Surprisingly good things in tins...

[BobbyBiscuits]

Hey everyone,

Just thinking about how happy I was to discover tinned 'greek' gigantes beans.
They're delicious and go with loads of stuff, and don't need heating. From the corner shop too so v convenient.

I'd love to know anyone else's favourite foods in tins that require minimum prep. Preferably stuff that's a bit beyond baked beans, tuna, sweetcorn, soup... Ideally available in the UK!

Thank you and looking forward to some ideas x

This is such a good thread. I wonder if MN Towers would move it to the food topic, so it sticks around?

It is a pan made dish of potatoes, onion, carrots, turnip and square sausage in gravy. It is a Scottish dish that can cause serious arguments as every family as a different but the "right" recipe. Corned beef would never be put in my Stovies. Served with oatcakes is makes a lovely filling dish on a winters day.

my bil was given loads of tins by a charity and when we were staying there opened a tin labelled breakfast, it was out of date and revolting
also went camping and took a tin of potatoes, ds was sick, so never buy those again.

You don’t really want to know! I saw a documentary some years ago about how they remove it from tinned grapefruit, and I assume it’s a similar process.

i do buy corned beef for dh but am always anxious about the sharp tin

oh i used to make that for dc when little

Definitely potatoes. They say not to fry them because all the water inside them along with hot oil isn't a good idea but I slice them up and fry and omg they are good

Now we have an air fryer I must try then in that!

Tinned apples or pears - very handy for quick puddings, snacks, overnight oats etc. Tinned veg can really help bulk out meals for unexpected guests.

Tesco Finest Cornish sardines. I only bought them because I thought it was something proper grownups ought to like. They sat on my cupboard for months and I eventually tried them. So delicious, I went straight out and bought another tin.

In tins? Ooo supplier please?

Crab meat, I use it to make Tom Yum
Chickpeas, eat around 3 tins a week of these - I can make a nice chickpea curry in around 10 minutes
I know we all already know about tinned toms BUT a tin of them and a tin of chickpeas with some moroccan spices and blitzed makes a great and quick soup, especially with a dollop of yoghurt and mint.
Ratatouille - can be used to make a quick veggie lasagne

Another vote for green lentils. Great in salads, stews, spag Bol, soups etc with fish, with meat, with eggs, high in protein, high in fibre.

I love a tin of fruit cocktail

Yes I was looking for someone to say hearts of palm. They are lovely sliced up in a salad.

i always have chick peas
used to add to chicken for an economical dish

I love them too. I once read an article where a chef recommended them with lamb - just as my mum and gran had been doing for years....

We serve it on chocolate cake. Family favourite.

@AnxiouslyAwaitingSpring how many cans do you need to make a pie? This might be a great shortcut.

Me too, and if there is any left over I use it to make porridge because coconut milk porridge is a great way to start the day!

I also have a great recipe for daal which uses coconut milk, it’s on the bbc website, look under George Alaghahi daal recipe.

And if you want an interesting cake frosting/ buttercream try one with coconut milk.

FFSJulie - I remember in the 80s my Grandma used to buy thinned coleslaw. I think from Heinz. Anyone remember that?

Yes! Vegetable salad (green label) and potato salad (red label), both in tins. The vegetable salad was my favourite. I don't remember a coleslaw but as soon as you mentioned it, I remembered the salads.

I don't know why they ever stopped making them?

Sold in supermarkets?

canned bean sprouts sound amazing.
every week i buy bean sprouts for dd to cook, but she never gets round to it.
i did used to buy tinned water chestnuts and tinned bamboo shoots but now buy frozen packets of stir fry

Rambutans - they are hard to find and ridiculously expensive fresh, but Chinese supermarkets have tinned ones which are amazingly good!

M&S do a hot beef curry in a tin, it's delicious! Just heat up in a bowl in the microwave and have it with bread and butter to dunk in the sauce 😋 yummy!

Sainsburys tinned Irish stew - I make it into a pie. Bloody lovely.

Beans and sausages / ravioli / spaghetti hoops . Lovely on toast with best butter.

Tinned chilli for a quick lunch with jacket potato.