Does anyone know of an inexpensive, widely available brand of jarred tomatoes?

[thefreckledmama]

Because I am eternally optimistic, I thought that "organic" meant there would be no BPA liner in cans labels such-I have found that I am wrong.

Beans and tomatoes are really the only things I ever buy canned anymore, and I've switched to mostly dry beans already, so that's not a big deal.

Ditching the canned tomatoes is another issue entirely. I use them in EVERYTHING-which is why it's so important for us to ditch the canned tomatoes, so I need to find a widely available brand of jarred tomatoes to get me through until summer when I plan to become a canning fiend.

ETA: Or, if anyone knows of a widely available brand of canned tomatoes which absolutely doesn't have BPA in the cans, that would work too.

Also, I'm going to take back the "inexpensive" stipulation, because I can adjust our food budget long enough to get us through summer.

[MMGerard]

I hear you! We had the same problem and the best solution we've found so far is Pomi boxed tomatoes: http://www.pennmac.com/page/29/ We buy them at Kroger and off-hand I think the price we pay is a little less than the price listed on the web link above. Kroger stocks them not on the shelf with the regular canned tomatoes, but rather in the Italian food section, as they are imported from Italy. Let me know if you find a better solution!

[jrabbit]

oh - this is goo to know!

We don't buy much canned stuff, and the BPA thing bothers me, but I think that if you rationalize it, if the ONLY BPA you knowingly expose yourself to is in canned tomatoes, you are waaaay below the average consumption ...

[thefreckledmama]

Originally Posted by MMGerard

I hear you! We had the same problem and the best solution we've found so far is Pomi boxed tomatoes: http://www.pennmac.com/page/29/ We buy them at Kroger and off-hand I think the price we pay is a little less than the price listed on the web link above. Kroger stocks them not on the shelf with the regular canned tomatoes, but rather in the Italian food section, as they are imported from Italy. Let me know if you find a better solution!

Great! Kroger is my main grocery store-ours has a huge natural/organic foods section.

I'm going to check out our local family owned high-end grocer, as well as Whole Foods this weekend to see what else might be available.

[thefreckledmama]

Originally Posted by jrabbit

oh - this is goo to know!

We don't buy much canned stuff, and the BPA thing bothers me, but I think that if you rationalize it, if the ONLY BPA you knowingly expose yourself to is in canned tomatoes, you are waaaay below the average consumption ...

This is true, but I just have such a hard time knowingly exposing us to anything I know is harmful. The times I've talked myself into doing so, I end up really regretting it.

[AllyRae]

Can you just buy tomatoes, puree/cut/whatever them and freeze them?

[mamadelbosque]

I buy bionature tomato paste as its in jars...

[noobmom]

I've gotten the bionaturae tomatoes before, but I wasn't thrilled with them. There isn't a really a diced tomato option, just tomato puree (strained tomatoes).

Previously I would make my own sauce using canned tomatoes, but I've mostly switched to buying spaghetti sauce in jars. I do buy a few BPA cans of tomatoes for non-spaghetti applications.

BTW, the flats that you use for canning are lined with BPA as well. So you won't be able to get anyway from it entirely.

[treemom2]

What do you use canned tomatoes for? I also don't like the BPA in the cans of tomatoes, even organic tomatoes so I've tried to find ways to stay away from it. I now use organic pasta sauce or organic salsa in most recipes that call for canned tomatoes. I really enjoy experimenting and it's worked in all the recipes I've tried.

[sanguine_speed]

We use Eden organic, and they are not "BPA-free" for tomatoes, but they are at "undetectable" levels. Their bean cans are BPA free.

http://www.edenfoods.com/faqs/view.php?categories_id=6

[ju1ia]

I have been buying Kroger's off-brand jar of spaghetti sauce... it's only $1.11 these days so almost as cheap as cans anyway. we usually spice it up, add some real tomatoes if we have them, and whatever other veggies we're using. good enough for us!
for chili or indian food that calls for diced, I just use fresh chopped tomaotes and cook it so long they get mushy like the canned ones.
I haven't found an alternative for paste, but I haven't needed it lately. I would guess whole foods has something boxed though. thanks for reminding me to check into that!

[Megan73]

Yeah, I use canned tomatoes in EVERYTHING.
Our local Italian grocery store carries canned tomatoes imported from Italy which are both better and come in unlined cans.