I’m a Dietitian and This Is the Canned Food I Never Leave the Store Without

With a jam-packed schedule, I always make sure my kitchen is stocked with the necessary staples to make meal prep easy. These staples include canned foods, and the one item I always pick up on my grocery store run is canned sardines.  

I grew up eating canned sardines and can vividly remember my parents serving this canned fish dressed in tomato sauce for dinner on busy nights. I always drenched my rice with the sweet and savory sauce and savored spoonfuls of the canned fish and saucy rice.  

To this day, canned sardines are still one of my comfort foods, reminding me of my younger years living with my family. Nowadays, though, including canned sardines in my meal rotation is more than just about prepping a quick meal—it is also a way to incorporate nutrient-dense, versatile, convenient and budget-friendly foods into my eating pattern while meeting one-third of the recommended intake of at least 8 ounces of seafood each week.

Why I Love Canned Sardines

Ready To Eat

I love canned sardines simply because I can eat them out of the can. When I’m looking for a quick and filling meal, I pair these small fish with a piece of toast or a bowl of rice and cooked veggies or a green salad. The canned fish is also an ideal midafternoon snack. I love pairing sardines with crackers; this snack can keep me full for a solid three to four hours before supper.

Excellent Source Of Protein

Knowing that protein is an essential nutrient for almost every part of the body, including building cells and muscles, supporting the immune system and aiding wound healing, I always have canned sardines as one of my protein options in my weekly meal rotation. A 3-ounce can has almost half of an adult’s recommended daily protein intake. This is a decent amount of satiating protein, which helps keep me full after eating.

Support Bone Health

Another reason I love eating canned sardines is that they are one of the few animal-based foods with both calcium and vitamin D, making them an additional food option to get bone-supporting nutrients aside from dairy products. The bones are small and soft enough to chew, swallow and digest. One can of 3-ounce sardines is loaded with 22% of the recommended daily calcium intake and 18% of the recommended intake of the vitamin D. And that’s not all—canned sardines are also an excellent source of phosphorus, another key nutrient needed for healthy bones and teeth, as well as for making hormones and genetic material. You will find almost 30% of the daily value of phosphorus in one 3-ounce serving.  

Source of Iron

Canned sardines are small in size, but they have an impressive nutritional profile. In addition to protein, calcium and vitamin D, they are also a good source of iron, a mineral needed for making certain types of hormones and hemoglobin, a protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen. One 3-ounce serving has 15% of the daily recommended intake of iron. 

Rich In Omega-3 Fatty Acids

Another reason I love canned sardines is because of their rich omega-3 fat content, which offers heart-protecting and anti-inflammatory benefits. Each 3-ounce serving has 1.1 grams of omega-3 fatty acids, providing 68% of the daily recommendation for men and 100% for women. Specifically, sardines contain EPA and DHA omega-3s—essential fats that support brain, eye and heart health and may help reduce chronic inflammation.

Notably, research shows that the omega-3 fatty acids in sardines may work alongside other nutrients present in the fish, such as calcium, iron, zinc, potassium and magnesium, to fight off inflammation and oxidative stress in the body, promoting blood flow and potentially lowering the risk of heart disease. 

Low In Mercury

If you’re concerned about mercury in fish, you’ll be pleased to know that sardines are low in the food chain, meaning they have less mercury than larger fish. They are one of the ideal seafood options for children, people considering pregnancy and those who are pregnant and breast/chestfeeding to support children’s brain development.

Versatile

Aside from pairing the fish with toast, rice and crackers, I also like popping open a can of sardines and using them as a protein for my salads, like this Greek Salad with Sardines. They are also my go-to protein for a quick-to-prep pasta dinner, such as Spicy Sardine Linguine and Lemon-Garlic Sardine Fettuccine.

Tips for Choosing Canned Sardines

Canned sardines are packed in a liquid, either in oil, water or sauce, to keep the fish moist. Those packed in oil or sauce also give the fish a depth of flavor. If the oil or sauce is too rich for your palate, drain the sardines before pairing them with your meals and snacks.

Because the sardines are a canned food, salt could be added to extend their shelf life. If you’re keeping tabs on your salt intake, choose varieties without salt added or those preserved with lemon, or drain them before eating them.

The Bottom Line

Canned sardines are one of the canned foods I regularly buy at the grocery store. When I eat sardines, I’m not only thinking about their nutritional and health benefits, I’m also considering their practicality. These small fish are a filling, portable and affordable protein option, offering versatility and flavor for creating quick meals and snacks. They are loaded with a decent amount of omega-3 fatty acids to support a healthy heart and ample amounts of calcium, vitamin D and phosphorus to support healthy bones and teeth. More important, they’re also suitable for children and people of childbearing age because they’re low in mercury. Grab a can or two of sardines on your next grocery run and try them with your favorite pasta, salad and sandwich recipes!