World's most bizarre canned foods

2022-06-05

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Overlooking the trendiness of organic fresh food, it's actually still perfectly alright to eat canned food too. Certain canned foods, like canned vegetables or canned tuna, preserve the goodness for long periods of time and are a more convenient way of eating healthier food when you don't have easy access to fresh food markets.

That said, there are plenty of food that have no business being in a can — The Daily Meal looked at a few of the ones we're more familiar with, like whole chicken in a can, squid, cheeseburgers, and hot wings in a can. These are the foods that prove the adage that just because you can do something (like can roasted scorpions), that doesn't mean you should.


But that's just the start; across the world cultures have made it a habit of canning their favorite foods, sometimes in curious ways. In Asia and Southeast Asia there is a longstanding tradition of incorporating edible birds' nests into cooking — it makes a gelatinous base for many dishes and is very popular. But canning birds' nests as an energy drink is perhaps a more liberal interpretation of that cooking tradition.


Similarly, in Mexico, huitlacoche is popular in many culinary dishes, though something may have been lost in translation with the canned version of this parasitic fungus that grows on corn.


Other foods like creamed armadillos on a half-shell could make you feel like some people may be taking the option to can their favorite foods a little too far; click through our slideshow to see if you agree.

Grass jelly, Vietnam

You can get it as canned chunks of jelly, or even as an energy drink. Grass jelly, or leaf jelly, is popular in across Asia, particularly in Vietnam, China, Indonesia and Malaysia. The pressed juice from a combination of three regional plants is apparently high in nutrients and very sweet.

Reindeer meat, Finland

While reindeer may be a staple and acceptable food source in Finland, there's still no good reason the meat should be canned indefinitely. Canned reindeer is also controversial because of its questionably traumatic harvesting process of acquiring the meat.

Canned huitlacoche, Mexico

This parasitic fungus that infects corn is widely popular for its unique earthiness and complex flavors. A quick look at the canned version, however, will probably remind you of the ick factor.

Toothy herring, Russia

It's hard to tell if you would eat this food, or if it would eat you! Russian herring is basically stewed fish heads with the sharp teeth intact ... chew with caution.

Armadillo, USA

In Texas you can enjoy your armadillo grilled or creamed on the half shell ... we'll pass, thanks.

Powdered horse milk, Russia

Horse milk is widely consumed in Russia and Mongolia. Still, note that in a powdered version, it's actually freeze-dried and though it is 100% horse milk (note: no ponies), it is technically also 91% water.

Canned haggis, Scotland

Haggis is a bit of an acquired taste to begin with. So why not put it in a can too?

Barbecue silkworm pupae, Korea, Thailand

Fried silkworm pupae are popular across Asia, usually skewered and deep fried or grilled. They also have very little of their own taste so are usually heavily spiced. The trick is to bite down hard on the outer pupae shell until the gooey insides come squirting out — these canned versions come in a handy barbecue sauce.

All Day Breakfast, U.K.

Baked beans, tomato sauce, eggs, sausages, mushrooms, chopped pork ... it's all your favorite things about a full British breakfast fry-up, but in a can. I'll repeat: a full British fry-up in a can! I rest my case.


Source from:www.usatoday.com