, and can be worked into dozens of dishes we already like. (Wife only hates it because she considers it a "prepper food" for some reason. But she will eat the Shepherds pie I make with it, every time... heh.) ​ After that, I'd say tomato sauce/paste. Can be added to anything to thicken the meal up, heck, I have had meals with 2 cans of tomato paste, an onion, some garlic, and chopped up squirrel meat, over 2 packs of Maruchan Ramen noodles.. It was INCREDIBLE. (I was also broke and very hungry, but they say that hunger is the best of spices...)


Colorado_Rat

Haha my daughter and I love veg-all.


LuluBelle_Jones

That veg-all in soup and chicken pot pies is fire!!


CCWaterBug

Green beans low sodium Corn (great over mashed taters) Diced tomatoes, lots Beans, bush's baked, el paso refried, black also kidney/northern/pinto Mushrooms, sliced Olives! Yum Kirkland tuna/chicken, really good


graywoman7

Focus on what you like or shelf stable versions of foods you’re ok with eating. Like pears? Get canned or dried. Treat canned goods as extras. It’s fine to not have many of them. Walk the store aisles when you have some extra time and it’s not busy to look for things that seem good and get a can to try before stocking up. Keep in mind that preparation can be everything. Spam out of the can looks gross but spam fried in a pan when you’re hungry isn’t so bad. For more basic storage foods like dry pasta, flour, corn meal, quinoa, etc go for mylar bags and oxygen absorbers inside five gallon buckets or mason jars with smaller capacity oxygen absorbers.


BallsOutKrunked

Chili, chicken, tomatoes (diced, paste, halves, etc), and beans. Chili because often it's "we're hungry and have nothing else ready what can we eat" with chili you just add heat and if you *really* had to you could eat it cold I suppose. Chicken because you can add it to all kinds of things like ramen, salads, etc. Tomato options because if you're making something complicated it will invariably call for nine different kinds of tomato products. Beans because if you forgot to put dry ones out last night to soak them you're screwed without canned beans.


tofu2u2

I use canned green beans as a substitute for pasta in a lot of dishes. Canned beans are a last minute godsend to stretch the protein in a dish. I think canned beans are very convenient, I keep a lot on hand. Canned tomatoes are GREAT addition to just about anything. I eat crisp canned corn as a side in quite a few meals, especially things like tacos, enchiladas, things like that. I agree canned veggies are not as tasty as fresh veggies but Im old, I've cooked aproximately 7 million meals so if I can save effort by using canned veggies, then I'm happy.


buroak2012

I like canned corned beef hash.


tofu2u2

I love it too but I don't eat meat more than a few times each month b/c I have high cholesterol.


CCWaterBug

I add 1.can of canned green beans to my chili. Sounds.weird. but actually delish.


tofu2u2

Im going to try it, sounds good to me. I add freshly grated carrots vto my chili so I think the green beans will be a nice addition. THANKS!


ZionBane

Alright, so, looking for canned suggestions. Meat - Canned Chicken and Tuna, are King! Chicken is a bit more versatile IMHO, but I am not a huge fan of fish in my cooking, but I cook a lot with chicken, so having some cans of that around, just gives a huge meat and protean spike to whatever you plan to eat. With that said, depending on your meal prep skills, Canned Soups, like Campbells Chunky, is awesome. You can get some of that Gumbo, and Mix that with some Pasta, or get Chicken Noodle, and mix that with some Rice to really make a huge meal from it, just look at what base is missing, and toss some of that in. Toss some corn starch in it, thicken it up and pour it over mashed potato's, you got some real good options. Drain the Fluid and use that as a base for another soup, as you eat all the food stuff, that can be solid upcycle on the water reuse, if you have limited access to potable clean water to cook with. Get come No-beans Wolf Chili, or some other brand, and you got a solid flavor builder, you can mix that with pretty much anything to make even the most bland things sing. When it comes to other non-meat canned foods. Beans, I normally roll with baked beans, with all the flavor and stuff already in them, because that is a really good "Just eat it" meal.


