8 Canned Foods You Should Buy From Target And 5 You Should Skip

Canned food is great for tons of reasons. For one thing, they have a much longer shelf life than fresh foods you can pick up at the grocery store. This makes it great to have a reserve of food on hand at any time, which is useful for when you're running low on groceries and need some options to hold you over.

Canned food also tends to be incredibly affordable. You can get canned chicken for under $3, varieties of beans for less than $1, soups for under $2.50, and even fruit for under $2. With such affordable prices, you can easily make budget-friendly meals using these products. Another great benefit is that many of these canned food items are actually packed with nutrients. Many people believe that affordable food tends to be unhealthy, but with many canned products, that doesn't have to be the case.

Now, there are canned foods out there that aren't the healthiest — either because they have an excess of sodium, added sugars, or contain high amounts of saturated fats. There are also some canned foods that simply don't taste great. We combed through Target's offerings of canned foods, and carefully checked out the nutritional information, customer reviews, and prices. From there, we curated a list of canned foods that you should definitely pick up on your next Target run, and a list of those that you should leave on the shelf. Please note that any prices listed are based on one regional area.

Canned pasta is always great to have on hand. It's perfect for when you're feeling a little bit lazy, and need a filling meal that will give you the nutrients you need with minimal effort. Annie's Organic All Stars are star-shaped pasta that are set in a tomato and cheese sauce. It can be easily heated up on the stove or in the microwave.

Each can is around $2.07, which is a great price for a small meal. If you eat the whole can, you will be getting 210 calories with 7 grams of protein. There are zero grams of saturated fat, a rare and small amount for a canned pasta product. The ingredient list is also small and simple, and everything is organic. You do need to watch out for the sodium here, as the amount is high, however we can forgive that for the other positive qualities in this pasta.

The reviews for this product are great. Target customers rate the Annie's Organic All Stars a solid 4.5 out of 5. Many say that it serves as a great lunch for children, is a healthier alternative to the ever-popular SpaghettiOs, and is tasty and easy to prepare.

Many people steer away from the idea of canned chicken, as it can sometimes have an overly salty, preserved taste. However, we're here to tell you to not count the product completely out. Target reviewers are vouching for the Good & Gather canned white chicken, rating it a 4.6 out of 5 on the Target website.

One reviewer enthusiastically explained, "I'm usually on the go due to having a full-time job and a full-time mom as well as student and my go to for a quick dinner is canned chicken which I make different recipes with and by far this is the best can[ned] chicken I've ever had!" Other customers shared that this brand of canned chicken is tasty compared to others, is cheaper, and some even prefer it to fresh chicken.

There are many ways to make canned chicken taste great, and it can be utilized in hundreds of recipes. You can keep it simple and have canned chicken as a snack with some sauce drizzled in, can use it for chicken salad sandwiches, use it as an ingredient in soup, or throw it into your pasta for extra protein. It's an easy, cheap, and convenient alternative to getting fresh or frozen chicken.

Chef Boyardee contains a nostalgic comfort for many. Target sells many different cans of the brand, however, we'd recommend you stay away from the Beef Ravioli. This product is only rated a 3.1 out of 5 on the Target website, and there are tons of reviews that are tearing apart this canned pasta variation.

One of the main complaints that customers are sharing is that the sauce is incredibly watery — not thick and rich like other Chef Boyardee products. Many people suspect that the company had changed its recipe, as it doesn't taste how they remember the sauce usually tasting. One customer sadly shared, "The sauce is watery, thin and flavorless and the pasta barely tastes like it's there."

Not only does this pasta have bad reviews, but it also isn't the healthiest option available, either. In one can, there are 1.5 grams of saturated fat. That doesn't seem like much, but that is actually 8% of the Food and Drug Administration's daily recommendation. There are also 780 milligrams of sodium, which is 34% of the FDA's recommended daily amount. Overall, there really aren't many positive health benefits to eating this pasta. You will get some carbohydrates (30 grams to be exact) and a smidge of protein (5 grams), however you will get better nutrients from other brands like Annie's.

Garbanzo beans, or chickpeas, are something that we think you should always have on hand in your pantry. Target sells the Good & Gather brand of chickpeas, and an entire can (which has about 3.5 servings in it) is only $0.89. Chickpeas are incredibly nutrient dense, as they have 7 grams of protein per serving, 20 grams of carbohydrates (with 4 grams of fiber) and 2 grams of fat. This brand is also low in sodium. For less than a dollar, you have a great item that can be eaten alone or used with many ingredients.

