Tomato products in cans--looking for healthier alternatives.

[Halftime Hope]

Can anyone help me out here? Something I read recently said that tomato products in cans are very unhealthy, due to to can lining leaching bad chemicals (sorry, too lazy to go look up specifics, but it's the same chemical in plastic water bottles.)

 

Anyohw, we consume a lot of tomato products, as Italian and Mexican flavors are our favorite combinations.

 

I have recently switched to buying speghetti sauce in a jar, although it's more expensive. We use enough tomato products that I doubt I'd be able to can enough to last us for a year, even if I knew how to can! (I could learn to can, but it seems daunting at this point.) We use too much to make freezing a year's supply practical. (I don't have room for a bonafide garden, but I can buy bulk tomatoes from E Texas, really good ones...yum!!)

 

I'd rather buy prepared tomato products, even in large containers, if it's not *too* expensive.

 

Any ideas for me? TIA!!!

[Heidi]

No ideas except that maybe you should reconsider canning your own tomatoes. Learning how to can food is a valuable skill: it's healthier, can be cost effective, and putting away food is just plain smart, especially in this day and age.

[LauraGB]

:bigear: Wow, I was just thinking about posting this exact same thing yesterday! I can't find jars or the tetra packs of diced tomatoes here at all. Its driving me crazy. I've just been buying fresh tomatoes and working from there, but its really expensive.

:lurk5:

[Rosie_0801]

Why not use fresh tomatoes? They taste better.

 

Rosie

[Mommyof4ks]

Why not use fresh tomatoes? They taste better.

 

Rosie

 

This is what we usually do. Throw a few in a blender and pour them in spaghetti.

[Slartibartfast]

You can get tomatoes in the box like broth comes in.

 

I use fresh when they are on sale but in winter that can get a bit pricey. I am planning on canning next year.

[LauraGB]

Why not use fresh tomatoes? They taste better.

 

Rosie

 

In our case, tomatoes go into nearly everything I make, so at $3 per lb it gets crazy expensive. And its always eating at me that I know the canned ones are 1/3 the price.

[cjzimmer1]

Why not use fresh tomatoes? They taste better.

 

Rosie

 

In additional to the price, this time of year the fresh tomatoes taste icky. The canned ones actually taste better than fresh right now. Those hydroponics ( or whatever else they are distributing mid-winter)have no flavor in my opinion.

[Rosie_0801]

Maybe the answer is to eat something else in winter? I've made up cannelloni (or however you spell it) those pasta tube things with a carrot puree, and they were much nicer than the tomato based recipe on the back of the box.

 

Rosie

[whitestavern]

We purchase the boxed tomatoes, which honestly I was never familiar with until I went looking for them. They've been easy to find in every major grocery store. The brand name is Pomi.

[Whereneverever]

We use the jarred sauce and tomato juice for soup bases instead of the canned now. It's not ideal, but it's working until fresh cheapen up.

[Spy Car]

No ideas except that maybe you should reconsider canning your own tomatoes. Learning how to can food is a valuable skill: it's healthier, can be cost effective, and putting away food is just plain smart, especially in this day and age.

 

You've made *me* put on my thinking cap.

 

Bill

[Tracy in Ky]

I can tomatoes, but I also freeze them. We eat a lot too, but it isn't hard to can/freeze enough for a year. They are easy to grow and very, very easy to freeze. Over plant so you will be sure to have enough. I think I put out around 70 plants this summer!:eek:

[Spy Car]

What do people can with? Mason jars?

 

Bill

[Tracy in Ky]

What do people can with? Mason jars?

 

Bill

 

Yes

[Spy Car]

Yes

 

Do you need to cut up the tomatoes, or are there big jars? Or do you just squeeze them in? Are they blanched first, or completely raw?

 

Sorry for the stupid questions.

 

Bill

[OnTheBrink]

Check out this site, Bill.