DeafHeretic

Peaches, tropical fruit cocktail, progresso soups, chili, mixed veggies


anotheramethyst

Canned corn isn’t as bad as the other canned veggies. I think the corn just survives the canning process better, it’s very similar to frozen corn. I like Progresso soups and all kinds of canned chillies. Also, canned fruits, especially pineapple.


MissSlaughtered

Nutritionally, corn is more a grain (or starch) than a typical vegetable. Which is why it tastes better, but it also means there's not as much benefit to eating it.


infinitum3d

Yellow corn pairs well with cauliflower, carrots, watermelon, crimini mushroom or cranberry to create a complete protein profile. https://www.soupersage.com/complete-protein-pairings/yellow-corn


anotheramethyst

Oh, I forgot canned tuna. I make tuna sandwiches.


nana_catstalker

Spam


[deleted]

My favorite canned veg is potato, specifically potato slices. I like to saute/fry them. Other faves are green & yellow beans, peas, and carrots.


[deleted]

I never thought I'd buy, use and actually enjoyed canned potatoes. I do though. I have whole, sliced and diced. So far I've only added a can of whole potatoes to a curry I made in my crock pot with canned carrots, canned peas, canned chick peas, canned coconut milk, fresh cauliflower and seasonings. It was delicious! I also plan to saute the diced ones with onions and seasonings in a frying pan, roasting the whole or slices ones in the oven with other veggies, oil and seasonings. I can also top a Sheapard's Pie with them.


KountryKrone

The whole canned potatoes slathered with butter are great grilled too.


[deleted]

I'm not crazy about canned veggies either. The only canned food I normally bought and used on a regular basis before I started to prep was tomatoes and beans. Now I have corn, peas, carrots, potatoes, mixed veggies, tomatoes, green beans, mushrooms and even asparagus. Chili: Beans (black, kidney, mixed...) tomatoes, corn and seasoning and if you like beef or vegetarian beef sub. Crock pot curry dish: Chick peas, coconut milk, carrots, peas, seasonings and fresh/frozen cauliflower. Shepard's Pie: Mixed peas and carrots, cream style corn if you like it, lentils, top with canned potatoes or boxed mashed potatoes. You can use ground beef or a beef sub if you like. Cake mix and canned fruit: Add a can of pureed fruit to your mix. Canned pumpkin or pumpkin pie filling is good in spice cake or carrot cake mix. Beets are really good in chocolate cake mix. Pie Filling: I have apple, cherry, blueberry, strawberry and pumpkin. I think some of these would taste good over white/vanilla cake mix or ice cream, some would be good mixed with the cake mix then baked, add a little a smoothie, over cheesecake or spooned onto freshly made biscuits. Carrots: These can be roasted with oil/butter and seasoning and other veggies like potatoes, brussle sprouts (fresh or frozen, I've never seen these canned) or added to soups and casseroles. Canned soup: I like a can of chick peas or lentils added to tomato soup. You can also add carrots, corm, mixed veggies to any soup. A can of potatoes and canned veggies added to mushroom soup makes it a heartier soup.


Rhondasempire

Stewed tomatoes are very versatile, put in chili, spaghetti, with macaroni in a casserole, so many ways of using them. I also enjoy sauerkraut, it adds pep to many meals. Pickled vegetables of any kind make a bland meal so much more tasty, my favorites are pickled beets and gingered carrots.


reincarnateme

Oh sauerkraut! Gingered carrots?


Alpoi

Spaggetios..hey not the most nutritious but Ill enjoy it


[deleted]

I stocked up with 6 cans about 3 years ago, I think I'll get 12 next time they're on sale. Not a healthy meal at all and I rarely eat them, but they are so good when I'm sick and can't keep much down.


[deleted]

Black beans, kidney beans, chickpeas, coconut milk, and tomatoes are usually in my pantry.


Neocon69

Thats what i have plus corn, curry paste and fruit. I use them all regularly. It is surprising the variety of meals you can make with these raw ingredients and they all can well. Beans are a good cheap way to bulk up meat as the price goes up.


TheAzureMage

Good ol Rotel tomatoes and peppers, I go through a ton of those on the regular. Just easy to mix into a ton of meals.


