Nutrition Q & A
How Should I Select Canned Produce?
Fresh fruits and vegetables can sometimes be expensive or favorites hard to find. When using canned instead of fresh or frozen, consider the following tips to get the most out of your canned fruits and vegetables:
- Store high-acid foods such as tomatoes and fruit up to 18 months; low-acid foods such as meat and vegetables, 2 to 5 years.
- Look for “low sodium” or “no salt added” on canned vegetables.
- Rinse canned vegetables and beans in a strainer to remove up to 50% of sodium.
- Buy unsweetened applesauce and fruits packed in their own juice to decrease added sugars.
Never use food from containers that show possible “botulism” warnings: leaking, bulging or badly dented cans; cracked jars with loose or bulging lids; canned food with a foul odor; or any container that spurts liquid when opening.