 

http://www.pickyourown.org/canning_tomatoes.htm

[amyco]

One of the nice things about canning tomatoes is that you can water-bath can them because of their high acid content. No pressure canner/cooker required! Libraries usually have several books about basic canning.

 

Unfortunately, for us, no matter how many tomato plants I put out, we never get enough. The seasons are just too short, even for the "early" tomatoes. A friend here recommends roma tomatoes for canning...supposedly they grow better here too. This year I might try it, though. I'm having trouble finding the tetra paks of tomatoes, and our supermarket usually has everything.

[Spy Car]

Check out this site, Bill.

 

http://www.pickyourown.org/canning_tomatoes.htm

 

Thank you!

 

One of the nice things about canning tomatoes is that you can water-bath can them because of their high acid content. No pressure canner/cooker required! Libraries usually have several books about basic canning.

 

I was just going to ask about these "pressure canners", I'm reading they make a better product, but I don't know what the heck they are. But my curiosity is aroused.

 

Unfortunately, for us, no matter how many tomato plants I put out, we never get enough. The seasons are just too short, even for the "early" tomatoes. A friend here recommends roma tomatoes for canning...supposedly they grow better here too. This year I might try it, though. I'm having trouble finding the tetra paks of tomatoes, and our supermarket usually has everything.

 

Here tomatoes grow like weeds, so this is actually a semi-practical idea.

 

Bill

[Mom2GirlsTX]

Freezing is probably the best idea unless you are very careful with your canning.

If you are canning to avoid BPA, well your canning lids (the white stuff on inside) is laden with BPA's. I did not realize this until a month ago when one of my organic magazines covered this. I believe only Ikea with glass lids were the only bpa free ones. If you are canning to avoid BPA;s, but then you do the canning yourself and your canning lid has bpa, you are going through alot of work to not be bpa free. You can do a google of it. Here is a link about it, not sure of its accuracy, but http://www.treehugger.com/files/2009/07/is-there-bpa-in-your-home-canning.php

 

another article: http://www.foodbuzz.com/blogs/us/oregon/portland/1564637-bisphenol-a-found-in-canned-foods-and-in-canning-lids

 

I am only giving those who can a heads up, your lids do contain BPA's.

Edited January 10, 2010 by Mom2GirlsTX

[Spy Car]

Freezing is probably the best idea unless you are very careful with your canning.

If you are canning to avoid BPA, well your canning lids (the white stuff on inside) is laden with BPA's. I did not realize this until a month ago when one of my organic magazines covered this. I believe only Ikea with glass lids were the only bpa free ones. If you are canning to avoid BPA;s, but then you do the canning yourself and your canning lid has bpa, you are going through alot of work to not be bpa free. You can do a google of it. Here is a link about it, not sure of its accuracy, but http://www.treehugger.com/files/2009/07/is-there-bpa-in-your-home-canning.php

 

I am only giving those who can a heads up, your lids do contain BPA's.

 

Thanks for this heads-up. I'd kick myself for going to all the trouble and then not eliminating the problem.

 

Off to search for IKEA canning jar. You don't have a link do you?

 

Bill

[MIch elle]

Rotel diced tomatoes have lined cans as well as some of Trader Joe's diced tomatoes.

[Spy Car]

I believe only Ikea with glass lids were the only bpa free ones. .

 

Are these the ones you mean?

 

http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/40065867

 

I have Italian jars like this for my staples, these are nicely priced*.

 

Bill

 

* On second thought two dozen jars for canning would be pretty pricey.

Edited January 10, 2010 by Spy Car

[Guest]

We purchase the boxed tomatoes, which honestly I was never familiar with until I went looking for them. They've been easy to find in every major grocery store. The brand name is Pomi.

 

What section are they in? Are they by the canned?

[Mom2GirlsTX]

Rotel diced tomatoes have lined cans as well as some of Trader Joe's diced tomatoes.

