Is it possible to live without tins / jars / packet mixes?

nearlytherenow

Hi everyone,

I'm trying to eat as much healthy and fresh food as possible and this got me thinking about the tinned food, shop bought sauces, packet mixes and stock cubes I have in the cupboard. Would it be possible to do without these?

Things I'm thinking of in particular are what I would use instead. For example...

Baked beans
Chopped tomatoes (probably an obvious one!)
Schwartz slow cooker curry mix
Vegetable stock cube
Tuna
Jars of curry sauce, chicken tonight etc

Is it really possible to do without all of these and not be cooking forever?

Hard_Up_Hester

Baked beans and tuna are the only tins I use, I use herbs and spices instead of jars.

GwylimT

Chopped tomatoes are the only tins we use (although I don't eat them).

You can easily use fresh tomatoes and herbs along with home soaked beans to make baked beans.

The slow cooker mix will tell you what herbs etc you need

Veg stock is easy to make and freezes well.

Fresh tuna is available in supermarkets.

Sauces etc are easily made, thai curry for example can just be chilli and ginger mixed together with some coconut cream.

june89

Like the other replies, only tins I use are beans and chopped tomatoes. Could do without these but I don't want to soak beans for when I use them (not often - I prefer lentils which can be cooked straight from dry) and the tomatoes are just handy for throwing together a quick meal.

I used to rely on packets more but had to stop due to allergies. Turns out making a curry or chilli from scratch takes maybe an extra minute to pull out a few different spice containers instead of a packet. And I stopped using stock when I wanted to reduce my salt intake, haven't noticed any real difference in flavour.

Callie22

Chopped tinned tomatoes aren't particularly unhealthy. There is some debate about BPA leaching into the tins but unless you're eating tins and tins of tomatoes every day then it's probably no more unsafe than any of the other chemicals you ingest daily. I think there is some evidence to suggest that tinned tomatoes might have higher levels of some things (lycopene?) than fresh too. Same for tinned tuna, I don't imagine it's much more unhealthy than fresh as long as you go for the spring-water packed versions rather than those in brine or oil. It's 'processed' but in terms of your list it's healthier than a packet sauce.

You could make your own baked beans and freeze them in portions, as long as you were careful with the fat, salt and sugar then they wouldn't be too unhealthy.

Stock cubes, well you could make your own but what you gain in health you'd lose in terms of the time it takes to make it, bag it, freeze it etc etc. You could look for healthier versions - Kallo for example make low salt etc ones.

The 'worst' things on your list would be the things like the packets and jars of sauces. You can easily make your own, just google 'basic curry/pasta/casserole sauce' and follow the recipes

upoiupou

nearlytherenow wrote: »

Is it really possible to do without all of these and not be cooking forever?

What do you consider "cooking forever"?

I expect to spend an average of about an hour a day on cooking (pretty much from scratch). To me, that's normal and reasonable. Also, I've had a lot of experience cooking so I don't have to include much research or looking things up in that time.

What are your expectations in regard to time?

Tiddlywinks

Everyone will draw the line in a different place.

For me, some tinned ingredients - such as chopped tomatoes - are an essential part of cooking healthily when time is short.

For other shortcuts I also use low salt vegan stock cubes, dried herbs and spices, store bought jam, baked beans, tomato ketchup etc... plus the occasional ready meals when I fancy something different and time is against me.

I think the practicalities of cooking from scratch depend on time available, skills and space.

If you aspire to minimise processed foods then just start migrating over to more fresh produce but try not to feel guilty about canned ingredients - at least some fresh is better than none at all.

[Deleted User]

I make pasta sauce when ever I see in the shops marked down bags of tomato's.the Y/s ones that are going a bit soft and are being sold off in larger quanties.Take them home pour boiling water over them and skin them and then put in a saucepan and render them dowm with my own choice if herbs and spices, a few diced up onion,some chopped up garlic turn the whole lot down to a simmer add a spoonful or two of brown sugar and leave to simmer until it tastes right.chuck in a lock 'n'lock box and freeze until you need to make spaghetti ragu dish.Home made Pasta sauce at its best, The more tomato's the better,much nicer than the tinned ones

nearlytherenow

upoiupou wrote: »

What do you consider "cooking forever"?

I expect to spend an average of about an hour a day on cooking (pretty much from scratch). To me, that's normal and reasonable. Also, I've had a lot of experience cooking so I don't have to include much research or looking things up in that time.

What are your expectations in regard to time?

An hour would be fine for me. I like cooking and have got much more confident over the years at putting things together but my weaknesses are definitely the packet mixes and stir in sauces. This is where I could probably make the most difference but I get worried I'll do something wrong but I guess without experimenting I'll never know!

usernameisvalid

I couldn't manage without my stock pots or tinned tomatoes

Yes I do make stock now and then, but I don't have a lot of freezer space and stock just isn't worth the space it takes up. A stock pot is there, small, flavour some and ready to make a pot of soup with, no hassle

Tinned toms are the basis of so many dishes I'd be lost without them

Tinned beans are rarely eaten

I do have a love of tinned fish, sardines, mackerel , kippers , tuna and always have a few tins in. They are my go to lunches

Tinned kidney beans and chickpeas as well. They are handier then remembering to soak and boil dried in advance. I often don't decide what to cook until an hour before dinner

maryb

Memory Girl posted on her blog about how to make a veggie stock base which takes up less room in the freezer than liquid stock

http://mortgagefreeinthree.com/2013/08/gluten-free-better-than-stock-cubes-bouillon-mix/