WE can save up to £650 a year by simply swapping some of our food favourites for tinned versions, new figures reveal.
Cash-strapped households are grappling with the highest-ever food inflation levels recorded in 45 years.
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It has seen basic foods — including pasta, bread and olive oil — rocket to sky-high prices.
Families are already tightening their purse strings by switching to supermarkets’ cheaper own-brands as well as heading to discount retailers.
But new figures show that even more cash can be saved by putting canned goods in shopping trolleys, rather than fresh or frozen produce.
A household can save up to £73.08 a month on popular grocery items, with the average canned alternative 80 per cent cheaper than their fresh counterpart.
Canned tuna is on average £2.10 cheaper than fresh, while using tinned salmon for a quiche recipe can save a family £6.52 with every meal.
Experts also claim that canned food preparation means it often requires little to no cooking, which not only saves time but also cuts down on energy costs.
Jeremy Gibson, from Love Canned Food, said: “Families continue to weather the cost-of- living crisis, with energy bills and interest rates keeping costs high, making it more important than ever to make savings.
“When it comes to grocery bills, regardless of deals and offers offered in stores, making simple switches is often the easiest way to save money at the tills.
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“Canned food offers a brilliant alternative to traditional fresh and frozen produce, both in terms of basket cost and energy, but also waste.
“Heading to the canned aisle rather than the fridges and freezers costs no time in the supermarket but could make a huge impact on monthly bills.”
Dr Simon Welham, assistant professor in nutritional science at the University of Nottingham, added that canned alternatives allow households to consume more vegetables than they usually would when buying fresh produce.
He said: “This may allow a broader achievement of dietary requirements.”
But just how healthy are the food swaps?
Here, nutritionist AMANDA URSELL reveals the can-dos and can-don’ts .
THE GOOD
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Stewing steak, 266 cals per 200g: This packs a whopping 35g of protein per portion, which is 75 per cent of a woman’s daily needs and well over half of a man’s.
With 12g of fat, and 4.9g of saturated fat per portion, this makes it healthier than a quarter pounder burger.
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Sardines, 220 cals per 100g: Bursting with vitamin D and calcium, sardines do not lose nutritional value in cans.
One portion has almost all of your daily requirement of anti-oxidant selenium, making them a tinned super-food.
Try with a squeeze of lemon and fresh bread.
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Carrots, 22 cals per 80g: Beta-carotene, an orange pigment, is more easily absorbed from canned than raw carrots.
Opt for the ones in water, to avoid the added salt, and you will be notching up one of your five a day. Serve as a veggie side or add to stews.
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Tomatoes, 18 cals per 80g: The colour of tomatoes comes from the antioxidant “lycopene”, which is easier to absorb from canned than fresh.
Regular intakes of lycopene have also been linked with good heart health. Use in dishes like spaghetti bolognese.
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Raspberries, 108 cals per 200g: Canned raspberries are so rich in vitamin C, that you can get almost a half of your daily intake in a 200g serving.
They also contain fibre and mineral copper, which is needed for hair health.
Try adding to your porridge in the morning.
THE BAD
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Anchovies, 44 cals per 30g: Even this modest canned portion manages to pack an alarming 4.4g of salt, which leaves you just 1.6g before you hit your daily amount.
Stick to fresh versions and avoid the excess salt, which is bad for your heart and circulation.
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Chopped pork and ham (Spam), 496 cals per 170g: If you tuck into half a 340g can of Spam, you will clock up almost 500 calories.
Considered to be a “processed meat”, you are better off health-wise with a 70g piece of freshly cooked pork.
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Spaghetti hoops, 148 cals per 200g: With less than 5g of protein, more than 10g of sugar and a gram of salt per serving – these give little nutritional bang for your buck.
Better to stick with a home-made dish using fresh pasta and tinned tomatoes.
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Cherries in syrup, 158 cals per 200g: This is one fruit worth avoiding, with a whopping 37g of sugar in half a can.
Most women should have no more than 24 grams of sugar a day and men should have no more than 36 grams.
Stick with fruits canned in juice.
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Tuna, 109 cals per 100g: It’s not as rich in omega 3 oils compared with fish such as sardines and mackerel.
While it’s OK in moderation, tuna has high mercury levels so if you are trying for a baby or are pregnant, NHS guidance is to stick with no more than four cans of tuna, totalling 140g, per week.