 

But the lined cans do contain BPA's. According to the Dec Consumer Report testing on BPA's, even canned goods that were organic and sold as BPA free cans still registered risky levels of BPA's.

 

Also, #7 plastics contain BPA's. The safest of the plastics, especially for children, are #1, 2, and #4.

 

 

Spycar, I do think those are the ones that the article was referring to, but I'm not positive. It was either in Consumer Reports, Mother Earth News, or Organic Gardening magazine...LOL I will see if I can find it.

Edited January 10, 2010 by Mom2GirlsTX

[paula j]

If you decide to can your tomatoes, they turn out very nicely if you cook them in the crockpot. I've finally got to the point that I can make diced ones like the ones in a can but in a jar.

[dirty ethel rackham]

Why not use fresh tomatoes? They taste better.

 

Rosie

Because fresh tomatoes in winter taste like cardboard and they are expensive.

[muffinmom]

If you decide to can your tomatoes, they turn out very nicely if you cook them in the crockpot. I've finally got to the point that I can make diced ones like the ones in a can but in a jar.

 

Can you post a recipe for this?

[Carmen_and_Company]

Do you need to cut up the tomatoes, or are there big jars? Or do you just squeeze them in? Are they blanched first, or completely raw?

 

Sorry for the stupid questions.

 

Bill

 

You need a water bath canner--looks like an enormous, dark blue or black stockpot. Here's a wonderful link with the basics of canning along with videos:

http://canningusa.com/

 

We don't have the land space to plant large numbers of tomato plants, so we purchase our canning tomatoes from our local farmer's market, which allows us to plant around 10 heirloom & regular tomato plants to enjoy during the growing season.

 

We put up salsa, chopped tomatoes (not quite diced--lol), regular red sauce, and stewed tomatoes in pint & quart sized jars. We also freeze sauces were we added carrots, peppers, eggplant, or other low acid vegetables.

[whitestavern]

What section are they in? Are they by the canned?

 

 

Yes, in the supermarkets I go to they are on the top shelf in the same area as the canned tomatoes.

[Aubrey]

Can't you just freeze them in freezer bags, & avoid all the bpa/canning business in the first place?

 

*wincing* hoping I'm not betraying my *utter* stupidity on the subject.

[Whereneverever]

Can't you just freeze them in freezer bags, & avoid all the bpa/canning business in the first place?

 

*wincing* hoping I'm not betraying my *utter* stupidity on the subject.

 

You can, but it takes up a lot of freezer space.

[Spy Car]

You need a water bath canner--looks like an enormous, dark blue or black stockpot. Here's a wonderful link with the basics of canning along with videos:

http://canningusa.com/

 

We don't have the land space to plant large numbers of tomato plants, so we purchase our canning tomatoes from our local farmer's market, which allows us to plant around 10 heirloom & regular tomato plants to enjoy during the growing season.

 

We put up salsa, chopped tomatoes (not quite diced--lol), regular red sauce, and stewed tomatoes in pint & quart sized jars. We also freeze sauces were we added carrots, peppers, eggplant, or other low acid vegetables.

 

Thanks for the link. I enjoyed the video. It looks do-able!

 

Bill

[Mommyof4ks]

In additional to the price, this time of year the fresh tomatoes taste icky. The canned ones actually taste better than fresh right now. Those hydroponics ( or whatever else they are distributing mid-winter)have no flavor in my opinion.

 

I guess it pays to live in the south lol. Our tomatoes taste great year round. :001_smile: I just bought some last week, but with the freeze that may change. :glare:

 

Not all canning jars have the white lining on the lid. I just bought some canning jars that are just metal lids from HEB. I don't use them for canning (they work great for mixes given as gifts), but it says that is what they are for on the big box they come in. Would those have BPAs? Maybe something worse lol.

[AuntieM]

:lurk5:

I am glad this thread came up! I have been wondering what to do, I am at the end of the canned tomatoes I have on hand. While I have decided to not fret about using those, I've been thinking about what to buy in the future. The info so far is great!

