Relying more on canned foods, which come pre-cleaned, chopped and cooked, and easily portioned, can help you quickly assemble delicious and nutritious meals. But as evidenced by a recent consumer survey*, Americans are unsure of the benefits canned foods bring to the table.

Consider these 5 key facts about canned foods …

  1. Canned Food Offers Sound Nutrition to Help Americans Achieve Nutrient Needs Canned food is filled with important nutrients, including fiber, protein, and vitamins and minerals essential for a healthy diet. Yet less than half (42%) of Americans surveyed realize the nutrients in canned food count toward meeting the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) dietary recommendations.
  2. Canned Food Offers Comparable Nutrition to Fresh and Frozen Research shows canned foods offer comparable nutrients to their fresh or frozen counterparts. They are also rated highly when it comes to prep time, cutting down on waste, and taste! Additional research demonstrates that recipes prepared with canned ingredients rated the same or better in terms of taste and nutrition compared to those using fresh or frozen ingredients.
  3. You Can Enjoy Canned Foods While Watching Sodium Intake Canned food contributes less than 1% of the sodium in consumers’ diets and there are more no-salt-added, low- and reduced-sodium options on grocery shelves than ever before. A quick drain and rinse can further reduce the sodium content by 41%.
  4. Canned Foods are Minimally Processed Canned foods are considered minimally processed foods. After being cleaned, peeled, chopped and trimmed, as necessary, foods are cooked in the can to lock in nutrients and flavor.
  5. Steel Cans are Among the Safest Forms of Food Packaging Steel cans are strong, tamper-resistant and feature an airtight seal to help guard against foodborne illness and contamination. In addition, steel cans are the most recycled food package.

Canned Foods Help Close Nutrient Gaps
The typical American diet falls short of several key nutrients. But there is good news! Canned foods offer a convenient, cost-effective path to better nutrition.

*Canned Food Alliance telephone survey (landline and mobile numbers) of 1,007 American adults by CARAVAN® Survey, April 4-7, 2013. Margin of error +/- 3.1%

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