Though we love fresh produce, it’s very easy to waste. We at Respect Food we are passionate about championing meals you can make from items that don’t easily perish. Canned food is ubiquitous in kitchens across the globe. We bet there are a few tins knocking around your kitchen cupboard right now: whether it’s a can of sweet corn to brighten up a summer salad or some chickpeas for a quick and healthy hummus. The process of canning food is a great way to keep it stored and edible for anywhere between two to five years. Incidentally, freeze-dried foods such as couscous or lentils can even be stored safely for up to thirty years (so keep them on hand to cook up tasty dishes like this lentil salsa).
Many people feel canned food doesn’t have the same nutritional qualities as fresh, but this isn’t necessarily true. A 1997 study revealed that many canned foods kept just as much nutritional value as their fresh and frozen counterparts. Tomatoes have even been shown to increase in vitamin B and E during the canning process!