 

So, two things - first, those IKEA glass-topped jars look great, but are they for canning or just daily leftover storage? Second, if you put tomatoes in the freezer with freezer bags, are you trading one ill for another, since you are not putting hot acidic foods in plastic and storing it for perhaps months?

 

I am not really an alarmist, just curious and looking for healthier methods. Appreciate all the info y'all have to share.

:bigear:

[cin]

You can, but it takes up a lot of freezer space.

 

We freeze them in ziploc sandwich bags,(lay them flat on a cookie sheet in the freezer). Once they are frozen solid we transfer them to the food saver bags. And suck the air out. They last FOREVER, and they stack well.

 

Cindy

[HRAAB]

Freezing is probably the best idea unless you are very careful with your canning.

If you are canning to avoid BPA, well your canning lids (the white stuff on inside) is laden with BPA's. I did not realize this until a month ago when one of my organic magazines covered this. I believe only Ikea with glass lids were the only bpa free ones. If you are canning to avoid BPA;s, but then you do the canning yourself and your canning lid has bpa, you are going through alot of work to not be bpa free. You can do a google of it. Here is a link about it, not sure of its accuracy, but http://www.treehugger.com/files/2009/07/is-there-bpa-in-your-home-canning.php

 

another article: http://www.foodbuzz.com/blogs/us/oregon/portland/1564637-bisphenol-a-found-in-canned-foods-and-in-canning-lids

 

I am only giving those who can a heads up, your lids do contain BPA's.

 

Due to the headspace, the tomatoes shouldn't be touching the lids. I also imagine most people store their jars vertically, not on their side. The Kerr lids I bought this year were not white; just the normal gold color, both top and bottom.

 

I can oodles and oodles of tomatoes every year. Geez. I don't even know if I want to research this. It seems like no matter what I do to give my family the best and safest, there's something wrong with it. Maybe I'll stick my head in the sand.

[The Governess]

My dh's family is Italian and every September we can about 1,000 pounds of tomatoes from a pick-your-own farm nearby. They are soooooo good, way better tasting than any store-bought canned tomatoes I have tried. It takes us about 2 hours to pick and one 8 hour day to do the whole canning process (we have quite the system down by now). Our little family of 4 goes through 60 quart jars of tomatoes each year.

 

I am hoping that since the only BPA is in the lid, and the tomatoes don't usually even come into contact with it during the canning process or while they are being stored that there isn't that much leaching into the food. :001_huh: Next time you better believe I will be searching for a lid manufacturer that has removed the BPA from their product. Consumer demand for non-BPA items is increasing all the time, so hopefully someone will have come up with a good alternative by then.

 

Thanks so much for sharing about the lids, I love how much I learn here.

[Peela]

If fresh tomatoes taste bland and icky...I put them on a windowsill and let them really ripen to the peak at room temperature in the light.....seems to bring the flavour out.

But you guys have me thinking I shoudl be canning....right now where I live the Italian delis are selling 10kg boxes of tomatoes for about $5 each.

[Tammyla]

I recently ran out of my tomato pantry stock, and need to find a better package locally or consider storing our own. My freezer is always packed and canning frightens me for a number of reasons; tomatoes grow marginally well here, and my mind thinks canning is harder than I can pull off.

 

Winter tomatoes here taste like dirt, but not as good.

 

Can anyone help me out here? Something I read recently said that tomato products in cans are very unhealthy, due to to can lining leaching bad chemicals (sorry, too lazy to go look up specifics, but it's the same chemical in plastic water bottles.)

 

Anyohw, we consume a lot of tomato products, as Italian and Mexican flavors are our favorite combinations.

 

I have recently switched to buying speghetti sauce in a jar, although it's more expensive. We use enough tomato products that I doubt I'd be able to can enough to last us for a year, even if I knew how to can! (I could learn to can, but it seems daunting at this point.) We use too much to make freezing a year's supply practical. (I don't have room for a bonafide garden, but I can buy bulk tomatoes from E Texas, really good ones...yum!!)

