Just Add One: For Nutrition

PITTSBURGH, Aug. 24 /PRNewswire/ --

200 Years of Canning

As canned food celebrates its 200th anniversary, it's easy to see why this form of packaging was developed to sustain armies voyaging around the globe. Portable, shelf-stable, freshly picked and packed; ingredients that don't need artificial preservatives are always in style. That's why canned food is still an essential part of the American pantry. Today, more than 1,000 varieties of foods can be found in a can.

Canned Food: Packed at the Peak of Freshness for Maximum Nutrition

According to a University of California-Davis study, the canning process actually may help to enhance the nutrient profile of certain canned foods. Canned pumpkin, for example, contains three times the Daily Value of Vitamin A compared to an equal amount of fresh, cooked pumpkin. Other foods such as canned beans have higher fiber content, and canned tomatoes contain significantly higher quantities of lycopene, than fresh tomatoes.

Field to Table Tour Dispels Canned Food Myths

In today's economy, canned food is increasingly more important in creating affordable, quick and healthy meals. However, despite its key role in meal preparation, common misperceptions and myths continue to surround canned foods.

To address the misconception, the Canned Food Alliance (CFA) examined the story of canned foods – from the farmer's field to the family's dinner table to learn more about the process, nutritional character and inherent value of canned fruits, beans and vegetables from the experts. Visit Mealtime.org to watch the "Canned Food from Field to Table" video and to get a better understanding of the overall benefits of canned food, check our Mealtime.org's canned food facts vs. myths.

CFA Introduces "Just Add One" for Simple, Healthier Meals

"Just Add One" is the CFA's initiative to help consumers fit more fruits and vegetables into their everyday meals. The concept is simple: just add one nutrient-rich canned ingredient to an ordinary dish. The result: a more nourishing, flavorful and extraordinary meal.

To introduce the "Just Add One" concept to home cooks, the CFA teamed up with Allrecipes.com to launch an online recipe contest, which gave site members the opportunity to share how they just add one canned ingredient to a favorite meal to boost nutrition, add flavor, cut down on prep time or to stretch a meal.

The CFA compiled these tips and created a practical application that brings the concept of "Just Add One" to life: the "Just Add One" Recipe Box, an interactive tool which features reci-tips for adding "one more" canned ingredient to everyday family meals. Designed to inspire home cooks, the "Just Add One" Recipe Box gives consumers a way to dial up quick, creative everyday family meal solutions that lead to healthful family choices.

About the Canned Food Alliance

The Canned Food Alliance (CFA) promotes the nutritional and convenience benefits of canned food through outreach to consumers and food professionals. The CFA website, www.Mealtime.org is home to hundreds of canned food facts, tips, research findings and easy recipes that provide creative, nutritious meal solutions.

SOURCE Canned Food Alliance