One way to enjoy chickpeas alone is by cooking them in the air fryer. Because chickpeas have a neutral taste, you can season them any way you'd like. You can make them spicy with some cayenne, sweet with brown sugar, or savory with oregano and paprika. They come out nice and crispy in the air fryer, and make the perfect nutritious snack. Chickpeas are also a great addition to salads, pasta dishes, dips, and more. They can help upgrade many dishes by adding the extra flavor and nutrients, and at such a cheap price, there's no reason not to!

Target customers rate the Good & Gather Chickpeas a 4.7 out of 5. Some people mentioned that other brands of chickpeas can seem a bit gelatinous, but this brand is fresh and tasty. Others mentioned that for the cheap price, these are the best canned chickpeas that they've found.

If you're looking for a soup that will provide some great health benefits, tastes great, and is still affordable, we recommend Amy's Lentil Vegetable Soup. Selling at around $3.69 per can and scoring 4.5 out of 5 stars on the Target site, we were intrigued to find out more about this soup.

Overall, the ingredients in this soup are great. It's filled with green lentils, onions, carrots, celery, potatoes, tomatoes, spinach, green beans, and other healthy ingredients. Everything is also listed specifically as organic. With 6 grams of plant-based protein, 24 grams of carbohydrates, and 4 grams of fat per serving — this soup will give you the macronutrients you need to fuel your body. It also provides a great source of iron and potassium.

Now, for the reviews, we were happy to see that people love this soup. Many people raved about the overall taste, saying that even though it's low sodium, it's still tasty. One person shared, "This soup is absolutely delicious that I had to leave a review. The ingredients are clear and clean. The low sodium option is wonderful and it does not taste bland at all, actually very flavorful with all the veggies added."

One of the most frustrating things about buying potatoes is that they can go bad fairly quickly, especially if they aren't stored properly. Luckily, there are versions of canned potatoes that you can get to help combat that issue. Del Monte Fresh Cut Diced New Potatoes are a useful item to have on hand. They only cost around $1.51 per can, are non-GMO, don't have any artificial ingredients, and are simply just potatoes, water, and salt.

These diced potatoes have a 4.4 out of 5 rating on the Target site. People shared that they use these potatoes for a variety of reasons — from bringing them camping and heating them up on the fire to making family recipes, this can is quite versatile.

If you're looking for some ideas of what you could do with canned diced potatoes, there are tons of options out there. You can keep it simple by air frying them with your choice of seasoning, and then you'll have some crispy potato bites to enjoy with a meal or as a snack. You can also use them for a good old classic potato salad recipe, in homemade soups, curries, and even breakfast omelets. Having a can of these on hand can help bulk up many dishes, so definitely add the Del Monte Fresh Cut New Diced Potatoes to your shopping list.

Corn is another commonly seen canned item. Although we're a huge fan of many canned alternatives, we can't say the same for corn. Target sells the Good & Gather Golden Sweet Whole Kernel Corn, within such a small amount of calories (60 to be exact), it has 7 grams of sugar and 320 milligrams of sodium. Ultimately, it's like chewing sugar and salt water.

When comparing canned corn to its fresh corn counterpart, there is no contest. Canned corn has half the amount of vitamin C, more sugar, and more salt than fresh corn on the cob contains. Corn on the cob is also characteristically crunchy and fresh, and that's definitely something that you lose when the corn is canned with water. Although we understand that buying canned corn is much more convenient, we believe that the overall quality of canned corn isn't worth it when compared to its fresh counterpart.

If you're a canned tuna fan, you know that all cans are not created equal. Some cans have that incredibly fishy smell while others have a light and subtle scent. Some have mushy meat while others have solid, chicken-like consistency. Now, if the mushy and smelly canned tuna is your tuna of choice, then you may want to get the Good & Gather Chunk Light Tuna can. For our preference, we wouldn't recommend it.

Although this can is cheap, costing only $0.99, some reviewers don't think that the savings is worth it. One Target customer shared, "Tuna? It was tiny flecks of pink meat floating in water. It's supposed to be light so, I anticipated "white" meat but this was pink. So unacceptable that I threw out the whole can." Other people said that the can had an extremely strong smell, the texture wasn't right, and that they prefer other brands much better. Some people even found bones in their cans.

Now, if you're looking for a tuna brand that has consistently good tuna – Starkist Solid White Albacore Tuna is the can for you. Although this brand is slightly more expensive, selling at $1.79 per can, we think the extra money is worth it. You can save money by getting the cans in four packs, which only cost around $3.99.

