Tip of the Week

Monday, January 2, 2012

Monday's Tip of the Month: Canned Foods

There is a great debate about BPA and the health affects.  Personally, I don't know why they need to use BPA in canned foods (other than they want the product to last a long time on the shelf).  And if you are into being green and sustainable the debate is canned versus frozen foods.

I weigh in on the frozen food side.  I do not want BPA in my foods and have not bought ANY canned foods since last year.  The biggest culprit is canned tomatoes.  From what I read, the acidity in the tomatoes is more likely to absorb BPA which is then leached into our food. 

My solution?  I buy fresh organic fruits and vegetables, which I in turn cook, can or freeze myself.  If I am in a hurry or it's not in season then I buy frozen organic produce.  No canned foods in my household. 

But wait, what about those canned beans?  Say no to those too.  I buy dried beans, which are much cheaper anyways.  Usually I plan ahead and soak the beans overnight and then cook and add to my dish.  If that takes too much time, here is what I learned from Rachael Ray's Cooking show; freeze the cooked beans.  Yes that's right, once you have cooked the beans you can freeze them and you have beans that will be ready for any dish you are cooking. 

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