6 Vegetables You Should Buy Canned And 6 You Shouldn't

Canning is by no means a novel preservation technique. Although some people frown upon the inferior quality of certain canned products, the technique has had a significant role in food history, especially during turbulent and less affluent times. The main reason we reach for canned goods nowadays is convenience. The ingredients packed inside usually come already cooked so they can be enjoyed immediately. Most cans have a long shelf life too, making them a welcome addition to any pantry. 

Also, canned fruit and vegetables are sometimes significantly cheaper than their fresh counterparts. These nutritionally dense foods are essential to a healthy diet, but somehow, we always seem to lack enough of them. One way to improve this is to reach for the canned stuff. Although fresh is best, using canned vegetables is a quick way to increase our daily veggie intake. Of course, not all canned vegetables are made equal. Some rate better than others, mainly because they manage to retain most of their nutrients through the canning process without turning into soft mush.

Our recommendations will guide you through the best choices and warn you of the cans that are better left on the shelf. As the quality of canned goods can significantly vary, be sure to read labels to be familiar with what you are buying.

Tomatoes are summer vegetables, but these days fresh varieties are readily available at larger supermarkets year-round. Despite the accessibility of fresh ones, the canned version can be an equally good (and sometimes superior) option for home cooks and professionals. Canned tomatoes can be diced, preserved whole (with no skin), or blended into a thick tomato purée. Each version has a particular use and is designed for a different purpose.

The greatest advantage of the canned version is that tomatoes are preserved at their peak, meaning all the sweet flavors of a perfectly ripe tomato are stored in the can. This is particularly useful if you are looking for tomatoes outside of their peak season. In these cases, fresh ones are usually shipped or grown in greenhouses, potentially lacking the exceptional ripeness and sweetness that make them such a tasty ingredient.

Also, it's worth mentioning that canned tomatoes have an envious nutritive profile. As The Guardian explains, the benefits of tomatoes typically improve with heat. Cooked tomatoes tend to have more lycopene (a pigment praised for its health benefits and preventive qualities) compared with the fresh version. Of course, let's not forget the sheer convenience of using canned tomatoes for any dish that calls for tomato sauce. With an excellent nutritional profile and reliable flavor, this is a vegetable you should buy canned.

Fresh beets are sturdy and need plenty of time to cook. They are a hassle to clean, and the intense color somehow always manages to find a way to stain your counter, cabinets, and hands. But beets are also a great source of vitamins and minerals and a nutrient-rich, low-calorie vegetable we should be regularly incorporating into our diets. The easiest, hassle-free way to do it is to grab a can of pre-cooked beets.

Beets are among the vegetables that can easily be preserved. They are usually cooked or steamed before being canned, and since they are so tough and firm, this level of processing is a welcome step that makes them softer and more pleasant to eat. Canned beets are also often pickled, which means they are rich in probiotics and can boost gut health. Flavorwise, you will find little difference between fresh and canned beets, but the latter is definitely more convenient and saves time on cleaning and cooking.

Canned beets can be served as a side dish, but you can easily add them to salads, sandwiches, or wraps. You'll still get plenty of nutritive qualities, making them a suitable replacement for fresh beets in most culinary preparations.

You might be surprised to see beans on this list, but the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) classifies these nutrient-rich legumes as a vegetable subgroup. As such, they fall into the category of vegetables you should buy canned. This pantry staple has long been a reliable, convenient, and affordable way to enrich your diet with fiber and protein. There are various types of beans that come in a can, including favorites such as kidney, pinto, and black beans. Most varieties are suitable for canning as they remain tender but still hold their shape.

If possible, go for plain canned beans and avoid baked bean variations with plenty of added ingredients that are challenging to incorporate into other dishes. Plain beans are far more versatile and can work as a side dish or a cooking component. Their sturdy shell can withstand some heat, so feel free to use beans in stews and chilis, or blend them to make thick and creamy sauces, dips, and spreads.

Canning is a popular preservation method for green beans, but it may not be the best option to extend the shelf life of this snappy seasonal vegetable. Leaving all health benefits aside, their unappetizing color and questionable texture upon canning make them a lackluster choice. The beans are cooked and preserved in brine, which causes them to become incredibly tender, lack shape, and easily break. Also, canning turns that distinctive vibrant green color into a dull grayish hue, dimming its appeal on your dinner plate.

Compared to canned green beans, the frozen version is a superior alternative. Frozen green beans also come prepped and cleaned, making them a hassle-free option that is way more versatile than canned beans. You can steam, sauté, or even briefly boil them without fearing that they will turn into a limp and overcooked mush. They make a nice addition to salads or casseroles and retain an attractive green color. Unlike the canned version, frozen beans are not ready to eat. Still, these thin green veggies cook relatively quickly, so you won't spend much time around the stove.

Carrots are a beloved vegetable you should not buy canned, primarily due to the widespread accessibility of fresh ones. These root vegetables are a frequent ingredient in home kitchens and have become so essential to our diet that their availability no longer depends on the season. Even the smallest corner stores typically sell carrots for all those impromptu dishes and unexpected situations when you realize you have already used up your stash. 

As the fresh version is so easy to get, it would be a shame to reach for processed stuff in the can. Not to mention, fresh carrots are affordable and have a long shelf life that can extend for weeks with proper storage, so there is no reason your pantry should ever rely on canned carrots.

Canned carrots also have limited use. You can add them to cooked dishes but any lengthy processing will soften them further, potentially turning them into soft mush. Additionally, they aren't suitable for long braising, roasting, or grilling, and you can't add them to salads and stir-fries that call for fresh vegetables with some bite to them.

Canned potatoes should be avoided for the same reasons we recommend you refrain from buying canned carrots. Potatoes top the chart as America's most-consumed vegetable (per USDA), and fresh ones are available virtually everywhere. Most of the time, you can choose the specific variety you prefer or need in a recipe. While some perform better baked or fried, others are most suitable for boiling.

Apart from availability, potatoes are generally quick to clean and prep, which is one reason we like to use them in our home kitchens. Also, if you store them properly, they can spend several weeks in your pantry without losing flavor or quality. All these arguments speak in favor of using fresh potatoes. Canned versions might seem more convenient, but they generally have too much salt, and you never know exactly what type is in the can. As well, canned potatoes often soak too much liquid, which can easily destroy the consistency of your dish.

Perhaps the only practical use for boiled canned potatoes is in salads, but again, you need to be sure that the pieces are not over-processed and can hold their shape. In most other cases, fresh potatoes are preferred and will perform better for your purposes.