Frugal Village Forums banner

Do you buy any canned vegetables?

6K views 42 replies 35 participants last post by  lisaflex 
#1 ·
I confess I don't but I'm feeling the need for long-term storage. I've tried different varieties of canned green beans and find them disgusting. DD doesn't eat peas and I find the canned ones to be awful (even the special little "French" ones). I might experiment with canned carrots for soups or add-ins. I've never tried canned potatoes. That just seems like a waste of shelf space. Any thoughts?
 
#5 ·
I don't have any on-hand but generally its only canned tomatoes or canned corn. Oh and sauerkraut, black olives, and I think that's it. I really prefer frozen except for those items. I don't mind canned fruit but its not my favorite.
 
#9 ·
After asking, I looked on-line for a list of what canned veggies were available:

asparagus - no, no one here would eat those
green beans - no. I might look to see if I can get "Italian" beans which are broad and flat. We live those frozen and if they taste okay canned, that is a possibility.
beets - I'm the only one who would eat these
corn - DD hates it but I could incorporate this into soups and bread. DD likes the baby Oriental corn cobs.
spinach - nope, not happening
tomatoes - I use this a lot in many different forms
carrots - possible. I need to buy a can and try them out
wax beans - possible. I know I hate canned green beans but I personally love bean salad. I'm the only one who would eat this, though
beans of all forms: kidney, pinto, black, etc - I don't really think of these as a vegetable but I stock them
garbanzo beans - I love these and will sneak them into dishes. Hubby and DD aren't thrilled
mushrooms - DD hates mushrooms in all forms, I love them, hubby prefers to not have them
ripe olives - very do-able
artichoke hearts - I have to test this one out on DD and hubby. Since they are packed in oil they can be very worthy in survival storage
chili peppers / pimentos - need these
bamboo shoots - yes
water chestnuts - yes
hominy - no

Now I have to figure out what fruits I'm going to stock up on.
 
#13 ·
Grew up eating canned veggies so for me they taste fine. However the canned carrots I purchased were horrible. Still have two more cans which I will probably puree to add to a soup or something like that. You can buy low sodium canned veggies or pour the can of veggies in a strainer and rinse under running water to help remove the extra salt.

Right now I have canned pineapple, artichoke hearts packed in water, canned carrots, beets, mushrooms, olives. I used to have canned beans and peas but can't eat them now. Will probably pick up some canned mandarin oranges for the winter. I like to make a fruit salad with canned pineapple, a cut up apple, and grapes or bananas. It is a cheap and easy way to eat your fruit in the winter time. Plus if I get tired of it I can throw it in a blender and add some frozen fruit and have a smoothy.

Like to have a couple of canned items on hand since you never know what might happen from a power outage to an unforseen expense. Main thing is to purchase what you WILL eat. No sense in buying items that will never get used.
 
#14 ·
I like frozen but had a lot of canned growing up, so, like another poster, they don't taste awful to me. Actually, they taste like totally different vegetables. I do keep some in the pantry.

Tomatoes - lots and lots. I buy the stewed ones, either to just eat or when I cook with them, the added seasonings don't matter.
Green beans - if I'm in a real hurry
Corn, kernal and cream - I use a can of each as ingredients in a quick skillet dish
Peas - rarely. I will eat them, but I really, really prefer frozen green peas
Kidney beans - also for use in a quick skillet dish
Olives - sometimes
Fruit: pineapple tidbits, mandarin oranges, peaches, apricots

I don't use canned potatoes, and canned carrots just sound like they would nasty. We never had those growing up.
 
#15 ·
I buy canned all the time. All different types of beans - kidney, black, garbanzo, Cannellini - almost any type. Then green beans, tomatoes, whole kernel corn, turnip greens, green peas but only Lesueur brand. Canned yams sometimes, too. I have one winter soup recipe that calls for canned potatoes but other than that, I don't use them or care for them. No canned carrots or squash. Disgusting to me. And I actually prefer some canned fruits over fresh, but frozen is OK, too.

CL, I have found that draining and rinsing my canned vegetables thoroughly and then adding my own fresh water and seasonings helps the taste immensely. Even chopped turnip greens...I drain then toss in pot, fill with water, use one of those screen things that keeps grease from splattering to drain...do that a couple of times to get that tinny and briney taste out. Then add fresh water to heat with my seasonings.
(oops! just read shoiji's recommendations for rinsing but I'll second her motion.) :)
 
