The Spoon Feed

Tinned food; a staple for many. Almost all of us have a tin of something in our kitchen cupboards, even if it has been there a while, and a layer of dust has started to dull the silvery shine.

I have been planning to write about my love for tinned food for a while, a post with no real point, but more a collection of thoughts I have had around this topic. And now, as I write this, we are in the middle of a global pandemic. Most of us are quarantined to the confines of our homes. In the earlier stages of the pandemic, people all over the country scrambled to the supermarkets to stock up on foods which would last. The motivator being the advice to leave the house only when absolutely necessary, and perhaps for some the fear of a breakdown in the food supply chain. Enter the humble tin.

The emergence of tinned foods was an exciting thing, and it became a key system of preservation. The method particularly came into play during war time, feeding troops of hungry men. However, tinned food for the average person became more mainstream and popular from the 1950s onward. In fact, tinned food could have a somewhat luxurious and magical feel. Due to the preservation of goods, people were enabled access to ingredients imported from exotic and interesting parts of the world. Pineapple slices, tinned tomatoes and tinned fish meant trying something new, and giving people access to more, through relatively inexpensive means.

Over time tinned food lost its’ image and its’ popularity dwindled. We were told that “fresh is best,” for flavour and for our health. We began to look down our noses at tinned food.

And yet, we still live in a society where we all consume tinned foods, or have even relied on them at some stage. I think tinned foods are even more relevant now than ever.

As a student, beans on toast was my breakfast and lunch. Although it was only six years ago that I graduated, when I was studying I was able to get a tin of baked beans for 12p, and a whole loaf of the cheapest bread available for 45p. This was my menu for almost three years, and I am grateful for this access to this cheap, tasty and filling food.

We currently live in a UK where, for some, a visit to a food bank is part of the routine. Food banks house preserved foods for those who can’t afford to buy substantial shops at the supermarket. Again, tinned foods are extremely relevant, and a daily reality for many.

So who eats tinned food? The truth is, we all do. Statistics show that in the UK we spend more than half a billion pounds on tinned food each year, with baked beans in the number one spot, followed closely by tinned tomatoes, and soup. I have, as I’m sure many do, very fond memories of tinned food. For example, tinned peaches. On special occasions such as boxing day, or Easter, my Mum would make an old-fashioned trifle with strawberry jelly, and Birds Custard. Once served up, we would always eat glorious mouthfuls with a tin of deliciously sweet peaches. Another would be, of course, the classic chopped tomatoes. My parents would serve these often as the vegetable with fish pie; the acidity actually worked really nicely with the creaminess of the dish!

What is the future of tinned food? Well, in my opinion, I think the future is bright. We are all searching to adopt more sustainable practices in our lives for the benefit of the planet. Tinned food means less waste, longer life for ingredients which would normally go off, and less waste in the production process. This in my eyes is positive, and something we can all easily and tastily incorporate more of into our daily lives.

I also wonder if the current pandemic will change our attitudes to food. Perhaps the new way of thinking about how to make food go further and how to use what you have instead of just running to the shop for extra ingredients, will stick with us even when the worst of this pandemic is over.

Whatever your thoughts on the tin, here’s to health and happiness in this strange time.