Your friends may be on your case about the fact that you need to eat more fresh food. And you’re like, “Hey, I already made the transition to eating at home more than eating at restaurants! Give me a break!” But they say your frozen, packaged and canned foods don’t count. So since you’re already getting enough of that grief from everybody else in your life, we are going to indulge your lazy kitchen habits and at least help you find healthy ways to tweak them. It’s okay if a can opener is the only tool you know how to use in your kitchen because you can still eat nutritious, diet-friendly foods with it. Here is how to eat healthy entirely on a canned food diet.
Canned salmon
Salmon is rich in omega-3s and a wonderful alternative to meat when you need protein. There are actually some tremendous canned varieties out there. Add them to your toast or salad for an instant meal.
Canned sardines
Sardines are great for your brain and heart and are naturally salty for those who need a sodium boost. Canned sardines, of any brand, are usually pretty tasty. Put these on rye bread for a healthy snack.
Canned crabmeat
The canned aisle of your store has seafood on lockdown. There are some pretty tasty canned crabmeat options out there. Mix them up with green onions, bread crumbs, and some seasoning to make crab cakes.
Canned pinto beans
These are loaded with fiber and protein and are a great vegetarian option. If you like Mexican food then the potential for this food is endless (burritos, quesadillas, tacos, fajitas…)
Canned tomatoes
You can use canned tomatoes to make your own healthy tomato bisque or sauce for pasta. They’re also great for making a light bruschetta to put on toast.
Canned garbanzo beans
These are a wonderful option if you love Mediterranean food. You can blend them up with lemon juice, olive oil and salt to make hummus or just put them in a salad with some olives.
Canned prunes
Prunes are loaded with vitamins and fiber, and the canned variety is usually stewed making it great to add to smoothies or oatmeal. You can also spread these on toast.
Canned lentil soup
Lentils are highly nutritious, and there are some pretty high quality organic canned lentil soups available. You can also buy plain canned lentils and make a salad with them.
Canned spinach
Spinach is loaded with iron, vitamin A, and antioxidants. If you can’t stand chopping and rinsing fresh spinach, you’ll be glad to know that the canned, ready-to-eat variety is pretty good.