A new survey reveals that for a majority of Americans, a home-cooked meal means turning to their pantry. An overwhelming 98 percent of Americans currently have canned foods in their kitchens, with the average pantry stocked with 24 cans.
Canned corn is king, and vegetables top the list of America’s most popular canned ingredients (present in 79 percent of American homes), followed by beans (74 percent), broths, stocks and condensed cooking soups (71 percent), fruits (67 percent) and meats and seafood (54 percent).
This provides insights into how Americans shop and put homemade meals on their family tables, day in and day out. Americans rely on canned foods for mealtime solutions, and are always looking for inspiration, with 68 percent agreeing that they need new canned food recipe ideas.
“These results demonstrate the integral role canned foods play in America’s kitchen,” said CMI President Robert Budway. “The can is one of the best ways to get food from the farm to the family table, and most consumers keep a healthy mix of canned fruits, vegetables, stocks and meats on hand, allowing for a wide variety of nutritious and delicious meals that can be prepared any time.”
A closer look:
• The average number of canned food items used each week is five. That’s a can each weekday!
• Canned corn is the most popular canned vegetable in America, with 63 percent of Americans reporting they stock it in their pantry.
• Busy parents streamline their meal prep with canned foods, and 86 percent agree they do not go a week without using cans.
• Among those who keep canned fruits in their pantry, canned peaches (67 percent) and canned pineapple (63 percent) are the most commonly found in America’s pantry, followed by canned fruit cocktail (56 percent) and pears (52 percent).
• Among all Americans, the top four canned fruit and vegetable classics after corn are: green beans, tomatoes (whole, diced or pureed), peas and peaches.
• Nearly three in four Americans throw away spoiled fresh produce. On average, Americans throw away spoiled fresh produce twice a month.
Source: Can Manufacturers Institute
Reprinted with permission from RISMedia. ©2013. All rights reserved.