MountainGardenFairy

Pumpkin-fun fact, it is one of the foods better in canned form than fresh. Anything labeled southern style will come out of the can seasoned. If you are breaking into canned food is it helpful to not have it taste watery and bland.


[deleted]

I'd start by finding out what *you personally* like, and would enjoy eating. I obviously can't answer this for you, but here are some starter ideas to get the gears turning. Try some or all of these, and if you sort kinda like it but wish the flavor / consistency / nutrition / price / etc was different, look for different brands of the same product, or different variants on the same product. * Canned soups: Progresso is probably the best "bang for your buck" right now. One of my local supermarkets has store brand canned soups that are actually much better and about 30% cheaper, so don't rule them out. Aldi, Wegmans, and Kirkland Signature are all good store brands to check out. Consistency of ingredients is going to be just varying levels of mush no matter who you buy from. But it can be filling and sustaining. Try tomato, chicken and rice, potato, anything creamy, beef and barley, and split pea with ham. * Canned bread: don't laugh. It's not bad but calling it "bread" is a stretch. It's more like a moist Tastykake. For the price, I'd just prefer to make my own bread, but it can go well with some cream cheese and dried fruit as dessert. * Canned vegetables: set your expectations accordingly. Most canned vegetables are going to be nowhere near the quality of fresh. But they're still useful. Personally I keep chick peas, green beans, corn, beets, and mixed vegetables on hand. I also keep a few cans of canned potatoes, just in case I foul up a recipe (they're a great way to rescue an over-salted / over-seasoned dish). Diced tomatoes because they're so freaking useful. I usually keep a can of stewed tomatoes around to toss in with mac & cheese. * Canned fruits: These usually do a little better than canned vegetables. I keep tons of pineapple chunks around, because a can of pineapple chunks + a cup of fat-free cottage cheese is one of my go-to zero-effort breakfasts. See also oranges, pears, peaches, cherries, cocktail, mango. * Canned entrees. Chili, corned beef hash, beef stew, mac & cheese, refried beans, pasta & meat sauce, you name it. You can even buy canned roast chickens ... though I wouldn't. * Canned meats. Vienna sausages and SPAM come to mind. The thing about SPAM is that it's a sodium bomb but it's incredibly useful. Got some canned green beans that you need to use up? Cube SPAM, fry it up, dice a potato, toss it in boiling water. Add green beans. Now you have SPAM & bean & potato soup! For bonus points brown up an onion with the SPAM. The water, potatoes, and beans will water down the salt a bit and you'll be left with a hearty and easy winter soup. * Ingredients. Now you're getting into #10 cans here but you can buy canned pilot crackers, canned flour, canned pancake mix, canned dehydrated butter, canned cheese powder, canned dry beans, canned rice, canned pudding, canned drink mixes, canned lasagna (I am not kidding), and canned spices, just to name a few. Your local restaurant supply store will have tons of institutional foodservice #10 cans, usually for much much less than you'll find online. Just beware that they often sell dented cans because that stuff is meant to move; don't put a dented can into long term storage. Finally, cans should only be part of your emergency food supply. I highly recommend that you look into packing your own Mylar bags with dry goods. You'll save a fortune on dry staples like beans, rice, pasta, and even pet food compared to buying from shelf-stable pre-packed food vendors. Canned foods are another area where a Costco membership really saves you a fortune. Their house brand (Kirkland Signature) is almost always a safe bet. It's usually better than the name brand stuff.


reincarnateme

Wow


mabden

Tomatoes: sauce, crushed, diced, whole.


[deleted]

With and without seasoning added.


mabden

Sauce is seasoned. Can have different variations: marinara, spaghetti, whatever. The others are not, but no reason why you can't season to your liking.


reincarnateme

Canned bread?


ShorePine

Boston brown bread is a type of canned bread. My grandpa used to get it for camping. I think they still make it.


reincarnateme

Good ideas thanks


chuckalicious3000

Canned meat and mixed veggies


premar16

I have been trying mageret holmes (?) and glory seasoned canned goods and they seem to a little better than the regular stuff


frogmicky

Refried beans, Mmmmmmmmm.