With 4.7 out of 5 stars on the Target website, we read many reviews of customers praising this tuna can. Overall, people commented that this tuna isn't very fishy, has nice solid chunks, and has a great taste. Although tuna does tend to have a high amount of sodium (there are 320 milligrams in this can), that can be lessened by rinsing and draining the tuna in a colander before eating. Other than that, this can has some great nutritional value like 26 grams of protein per serving, 80% of the daily recommended amount of Niacin, and 120% of the daily recommended amount of vitamin B12.

Whether you want to use tuna to eat by itself, in tuna salad sandwiches, macaroni salad, or in your pasta — it's a great ingredient that can quickly add protein to a meal and add some extra nutrients. Target tends to have sales on the cans as well, so keep your eye out and stock up whenever you see those savings.

Many times, depending on the season, simple fruits like peaches can be very expensive. The worst part is that if you don't eat them quickly enough, they're likely to go bad once the week is over. Luckily, Target sells Market Pantry Sliced Peaches which are a great alternative. They only cost $1.49 per can, which has 3 ½ servings in it. In comparison, one singular peach at Target costs $0.99.

There are many different things you can do with canned peaches. You can keep it simple, and crank open a can and snack on the slices right there. You can easily add them into a greek yogurt parfait, add as a topping to ice cream, or throw into a kale salad. If you're feeling a bit fancy, there are ways to cook canned peaches that will make your mouth water.

One of our favorite options is to air fry your canned peaches. You can sprinkle them with seasonings like cinnamon and brown sugar, and they will come out warm and crispy. You can also use the canned peaches for recipes like peach cobbler or peach dumplings. By using the canned peaches versus fresh peaches, you are saving the time it would take to slice each individual peach, and you will save money by purchasing the can.

Many people are always searching the grocery store shelves for easy, plant-based options. Target sells a plant-based chicken noodle soup by Gardein, and many vegetarians or vegans may dive for that can. Unfortunately, we wouldn't recommend it.

The Gardein Plant Based Chick'n Noodl' Soup has an incredibly high amount of sodium per serving — 47% of the FDA's daily recommended amount. Having that amount of sodium in one sitting can lead to a rise in blood pressure, intense thirst, and bloating. Long term, like if this soup was eaten on a consistent basis, it could lead to other health issues like heart disease.

Target customers rated this soup a 3.7 out of 5, and shared that the can has an unappetizing odor that is similar to the smell of dog or cat food. Others said it was simply awful tasting, gross, and mushy. Save your taste buds and skip trying this plant-based soup.

Black beans are a staple for many people's pantries. Good & Gather offers a low sodium version, which is a great option. The cans sell for $1.19, and are packed with nutritional value. In about a ½ cup, you will be consuming 7 grams of protein and 20 grams of carbohydrates. There are also 5 grams of fiber. There truly isn't anything negative about this can, nutrition wise.

Target customers love the taste of these black beans, rating them a 4.7 out of 5. Since black beans can be used for a variety of recipes, we recommend always having a few cans on hand. From black bean soup, tacos, breakfast skillets, chili, and more, the possibilities are endless. We love that you can get them at such an affordable price, plus they are convenient, versatile, and have high nutritional value.

Beyond canned chicken and tuna, there are other forms of canned meat on the shelves of Target. One option is the Iberia Chicken Vienna Sausages. Many people use canned sausages for things like toppings on macaroni and cheese, mini corn dogs, or in chili. Unfortunately, we wouldn't recommend buying this can of chicken sausages.

These sausages have a rating of 3.6 out of 5 on the Target site, which in the world of Target reviews, that's pretty low. There also aren't many reviews overall, which means that the item isn't very popular. In the few written reviews on the site, they all mentioned that the sausages don't taste great.

For chicken sausages, these are fairly high in fat. There are 10 grams total, and 3 of those grams are saturated. For comparison, the Good & Gather refrigerated chicken sausages have about 6 grams of fat per serving, with 3 saturated. The refrigerated sausages also have more than double the amount of protein than the canned sausages do. Overall, there are healthier and better tasting options in the refrigerated version of chicken sausages.

When choosing which cans to feature in this article, we first searched the Target website for a large variety of types of food that can be canned. From there, we narrowed it down by customer reviews and nutritional value.

With clear ratings out of 5 stars, we could easily see which cans were favored and which weren't. Target also offers accessible nutritional information on all of its products, so we were able to see and compare which brands had positive health benefits and which didn't. All prices listed are based on a specific regional area.