 

I'd rather buy prepared tomato products, even in large containers, if it's not *too* expensive.

 

Any ideas for me? TIA!!!

[nevergiveup]

Some of the newer varieties of tomatoes that are grown do not have enough acid to enable safe use of the water bath canning method so you have to be careful which variety you use.

[OrganicAnn]

Not a new variety, but yellow tomatoes are supposed to have less acid (but it may vary from variety to variety). A little vinegar in with the tomatoes is all you need to fix that.

 

I really have to agree about winter tomatoes. The ones in the stores anytime are bad enough, but I've seen some truly pathetic looking tomatoes. They pick them green not even starting to turn. They use the methane gas or what ever gas that ripes fruit to try to ripe them. And they use only varieties that are easy to ship. Even if you were to set them out they would never truly ripen up. Cardboard.

Edited January 10, 2010 by OrganicAnn

[Lawana]

Some of the newer varieties of tomatoes that are grown do not have enough acid to enable safe use of the water bath canning method so you have to be careful which variety you use.

But this is solved by adding lemon juice to each jar.

Really people, canning tomatoes is as easy as it gets;). Even my lazy self has done it.

Lawana

[LauraGB]

Really people, canning tomatoes is as easy as it gets;). Even my lazy self has done it.

Lawana

 

All the evidence would definitely point to this, but it'd be just my luck to poison my whole family. Really. I still think I may try it this summer though. I'll just have to choose wisely my taste tester.;)

[OrganicAnn]

re: poisoning your family accidentally.

 

My mom who always canned tomatoes taught us to always 1) look to see the lid was sealed when opening and there was no discoloration of the tomatoes and to 2) smell the tomatoes upon opening. If there were any doubts, to throw them out. I'm always surprised when people don't smell cans or jars after opening them. It may not catch everything, but it will detect spoilage.

[The Governess]

re: poisoning your family accidentally.

 

My mom who always canned tomatoes taught us to always 1) look to see the lid was sealed when opening and there was no discoloration of the tomatoes and to 2) smell the tomatoes upon opening. If there were any doubts, to throw them out. I'm always surprised when people don't smell cans or jars after opening them. It may not catch everything, but it will detect spoilage.

 

:iagree:I always listen for that "whoosh" of air when opening a new jar. Only one time did I have a jar that had gone bad, it had never sealed properly and it wasn't caught during the canning process. It was very obvious that the tomatoes were inedible.

[Tiffani]

I talked to a guy at EarthFare (an all natural health food supermarket....they won't sell ANY thing that's questionable, but they sell canned tomatoes.)

 

He said that it's not in all cans. Some companies use different liners that contain a chemical???? I don't know, just what he said.

[Quad Shot Academy]

Can't you just freeze them in freezer bags, & avoid all the bpa/canning business in the first place?

 

*wincing* hoping I'm not betraying my *utter* stupidity on the subject.

 

I have started freezing bags of beans to avoid the BPA, but I have been wondering too, just what is in Ziploc freezer bags? :001_huh:

[tdeveson]

We use enough tomato products that I doubt I'd be able to can enough to last us for a year, even if I knew how to can!

 

You can freeze tomatoes beautifully. I boil water, dunk them for a minute or less to loosen the skin, peel them and cut them up. I freeze mine zip-loc bags (which are way safer than that white stuff they line cans with) in "one meal" packets. When I'm going to cook something, I open a baggie and just drop the hard lump of frozen tomatoes in the pot.

 

You also don't have to grow your own. I do, but I never grow enough for the whole year. I look out for tomatoes on sale, or go to the farmer's market when tomatoes are at their peak. I do this three or four times a year and it keeps me well stocked.

 

Hope this helps.

[tdeveson]

 

Winter tomatoes here taste like dirt, but not as good.

 

:lol: