Limited Canned Goods.

[Silverclaws2]

Now I might have said it before and I might not but given this talk of prepping I would like to inform folks based upon my own experience of canned goods.

Modern cans oft identified by the ring pull method of opening aren't what they were, for they appear to be made of thinner material one can easily dent with finger pressure and some foods and yes I have experienced this some foods, acidic foods can eat their own way out of the can long before the two year best before date and the first one knows about leakage is by the mess leakage makes or the pong from decaying food stuffs.

Thus far my experience with this phenomena is with tinned fruit in fruit juice and also tinned tomatoes.

Of source the climatic conditions of storage might influence this as can potentially rough handling, evidence of which you can't see so as to create weak metal seams acidic food stuffs can work upon. The climatic conditions of my can storage was cold and dry, for I used to keep my stash under my kitchen floor cupboard after I'd removed the kick boards (and put back after to hide what's there )

So what am I doing these days why coz I mainly eat from cans to be a canned fish eater, it's easy, just get extra to the tune of 14 days and rotate as I eat. in fact am prepping for 14 days. But in addition am currently investigating the rather excellent book ' Eating For Victory ' of which is a collection of pamphlets issued during WW2 describing what can be done with wartime rations, to be modifying my diet to rely on what was available that still is available and keeps.

 

[Mauld]

Bulk buy at Grants Mix and Match
Grants Mix & Match

Tinned Potatoes is a must
You can get all sorts of tinned veg
Tinned Custard to go with the tinned fruit.
In the USA you can get tinned bread. B&M Bread

I do miss the Heinz tinned steam puddings though.

 

[slaine_23]

Five cans is overkill, only three are required - Guinness, orange juice and milk.

(Okay it’s 47 pints of the black stuff daily, but, well, y’know)

 

[TeeDee]

Modern cans oft identified by the ring pull method of opening aren't what they were, for they appear to be made of thinner material one can easily dent with finger pressure and some foods and yes I have experienced this some foods, acidic foods can eat their own way out of the can long before the two year best before date and the first one knows about leakage is by the mess leakage makes or the pong from decaying food stuffs.

Thus far my experience with this phenomena is with tinned fruit in fruit juice and also tinned tomatoes.

I agree that the tins are definitely becoming thinner and more minimal - not surprising really when you think about it - I wonder if its possible to even imagine the amount of metal in worldwide circulation that is essentially a disposable ( albeit recyclable in most countries ) container.

 

[Silverclaws2]

I do miss the Heinz tinned steam puddings though.

Yeah they were good but so were ' Babbies heads ' thus described in the Goblin steamed steak and kidney pudding of which is I understand still available oft to be found in cheap food outlets (not the German brothers)

 

[Silverclaws2]

I agree that the tins are definitely becoming thinner and more minimal - not surprising really when you think about it - I wonder if its possible to even imagine the amount of metal in worldwide circulation that is essentially a disposable ( albeit recyclable in most countries ) container.

That said the cans that rely on a traditional opener are definitely thicker material and I have not had any leakage problems with them, interesting also it's the cheaper brands that tend to be traditional openers for myself to select the cheaper were possible part because of the more reliable packaging and part because tomatoes in juice is tomatoes in juice am not paying extra for a ring pull and a weak tin.

 

[slaine_23]

Just the other day we pulled a can out of the cupboard which was deformed and split open, the food inside was off. Was a ring pull, don’t think it was damaged before storage, never seen it happen before with any sort canned food. Makes sense the ring pull versions could be thinner material for ease of opening, never considered it before.

 

[Toddy]

Bulk buy at Grants Mix and Match
Grants Mix & Match

Tinned Potatoes is a must
You can get all sorts of tinned veg
Tinned Custard to go with the tinned fruit.
In the USA you can get tinned bread. B&M Bread

I do miss the Heinz tinned steam puddings though.

If you look a few weeks after Christmas, then the Christmas puddings will be on sale. They come in a sturdy micro-wave safe plastic bowl, with well sealed covers.
Those puddings will literally be fine in those bowls for years, will still taste just as good as they would at Christmas, and they're both fruit and calorie dense.
Good stuff

 

[hughtrimble]

If you look a few weeks after Christmas, then the Christmas puddings will be on sale. They come in a sturdy micro-wave safe plastic bowl, with well sealed covers.
Those puddings will literally be fine in those bowls for years, will still taste just as good as they would at Christmas, and they're both fruit and calorie dense.
Good stuff

And I also don't like them much at all, so I won't be tempted to dig into the stores! Great suggestion.

 

[Toddy]

And I also don't like them much at all, so I won't be tempted to dig into the stores! Great suggestion.

I find them awfully heavy, but, sometimes they just hit the spot. Especially with custard for some reason. I don't have a sweet tooth, but even I enjoy a couple of bites of this on a cold damp night. Mug of tea, bit of cake and custard; sorted

 

[66jj99]

Do people know the opening trick by rubbing the rim flat on concrete?

Opening via patio slab & kerbstone has got be out of a bind a few times!

 

[ged]

Do people know the opening trick by rubbing the rim flat on concrete? ...

