Friday, February 25, 2011

Sealed With Goodness


Food that is conveniently packaged, carefully selected for freshness, and then sealed in with its nutrition and flavors all preserved and put into a can… GENIUS!  The ability to preserve foods at the peak of their ripeness and seal them tight to ensure the ultimate freshness, what an idea!  Sometimes I think we overlook a lot of what the can has to offer. 
I am a frequenter in the produce department of my local grocery store and markets.  I like the fruits and vegetables they offer in the produce section of the store, and I also take advantage of the canned section.  So like you when I buy a can whether they are lychee's, rambutans, tomatoes, carrots, mixed vegetables, soup or even meat like tuna or chicken I feel good knowing that the cans go through a thorough process to ensure the ultimate in freshness. 
Some of the canned food like your canned tomatoes and carrots actually carry more nutritional than the fresh vegetables you find in the produce section!  By cooking the food quickly at high temperatures and sealing them in sterilized steel cans, they maintain most of their nutritional value and prevent impurities from entering the cans.   
When I cook I try to ask myself about what am I making, what ingredients do I need, what does the recipe call for and what effect am I going for?  Sometimes it is that crisp crunch that adds to a meal, and sometimes something from a can is exactly what I need for my recipe. 
Cans make many foods you would otherwise not have here readily available to you.  You will find that much of your canned fruits and veggies are fat free with higher vitamin content and some even have stronger abilities to combat against cancers!  A lot of them have the convenient pull tab for opening making it simple to get into the can. The cans specifically made to be tamper free and environmentally friendly, like I said genius! And in today’s world you can buy most cans with salt and or sugar, reduced salt and or sugar or opt out of it all together and have it with no salt and or sugar.  It is all covered!   
Tip:
It’s a good idea to consider creating a section in your home for food storage.  As a part of the canning process they have already been cooked and need only be warmed. Cans are 100% secured and create a protection from the outside contaminants. With a shelf life of at least two years, I keep a food storage area in my pantry in the event of an emergency and I rotate the cans according to their expiration date.  I try to keep it in my thoughts that it’s not a matter of if but when, and so I try to stay as prepared as I can. 

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