Why Tinned Vegetables Might Be the New Tinned Fish—and Where to Grab Them

I typically pick up a can of vegetables when a particular nostalgic recipe (I’m looking at you, green bean casserole!) calls for it, and the fresh version just doesn’t scratch the same culinary itch. But most of the time, the few canned vegetables I buy end up long forgotten in the pantry, eventually expiring and getting tossed. 

A new line of tinned—not canned—vegetables is looking to reverse this trend. The line comes from Row 7, a “seed-to-table” company led by the famed chef Dan Barber of Blue Hills at Stone Barns. 

Tinned Vegetable Sampler

The line is launching with three new tinned vegetable products, each intended to be eaten straight from the tin or to “elevate a meal in minutes.” The veggies are all harvested at peak ripeness, cooked gently to preserve texture and enhance flavor, and then tinned.

The first, Badger Flame Beets, consists of a golden beet variety in olive oil and white balsamic vinegar. Next, there’s Sweet Prince Tomatoes, a cherry tomato variety in olive oil and red wine vinegar meant to deliver the depth and peak summer flavor of slow-roasted tomatoes. Finally, Sweet Garleek is the company’s garlic-leek hybrid “cooked confit-style.” It is packed in white balsamic vinegar and Dijon mustard and “mellow enough to eat by the forkful,” according to a press release.

Why Not Canned?

The tinned vegetables do come at a higher price point ($8 each or $29 for a sampler pack of all three) than your run-of-the-mill canned veggie, but Barber explained in a press release that the Row 7 line is a higher quality product that’s been developed with flavor top of mind, not other factors that have traditionally been favored by the industry. 

"Most canned vegetables come from varieties bred for yield and logistics. Ours come from varieties bred for exceptional flavor, which means they shine fresh and translate beautifully in the tin,” Barber said in the press release. “When you start with a seed bred for flavor, tinning isn't a compromise—it's a way to enhance what's already there."

Eat them Out of the Tin or in a Dish

Promotional images of the new tinned veggies also show that these aren’t foods meant to be dumped out of a can and heated up. The Badger Flame Beets are shown as the star attraction of a lush green salad, Sweet Prince Tomatoes are paired with fresh basil leaves to liven up a linguini dish, and Sweet Garleek is pictured atop a piece of crispy toast slathered with a creamy white spread—all elevated dishes that wouldn’t be out of place being served to a dinner guest.

"These tins close the gap between wanting to cook well and having the time to do it," Liz Mahler, Row 7's chief operating officer, said in a press release.

Tinned Fish Inspiration

Of course, this elevation of the canned vegetable might be ringing a bell for anyone who keeps a close eye on food trends. In recent years, tinned fish has exploded in popularity in the U.S., not only due to its convenience but also for its perception as an approachable luxury to spice up your pantry. Similar factors could be at work with this idea of tinned veggies, and we wouldn’t be surprised to see more competitors in this space before too long.

The three new tinned vegetables from Row 7 are currently available from the produce aisle at Whole Foods Market locations in the Northeast, or they can also be purchased nationwide directly from row7seeds.com.