Well there was that time once I opened a can of beans using my Victorinox, only to find later that there was a ring-pull on the other end...

 

[Herman30]

Do people know the opening trick by rubbing the rim flat on concrete?

No need to, my edc shoulder bag contains a can opener + this eating utensil.

 

[Mauld]

For a low cost option, try supermarket own brand Chunky Soups, you can add additional things to it and thicken with gravy granules for a bit of variety.

 

[TheTravellingTree]

Yeah, sardines usually come in wee flat rectangular tins Fish shaped.

If, and it's an if, you're an omnivore then I'd concentrate on the tinned meat.
Veggies are rather better stored dried. Smash for instance.

Himself eats meat, Son2 and I don't.
The only cans I keep in the pantry are tinned chicken in white sauce (he likes it, it's easy to turn it into something else, like a curry, fill pastry, salad, etc.,) small tins of corned beef, tinned haggis (meat and carbs in one can ) bacon grill type stuff, assorted beans and peas, and fruit.
Two vegetarians in the house means that I keep veggie protein too. So tinned braised tofu, and tinned nut luncheon .....which is basically peanut turned into stuff that slices up a bit like spam.
I don't keep fish, I'm allergic and Himself doesn't mind. If that weren't an issue then I might keep some.

Tidy that lot up;
Chicken in white sauce
Corned beef
Haggis
Bacon Grill
Beans/corn (assorted varieties)
Veggie protein
Fruit

Sorry @TeeDee 5 choices isn't enough for my household.

M

Tinned Haggis you say!?!?!
Never in my life have I heard of this, thats epic I'll have to keep an eye out, Thank you for sharing that one

 

[Silverclaws2]

Do people know the opening trick by rubbing the rim flat on concrete?

Opening via patio slab & kerbstone has got be out of a bind a few times!

Yes

Though finding a lump of flat concrete out in the sticks might be a feat.

Have a fair few of the little Shelby P-38 openers attached to various likely use things and I have opened a can with a screw driver before, okay with soup, bit messy with other contents

 

[ONE]

Tinned Haggis you say!?!?!
Never in my life have I heard of this, thats epic I'll have to keep an eye out, Thank you for sharing that one

The Grant's one is surprisingly good. It would be an exaggeration to say you can't tell it's tinned but it's close, especially if you're making it into something, like haggis pakora.

 

[Falstaff]

@Silverman - I suggest you put something as a thermal break between tins and floor. a) potential for base condensation leading to cathodic corrosion b) to prevent erosion/scratching of the protective film on the rim steel - leading to a)
Tomatoes are especially acidic and I've also had to failures, usually on quite old tins. They corrode and burst at the bottom usually, or sometimes the seam.
Comparing my very old sweetcorn tin mug to the latest sweetcorn tin, I note
-it now has a plastic film not "tin" on the inside, Wikipedia says this causes leaching of nasty BPA's, the longer you store it the worse it will get. Safe Levels still TBA and vary by country.
-it is now a 2-part construction, drawn up the sides from a single metal disk at the bottom, then a separate cap fixed on top, once filled with food. Cathodic corrosion risk is lessened but still exists, but maybe now at the top of the can.
Manufacturers claim it is at least 20% thinner than in the past.
My sweetcorn mug fits nicely onto my Sigg waterbottle. I had hoped for a replacement, but now will just have to treat the minor rust scratches and soldier on. That plastic lining will never withstand my coffee making or the whisky.

 

[Silverclaws2]

@Silverman - I suggest you put something as a thermal break between tins and floor. a) potential for base condensation leading to cathodic corrosion b) to prevent erosion/scratching of the protective film on the rim steel - leading to a)
Tomatoes are especially acidic and I've also had to failures, usually on quite old tins. They corrode and burst at the bottom usually, or sometimes the seam.
Comparing my very old sweetcorn tin mug to the latest sweetcorn tin, I note
-it now has a plastic film not "tin" on the inside, Wikipedia says this causes leaching of nasty BPA's, the longer you store it the worse it will get. Safe Levels still TBA and vary by country.
-it is now a 2-part construction, drawn up the sides from a single metal disk at the bottom, then a separate cap fixed on top, once filled with food. Cathodic corrosion risk is lessened but still exists, but maybe now at the top of the can.
Manufacturers claim it is at least 20% thinner than in the past.
My sweetcorn mug fits nicely onto my Sigg waterbottle. I had hoped for a replacement, but now will just have to treat the minor rust scratches and soldier on. That plastic lining will never withstand my coffee making or the whisky.

Yeah would agree to place cans on insulation from cold surfaces as my own failures with acid foods in cans was because some of the cans were rim down on a cold concrete floor whereas other cans not on that floor didn't fail.

But have learned - avoid if one can the thinner ring pull cans, doubt they'd even last the two years 'best before' time period even if properly stored. Cheaper foods tend to use the older thicker cans that one needs an opener to access and especially cans that have travelled from foreign climes

 

[Falstaff]

Yes, I've noticed that, with a lot of the tins I buy from my local Asian supermarket. Even there the bigger foreign brands have invested in more modern canning. This sometimes gives them a minor price advantage, so I don't always buy the cheapest - it's the old buyer be aware thing.