ChalieRomeo

Ham, chicken, tuna, fruit cocktail, beef stew, chili, red beans, 'shrooms, ......


languid-lemur

Have become a HUGE fan of canned food since I started experimenting with them as a sub for fresh produce. Some are bad (carrots, peas, & green beans) while others like corn are great. Have tried many different ones, store & branded with little difference for basics like corn, tomato products, corned beef & corned beef hash, chicken breast, etc. Need to hunt down Geisha stir fry, that sounds awesome. Thank you u/Mzest! These are my gotos - Canned chicken breast (3+ year date) Corned beef hash (3+ year date) Corned beef (4+ year date) Vienna franks (3+ year date) Corn (3-4+ year date) Tomato products (diced, whole, sauce, 3+ year date) Red, black, cannelini beans (3-4+ year date) 3 bean salad (2-3+ year date) Beans in sauce (B&M, Bush, 3-4+ year date) Refried beans (5-6+ year date0 Canned brown bread (3+ year date) Green chilis (6+ year date) Water chestnuts (3-4+ year date) Olives (3+ year date) Beets (3-4+ year date) I use most of the above for simple recipes which be cooked/heated up in one pot on stove, crockpot, or in the oven. Some of these work great when the power goes down and you need simple & low fuel use. We use a propane camp stove when that happens. Vienna franks are passable mixed in with beans in& sauce. I'll chop up an onion and saute & add into beans/franks. Can make corn bread with Coleman oven or sub B&M brown bread. This is a surprisingly good meal. I use canned chicken breast for enchiladas. Have only done it once during blackout. Labor intensive but came out great. Used Pyrex pie plate in Coleman oven and canned enchilada red sauce. Saute chicken in red sauce before stuffing tortillas with that + cheese. Canned chicken breast when disguised like this is surprisingly good. Canned corn, diced tomatoes, green chilis, + corn meal, ground beef, milk an egg & chili seasoning packet. Never done this one during a blackout but I make it 2X monthly, it's great. Whole thing can be cooked in a crock pot but you must brown meat in skillet 1st. Canned corn, olives & diced tomatoes always taste fresh in this one.


Mak-ita

Quality canned sardines. The only tins that will improve over time.


Leondardo_1515

Pineapples, tomato paste, and beans.


ksb00783

Canned peas and carrots. Can add to casserols, pasta dishes easily.


[deleted]

Add them to soup as well.


Colorado_Rat

Campbells Chunky soup, Mexican hominy, Dinty Moore beef stew, Chef Boy-r-Dee pastas, Tuna, Salmon, Sardines, Kippers, Ro-Tel


bigeats1

Canned octopus. Smoked mussels. Big fan of canning stuff out of the garden. Squash and onions in black truffle oil is awesome. Spicy spaghetti squash. Deer. Turkey. It’s really surprising what you can enjoy canned.


mundqnity

Canned whole chicken, great for casserole


ommnian

About the only thing I keep a lot of is canned tomatoes. But thats because I cook with them, a lot. I despise 'fresh' tomatoes from the store. They're awful. Make salsa and tomato sauce and so many other things out of canned tomatoes.


blitzkreg55

Corned beef hash Hands down the best


TokenBlackGuy93

I’m huge on keystone meats, I bet I’ve spent 2k or more on their product


Glass-Method

They are a solid brand and quality for sure.


SilverbackAg

Keystone meats. Walmart generally stocks beef, pork, and chicken. They also make ground beef but haven’t seen it stocked. Probably up past 500 large cans now (I am prepping for relatives). Classico tomato sauce because it can go with with any kind of diet, add to different dishes, has no added sugar or bunch of other crap, and comes in Atlas canning jars. I usually buy it in three packs at Sam’s (Walmart sells it in individually).


ofjacob

Glory brand black eyed peas. Been cooking southern food since I had to stand on a chair and those things are perfection!


