Celebrating Canned Food Week 2014

 

If most of us take a look in our cupboard, there's one item which we're more than likely to find: a can.   Be it a can of beans, for when you are looking to make a quick and easy meal, chopped tomatoes to make the base for a curry of Bolognese, or a can of soup to take into work for lunch . . .  the trusty can remains a store cupboard staple.  And it appears that the sales figures back this up too, with consumers having spend £2.4 billion on canned goods in 2013, a £3.2 million increase on the previous year.

To celebrate the can's popularity, Canned Food UK will be running Canned Food Week 2014 this April (14 to 20).  Now into it's second year, the week is designed to help everyday consumers to plan meals, eat nutritionally-balanced dishes and show how using canned food is a healthy, time-effective and cost-effective way to cook.

Jason Hegarty, Chairman for Canned Food UK, comments:

"The annual figures show that canned food continues to play an important role in cooking in the majority of UK households, and that is why Canned Food Week is so important to us.  Canned food clearly presents an affordable option, with convenience and nutrition playing an important role too."

Canned Food UK Promotes a healthy balanced diet, including a mix of fresh, frozen, dried and canned food  However, not many people know about the nutritional benefits of eating canned food.  Thanks to the canning process, where food is sealed and cooked in the can straight after harvesting, it means that all the vitamins and minerals are locked in  . . .  sometimes containing more than fresh alternatives.

This year Canned Food UK has teamed up with a number of partners with a series of new and existing recipes which highlight the versatility of cooking with canned food for a number of different audiences, from it's convenience and affordability for families and students, to it's health benefits for the older generation and those looking to watch their weight.  



I was given the ingredients to produce this delicious Chicken and White Bean Salad, which has been created by celebrity chef and Canned Food ambassador James Martin.   It contains canned haricot beans, which are a good source of fibre, key to promoting good digestion, as well as chicken breast, rocket salad and cherry tomatoes.  It was delicious and quick and easy to make.  You can view that recipe here.




This was my finished dish and I have to say it was really quite good.  I had to do a video of this dish, but I, for the life of me, cannot find it presented anywhere.

 

Here is my copy of it.  Enjoy!