How Fresh Are Canned Vegetables, Really?
Canned food is flying off the shelves, especially now. And understandably so, because it’s perfect to have in your pantry. Take a can of chickpeas, for example, which offers virtually endless possibilities. But how fresh are canned vegetables, really?
When most people think of fresh vegetables, they think of the vegetables in the fresh produce section (the name certainly helps, too). But my own kitchen drawer is overflowing with canned food—not just from Dutch supermarkets, either, but also, for example, sardines from Portugal. Precisely because I can use them to put something delicious and fresh on the table in no time.
Immediately after harvesting
Fresh? Yes! While vegetables in the fresh produce section first make their way from the field to the shelf and then to your kitchen, canned vegetables are canned immediately after harvesting. Bonduelle, for example, packages nearly all its vegetables within 4 to 12 hours of harvesting. The vegetables are harvested at their optimal point of ripeness, flavor and nutrients (essential nutrients). The nutrient content remains the same, no matter how long you keep the can in your kitchen cupboard. After preparation, these nutrients are just as plentiful as in prepared fresh vegetables.
An added benefit
The great advantage of canned food is that it also prevents waste. While fresh produce lasts only a few days, canned goods last for generations. Just like the can itself. It doesn’t need to be refrigerated and remains just as valuable after use, because it is virtually indestructible and recyclable without any loss of quality. And that helps reduce food waste.
Did you know that vegetables rank third among the most wasted food products in the Netherlands? Each person throws away around 5.7 kilos per year. That would be enough to eat for more than three weeks! Canned vegetables don’t spoil, and therefore contribute hardly at all to food waste. So canned vegetables aren’t just healthy and convenient for you—they’re also good for the planet!
Preventing kitchen accidents
And, um… if you don’t want to end up walking around with a bandage on your hand like I am now… this is the very best (and safest!) way to open a can.
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