#16 ·
CL, I did my pantry inventory just a couple of days ago. On my third shelf, I have most of my canned goods although a few are stored in the garage. Here's my 3rd shelf list:
Tomato Sauce 8 oz 9
Tomato Paste 1
Sliced Ripe Olives 1
Chopped Green Chilis 2
Crushed Pineapple 8 oz 3
Crushed Pineapple 20 oz 1
Water Chestnuts 5
Chopped Pimentos Large 2
Chopped Pimentos Small 1
Sweetened Condensed Milk 3
Evaporated Milk 1
Whole Kernel Corn 3
Bush's Baked Beans 1
Blackeyed Peas 1
Green Beans 4
Beef Broth 14 oz 2
Beef Broth 32 oz 1
Chicken Broth 32 oz 1
Kidney Beans 1
Black Beans 4
LeSeuer Peas 2
Chipotle Chicken Chili 1
Cream Mushroom Soup 13 oz 2
Cream Mushroom Soup 26 oz 1
Cannellini Beans 1
Lima Beans 1
Butter Beans 1
Fire Roasted Tomatoes 1
Diced Tomatoes 8
Diced Tomatoes 28 oz 1
Bush's Chili Beans 2
Spaghetti Sauce 3
Tomatoes w/ Basil, garlic, and
oregano 1
Pumpkin 29 oz 1
Pumpkin 15 oz 1
Rotel Chili Fixins 1
Tuna 4
Chicken Breast 1
Turnip Greens 3

So yeah. I buy canned veggies and other stuff. :)
 
  • Like
Reactions: NikoSan999
#19 ·
some things are like, why bother? like canned carrots. Fresh are so much better. Beets, ditto.

We get canned vegetables from the senior commodity program, so we have some we wouldn't buy. The canned carrots they give us, we puree and add to pasta sauce.

In the "Fun with Foods" category, canned potato slices (Another why bother, but they give them to us) - if you fry them in oil on a hot griddle, they are not only palatable but will flip themselves over!
 
#20 ·
We used to buy creamed corn, I used it a lot (see my corn cheese soup recipe in the cook book as the why). Because of GMO corn, I intend to use the last of the frozen/canned corn I have and then grow organic heirloom corn next year and make my own creamed and frozen corn. Aside from that I use some whole canned tomatoes, have some marinated artichoke hearts and canned beans. Beans are another I intend to grow & can my own next year. I froze 3 types of beans this year: traditional green beans, roma beans, and shell beans.
 
#21 ·
A few things, like creamed corn which is a PITA to make, and canned pumpkin for certain recipes where fresh is too watery. Also buy tomatoes and beans of various kinds. Once in a rare while I use condensed milk, coconut milk, or canned pineapple.
 
#24 ·
Hmm. odd (wo)man out here, I guess (hardly the first time) but as much as I like fresh and frozen vegetables, I also like canned. Especially if I'm moody/hormonal... all that "bad" salt is yummy at times like that. Like some PPs, I grew up with canned, so it's familiar, and I agree with them that it's a totally different taste, basically a different food with (sometimes) similar nutritional properties. And, it's nice to have in the pantry for "what if the power goes out for a long, long time?" worries.

asparagus - occasionally, like once every year or two, if I'm in the right mood... you find they tend to leave too much "woody" stalk on, which is yucky
green beans - prefer frozen, but heat up canned with some diced onion and chicken bouillon (drain the canning liquid and add water) and it tastes like the ones at KFC--DH loves those-- can get the same effect with frozen/fresh, but have to boil a long time.
beets - rarely, have to be in the mood-- will ONLY eat canned, never fresh or frozen
corn - PREFER canned... baby corn, too
spinach - have been known to eat cold, from the can, using chopsticks...
tomatoes - yep. Have 7 cans in the pantry now, not including pasta sauce
carrots - I don't ever buy them, but will eat them if they're served
wax beans - no. icky. Only like these as part of a pretty blend you buy frozen.
beans of all forms: prefer to cook from dried (cheaper) but keep a few cans for short-cuts
garbanzo beans - only used for hummus, and start from dried... love them on a salad bar, though
mushrooms - DD5 obsesses over canned mushrooms, we buy by the case
olives - black for cooking, and occasionally green for snacking
artichoke hearts - Once in a very great while, the PMS monster will buy these for immediate devouring...
chili peppers / pimentos - yes, for enchiladas/ yes for chicken a la king
bamboo shoots - yes
water chestnuts - yes
hominy - isn't that just corn again? At any rate, have never bought, never tried
peas- taste totally different canned than frozen, I like both
potatoes- very different from fresh, now I want to try that "they flip over thing", will have to buy some
sweet potatoes/yams- only for the holidays, have some mashed fresh ones in the freezer downstairs.
greens (mustard, turnip, etc)- no... they can them in vinegar, and that's just nasty...
sauerkraut- have some, but I'm the only one who eats it, and have learned how to make it with fresh cabbage, so not likely to buy in the future.
 
#29 ·
This is me. 99% all canned. I don't like the frozen. I do buy the frozen when Publix has the Birdseye or Green Giant 50% off but that's the only time.

I have canned everything even the potatoes which I don't use often but I think are really good cooked in the bag with a roast or tossed in the skillet after frying meat. They get crispy.
As for the carrots the same. Toss in the cooking bag with the meat and marinade/sauce whatever and we love them that way. We never just cook out of the can and serve.
 
#26 ·
Zhoen, if you like turnip greens, you might want to try the walmart Great Value chopped turnip greens. No seasonings. As I said earlier, I rinse well in water, add my own water and heat. Best ones I've found. I don't like those canned with all those seasonings.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top