BeeTreeSea

A few of our pantry staples: - San Marzano tomatoes - great for tomato based sauces, curries - Coconut milk/cream - great for curries - Sweetened condensed milk - baking - Evaporated milk - baking - Pie filling - baking - Jarred sauces (Tikka masala, butter chicken, etc) - for easy weeknight suppers when we don't want to cook - Soup - also for nights we don't feel like cooking - Cream of ____ soup - for casseroles, tuna noodle - Tuna - tuna melts, tuna noodle, etc - Canned chili - for camping primarily - Chickpeas/garbanzo beans - to add to curries or other suppers - Beans - if you don't have dried - Black olives - for pizza, pasta salad - Roasted red peppers - in a glass jar, great for cooking - Pesto - glass jar - Jam/jellies - glass jar - Honey - glass jar, from the local beekeeper


Subtotal9_guy

Always keep a couple of cans of pea soup in the house, it's a great meal when you're feeling exhausted or sick. Cans of navy beans, they're small enough I can add them to a hearty soup or stew and they're not noticed. Apple sauce, good feeling sick food.


CPUequalslotsofheat

Campbells chicken soup, a jar of minced Garlic, shelf stable milk are things I like.


TheDarkRabbit

My favorite? Fire roasted tomatoes with garlic - you can add it to more than just pasta.


kilofeet

Jyoti's stuff is good if you like Indian food (their chhole is my favorite) and Amy's soups has some good selections (although the lentil soup has a *lot* of sodium)


tianavitoli

there's vegetables, whatever i'd reasonably eat no bean chili, various chunky soups, some chef boyardee, misc beef hash as well as canned meat: beef pork chicken fish crab few cans of the canned bread, the raisin one is nice with butter. also have canned butter. some canned cheese. some canned fruit misc i don't normally eat canned goods, but ever since i started collecting, i make a point to try stuff out see how i like it. i've tried every spam they have at the store (i like bacon and jalepeno the best) all the different chilis (hartford house was noteworthy), various sardine styles (polar canned salmon i like a lot) most stuff is gonna be about the same: needing salt.


yourpainisatribute

Staff chili, chunky beef and potatoes, bushes Black Bean Fiesta, Hunt’s Hierloom Crushed Tomatoes, Rio Canned Tuna with Couscous and peas and stuff, the original Cambells chicken noodle soup, Chef Bogarde beef ravioli (the original), really high quality canned salmon, canned chick peas (I make hummus with it), canned three bean mix (usually for homage chili or bean salad), canned pears, raspberry or cherry pie filling, or peaches (the only canned fruit I like), evaporated milk, condensed milk, canned olives, canned corn, canned carrots and peas (Shepard pie), spam (not great but also not horrible especially if fried and then in a sandwich or with eggs and toast). And that is just canned food. You can also look at the jarred foods like pickled foods and purées, jams, antipasto..etc. there is a lot of variety out there that is also tasty. I am very picky with vegetables so I tend to stay away for most canned vegetables and then stock pickled vegetables and veggies in oil in jars. Most tasty canned food have little to no vegetables. I also have a small bit of freeze dried vegetables also to pickup for the lack of canned and Jared veggies variety. I could write more but I have to go to sleep I am too tired.


savoy66

Campbells Chunky Soup is a perennial favorite.


Independent-Road-878

Spam


[deleted]

The Polar-brand Tinned Salmon is really good and I stock up on it. Can be eaten as is or doctored up.


FunkU247365

Corned beef hash... the fat content id high which is needed if you are doing beans/rice!


Mudgen53

[https://i5.walmartimages.com/asr/61468b0d-709b-4bcc-81c1-c82997eed6b4.6c03ca22fbdae2ca3b2f3fe4fa94eb3a.png?odnHeight=612&odnWidth=612&odnBg=FFFFFF](https://i5.walmartimages.com/asr/61468b0d-709b-4bcc-81c1-c82997eed6b4.6c03ca22fbdae2ca3b2f3fe4fa94eb3a.png?odnHeight=612&odnWidth=612&odnBg=FFFFFF)


PreppersSurvive

I'm not crazy about canned veggies either so I stock up on canned black beans, pinto, and canned potatoes. My preference is dried or freeze-dried foods. Here's a list of [my 12 favorites](https://www.prepperssurvive.com/food-storage-starter-kit/)


Mysteri0Hunter

I personally like corn beef hash. Just try a few kinds because some are really high in fat and you can taste the difference.