When you think of healthy eating, canned foods might not be the first thing that comes to mind. They’ve earned a reputation for being overly processed or packed with sodium. But with the right choices, canned foods can actually be a convenient, nutritious and budget-friendly addition to a healthy diet.

“There’s way more variety for healthy options than you’d imagine,” says MENTOR Nutrition Coach and Registered Dietitian Emily McAllister. “With canned foods, you can get all your healthy food groups in easy-to-prepare form.”

First, canned fruits, vegetables, beans, nuts, seeds and seafood are often picked and packed at peak ripeness, locking in nutrients. For example, canned tomatoes are rich in lycopene, a powerful antioxidant, and canned salmon provides heart-healthy omega-3 fats and calcium.

“There’s lots of different sources of animal protein you can try from chicken to salmon and tuna,” Emily says. “You can heat it up in the microwave, on the stove top or even in the oven. Mix it up and see what you prefer.”

Beans – like black beans, pinto beans, chickpeas and kidney beans—are a canned staple full of plant-based protein and fiber. They’re perfect for adding to soups, salads or grain bowls. Just rinse them before using to cut down on sodium. Many brands even offer low-sodium or no-salt-added versions of their products, so be sure to check labels to monitor sodium levels.

Canned vegetables like corn, green beans and peas can make cooking faster while still contributing vitamins and minerals. And don’t forget canned pumpkin – it’s a great source of fiber and vitamin A and can be used in both sweet and savory dishes.

Canned food is affordable, accessible and helps make healthy eating possible even when time or resources are limited. Canned foods also reduce food waste. You can keep them on hand longer than fresh produce, making them ideal for meal planning and emergency pantry stocking.

Eating healthy doesn’t have to be expensive or complicated – and canned foods might just be your new best friend in the kitchen. Emily says the key is to read labels, choose options without added sugar or high sodium, and pair canned goods with fresh or frozen ingredients for balanced meals.

Emily even provided a couple example recipes below. Try them out, and get creative trying out different healthy, canned food meals on your own!

Example Recipe 1: Creamy Green Beans and Chicken

Serving Size 1 cup

Serves 2

Cook time 10 minutes

Ingredients:

14 oz no salt added canned green beans

12.5 oz reduced sodium canned chicken

1 cup (8 oz) unsalted canned cream of mushroom soup

Directions:

Combine all ingredients into a pan and heat on stove top for 8-10 minutes over medium heat and stir until bubbly.

Let cool and then enjoy.

Notes:

Can add lemon juice for flavor and spinach for added nutrients.

Nutrition:

Green beans: 45 calories, 200mg sodium, 9g carb, 3g fiber, 3g protein

12.5 oz Chicken: 80 calories, 1.5g fat, 250mg sodium, 15g protein , 65mg cholesterol

Cream of mushroom

½ cup mushroom: 100 calories, 7g fat, 1g saturated, 50mg sodium, 8g carb, 1g protein

Example Recipe 2: Pineapple Teriyaki Salmon Bowl

Serving size 1

1 Pouch (2.6 oz) StarKist Skinless Boneless Pink Salmon in Water

½ cup 90 second jasmine white rice (or any other microwavable rice)

½ cup of frozen broccoli

3 tablespoons of coconut liquid aminos

1 teaspoon minced garlic

Ginger powder

Directions:

Mix all ingredients together in a bowl and heat up

Nutrition:

Salmon 70 cal, 1g fat, 25 mg cholesterol, 150mg sodium, 15g protein

Rice- 125 cal, 1g fat, 25g carb, 4g protein

Coconut aminos- 45 cal, 810mg sodium, 12g carb