Are canned fruit and veg healthy?

People often think canned fruit and vegetables are unhealthy because they are processed. Sometimes, processing foods is beneficial. Canned foods are usually peeled, cut and cooked so they are ready to use, have a long shelf life and don’t need to be kept in the fridge. This makes them very convenient when you are busy or fresh ones are too expensive or unavailable.  

Fruit and vegetables, including those in cans, provide vitamins and minerals and contain fibre, which plays a role in cancer prevention. Canned legumes and beans like chickpeas, kidney beans, black beans and lentils are also high in protein, great for rapidly growing kids.   

Adding canned fruit and vegetables to your meals and snacks is an excellent way to help get your 5 serves of vegetables and 2 serves of fruit a day.  

Here are some delicious ways to use them:

• Add canned fruit to cereals, porridge, pancakes, smoothies and yoghurt. 
• Use canned pears in baking – try this pear and yoghurt slice. 
• Try baked beans on toast or with scrambled eggs.  
• Add canned lentils  to your favourite soups.   
• Use canned green beans in a bean salad. 
• Use canned legumes like black beans or chickpeas in a filling for wraps, pita pockets and this black bean quesadilla.
• Use canned tomatoes to make pasta sauces and in lasagne.  
• Use canned beans in dips – like chickpeas to make hummus. 
• Use canned peas, corn or other veges to make fried rice.   
• Add canned carrots, mushrooms or legumes to stews and casseroles.

Some canned fruit and vegetables can have a lot of sugar and salt added to them for taste and to preserve them. So, here are four top tips for when you are shopping:   

• Choose “no-added-salt” or “salt-reduced” canned vegetables and beans.  
• Drain and rinse canned vegetables and beans before using. 
• Choose canned fruits in juice rather than syrup. 
• Look for the Health Star Rating on the front of the pack – the more stars, the better.   

These are some suggestions for using canned fruit and vegetables in your cooking – feel free to be creative and explore other healthy ideas!   

© Cancer Council NSW 2024 Head Office Address: 153 Dowling Street, Woolloomooloo NSW 2011. Cancer Council NSW is registered with the Australian Taxation Office as an Income Tax Exempt Charity: Charitable Fundraising Authority No. 18521.

Some images on this site have been supplied by Cancer Council Western Australia's Crunch & Sip website