Fresh or canned? You might think you could taste the difference in recipes but in taste tests, fruit smoothies, bean burritos, and other popular recipes got high marks for flavor, appearance, aroma, and texture whether they were made from fresh, frozen, or canned ingredients. Nutritionally speaking, studies show, they’re about the same, too. Both fresh and canned veggies lose some B vitamins and vitamin C when cooked. The key to nutrition is proper storage, handling, and cooking.
Stock up for canned convenience during National Canned Food Month.
- For less sodium: “no-salt-added” vegetables, soups, stews
- For fruit and vegetable variety: blueberries, mandarin oranges, mango, papaya, pumpkin, okra, soybeans, different beans (legumes), precut tomatoes, turnip greens, others
- For omega-3s: albacore tuna, anchovies, mackerel, salmon, sardines
- For less added sugar: fruit in natural juice
- For less fat: tuna in spring water
- For more flavor: pasta sauces, soups, vegetables, fruit—seasoned with herbs, spices, chilies, or other flavor ingredients
Winter Gazpacho
- 1 141⁄2-ounce can chicken broth, preferably reduced sodium or Italian seasoned
- 1 141⁄2-ounce can diced “pasta-ready” tomatoes, undrained
- 1 8-ounce can zucchini in tomato sauce
- 2 ounces (about 1 cup) torn day-old Italian or French bread
- 1 15- to 151⁄2-ounce can chickpeas (garbanzo beans), rinsed and drained
- Freshly ground black pepper
In a medium saucepan, bring broth and tomatoes to a boil. Stir in zucchini with sauce and bread. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring to mash bread into the soup. Bread will become very soft and will nearly dissolve to thicken the soup. Stir in chickpeas and simmer 1 minute or until heated through. Season to taste with pepper. Makes 4 servings.
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