Canned Food Cooking Tips and Hints

Some foodies may look down their noses at commercially-canned foods, but recent studies show that canned foods are just as nutritional, if not moreso, than fresh foods. They can also be a lifesaver for those with little time to cook a nutritious meal. With the potential of a national disaster occuring at any time due to weather or earth movement, it's good to keep your pantry stocked with either commercially or home-canned foods.

Canned Food Tips and Hints

• Be sure to examine canned foods before consuming. If the can is dented, misshapen, or leaking, do not purchase. Bulging cans are an indication of spoilage and should not be used.

• Dispose of potential spoiled canned goods in a manner to prevent consumption by other people or animals.

• For cans not date-stamped by the manufacturer, use a permanent marker to date your canned goods and use older cans first. Canned foods can last 1 to 2 years when properly stored.

• Although it is not harmful to store food in an open can in the refrigerator for a day or so, it is still a better idea to store leftover canned goods in a glass or plastic covered container. The can can impart a metallic taste to the food.

• Remember that canned foods have already been cooked once, so do not overcook them.

• The liquid also includes nutrients, so rather than draining and adding water, use the canning liquid, especially in soups and stews.

• Fruits packed in their own juices are a better choice than those with syrups.

More about Canned Foods and Canned Food Recipes:

• Are fresh foods more nutritious than canned? - FAQ
• Canned Food Cooking Tips
• Can Sizes and Equivalents
• Deciphering Expiration Dates
• Canned Food and Health
• Canning and Preserving Resources
• Canned Food Recipes
_{Canned Food Photo © 2008 Peggy Trowbridge Filippone, licensed to About.com, Inc.}