I was at Walmart yesterday and saw sardines are cheaper than tuna, since tuna has been getting progressively more expensive over the last couple years. A generic can of tuna is $.58 and a generic can of sardines is $.50. Here’s the comparison, both packed in water:
My thoughts: Sardines are cheaper (calories/dollar), have more omega-3 fatty acids, have less sodium and a better balance of sodium and potassium (good for blood pressure), and include the whole fish, so you get bonuses like a ton of calcium and iron. It also seems that, at least with the generic tuna, the cans don’t yield the amount of servings on the label (I’ve weighed it and it typically significantly less). I’d imagine the sardines would be a bit more accurate, though I haven’t weighed them.
The only other product I can think of that is nutritionally great and cost effective is the large can of wild Alaska salmon (the can says the sardines are wild caught too). It’s like a $1.70/can, but it’s like four cans of tuna, and it comes with all the benefits of a whole fish, and like 7000mg of omega-3s per can!
What are some other good buys as far as tuna replacements, fish or otherwise? Preferably canned or easy to transport/eat, no prep.
Wild Alaskan Salmon and Sardines (in Water) are staples in my diet for these very reasons. I don’t think anything out there beats these in terms of cost:benefit ratio. But good buys of course include frozen spinach, broccolli, blueberries; mixed nuts; all natural peanut butter; omega 3 eggs.
Look at herring too. Like sardines, they are relatively cheap and have a better omega-3 profile than tuna. I prefer both sardines and herring (especially kippered) to tuna any day.
hey, I can totally relate to using tuna as a cheap, easy-to-make protein source. However, I suggest you consider reducing the number of times you eat it. Lots of mercury in it. You might want to check out this mercury calculator,
concerned with calculation the mercury content of various seafoods:
I get 2 6oz. cans of sardines for a buck on sale around here which makes this a no brainer. I have over 100 cans stashed in my closet right now. Superb manfood, but I’m the wrong guy to ask about taste because I like almost everything and can stand anything. I couldn’t care less. I throw em in the blender with a tablespoon of EVOO, spinach, broccoli, squash, walnuts, a whole boiled egg and some water for a quick AD sardine slammer.
[quote]Tiribulus wrote:
I get 2 6oz. cans of sardines for a buck on sale around here which makes this a no brainer. I have over 100 cans stashed in my closet right now. Superb manfood, but I’m the wrong guy to ask about taste because I like almost everything and can stand anything. I couldn’t care less. I throw em in the blender with a tablespoon of EVOO, spinach, broccoli, squash, walnuts, a whole boiled egg and some water for a quick AD sardine slammer.[/quote]
Reading this actually made me involuntarily go “Ah!” like a little gasp.
I am surely a fan of the blender (esp spinach) but good jesse christmas Trib, How the hell? Goddammit you should join the army just for the food. One day ill try it though, i promise.
In other news, sardines are kickass and im out. time to go to costco.
I carry cans of sardines with me where ever I go. They’re stinky things and I always get an euuu comment when I open a can. I also pop an altoid after I’m done.
I think I’ll try sardines… I only had sardines once that I remember, and they were pretty good until I found out where they came from. Back when I was like 14 or so I went to a lunch with one of my friends fam’s at this park near the docks. We went fishing for a little while, got bored (no bites) and went to play some ball. We came back and his grandma had made some sardines, I ate like 10 of em, I was like “shit this is good, howd u make it”? Shes like “its the sardines u brought”.
THAT WAS OUR BAIT!
ever since I haven’t eaten a sardin, now I am learning how good they are for you I think I’ll give em a try
Back in my younger days (60’s - 70’s), I used to make sardine / peanut butter sandwiches, not for any nutritional reasons, just because I liked them. Although I have each on it’s own now, I may try that as a combo again after reading this memory jarring thread.
None of my friends back them would even remotely consider trying that combo!
[quote]pushharder wrote:
Avocado wrote:
Tiribulus wrote:
I get 2 6oz. cans of sardines for a buck on sale around here which makes this a no brainer. I have over 100 cans stashed in my closet right now. Superb manfood, but I’m the wrong guy to ask about taste because I like almost everything and can stand anything. I couldn’t care less. I throw em in the blender with a tablespoon of EVOO, spinach, broccoli, squash, walnuts, a whole boiled egg and some water for a quick AD sardine slammer.
Reading this actually made me involuntarily go “Ah!” like a little gasp.
I am surely a fan of the blender (esp spinach) but good jesse christmas Trib, How the hell? Goddammit you should join the army just for the food. One day ill try it though, i promise.
In other news, sardines are kickass and im out. time to go to costco.
-chris
I’ve made tuna and V-8 shakes before. Couldn’t get anyone else to share them with me.[/quote]
You’d just love the beef liver version of these =] Actually most of my food is mechanically processed in some way. Especially during the week. Quick, powerfully nutritious and easily digestable. Carb loads are mostly solid food because I don’t want that to digest as fast.