[majazama]

isn't a good idea, because of the BPA in the lining of the cans.<br><br><a href="http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2010-05-19-cans19_ST_N.htm" target="_blank">http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/...ans19_ST_N.htm</a><br><br>
just an FYI

 

[Terrilein]

oh . . . yumm <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/sick.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="sick">

 

[AmyKT]

I told DH (the cook) about this several weeks ago and he sighed in the way that means "oh boy, another way she's going to make my life more difficult" and we completely stopped eating out of cans for about a week until neither of us had the will to bother anymore. I wish it weren't the case about the BPA and all the other toxins in the world, but I just can't worry myself over everything. I do the best I can most of the time and cross my fingers the rest of the time.

 

[ammiga]

We have almost entirely cut canned foods out of our home. The only food we have trouble with sometimes is canned beans... I don't know how to make them all at home. Other than that, we get soup in boxes, tomatoes in jars, and don't really eat canned fruits or veggies or meats. If anyone knows how to make garbanzo beans or kidney beans for salads and snacking, I'd be happy to try those!

 

[Terrilein]

What about just storing up on dried beans and soaking whatever you need for the next day overnight?

 

[somegirl99]

Beans are easy with some planning ahead.<br><br>
As Terrilein says, soak overnight.<br><br>
Then wash thoroughly, then cook with lots of water until they are tender.<br><br>
Drain and serve.<br><br>
Cooked beans also freeze pretty well so if you only use a little at a time it's not too bad.

 

[chase_mommy]

<div style="margin:20px;margin-top:5px;">
<div class="smallfont" style="margin-bottom:2px;">Quote:</div>
<table border="0" cellpadding="6" cellspacing="0" width="99%"><tr><td class="alt2" style="border:1px inset;">
<div>Originally Posted by <strong>AmyKT</strong> <a href="/community/forum/post/15431529"><img alt="View Post" class="inlineimg" src="/community/img/forum/go_quote.gif" style="border:0px solid;"></a></div>
<div style="font-style:italic;">I do the best I can most of the time and cross my fingers the rest of the time.</div>
</td>
</tr></table></div>
I love this! You are so right, we can not worry ourselves with everything.<br><br><br>
I started canning last year so we don't do can food to much... however, it just occurred to me in OP post that can soup is a can food. Guilty there! As far as beans go, I had no idea you could freeze them after cooking them? How exactly do you do that? Flash freeze on a cookie sheet and then put in a freezer safe storage container. I always make way to much and it is SO time consuming! I personally prefer making my own beans over canned so the time is worth it but freezing would be awesome. Maybe I should try to can them on my own, anyone ever done this?

 

[Sometime]

I found canned tomatoes the hardest to give up (and they are one of the worst to eat canned because they are so acidic they just eat that BPA out of the linings), but there are finally some good alternatives.<br><br>
Beans you cook at home are a lot tastier, actually, particularly garbanzo beans for some reason! BUT if you really can't avoid the canned variety, Eden Organics doesn't use BPA in their bean can linings (but they do in their tomatoes). See here: <a href="http://www.edenfoods.com/articles/view.php?articles_id=178" target="_blank">http://www.edenfoods.com/articles/vi...rticles_id=178</a>

 

[craft_media_hero]

My partner just brought this up to me last night in fact. Usually I am the one bringing stuff like this up to him. I was really touched by his concern--he says he's eating all the rest of the canned stuff in our pantry (which isn't much because I don't buy a lot of it) and I'm not allowed to have any of it <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/lol.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="lol"> I am intending on learning to can this year and freezing a lot of stuff as well---guess it's just one more little way we change our lives to keep our family healthy!<br><br>
It won't be too bad, I think. A couple years ago I started getting grossed out by conventional canned fruits and veges, so we don't have much of that, just corn and tomatoes really. There are a couple of cans of beans for convenience, but I've been cooking them from scratch for about a month or so coz they're cheaper and taste better. That's pretty much it. Soups I almost always make from scratch anyways--I'm going to make a point to freeze some in quart batches . . . thinking out loud now.<br><br>
Thanks for the heads up, majazama!

 

[slgt]

Would love to hear about canned tomato alternatives! I've found bottled crushed tomatoes and we buy paste in a tube (although I wonder if it's lined?)...and I've switched to only using jarred sauce, but that gets spendy! We were planning to put up our own last year, but got The Blight - so didn't bother this year since it's likely still in our soil.

 

[KatWozBlue]

I like to buy either fresh or frozen so we don't do a lot of can, but I can't seem to give up my yellow cling peaches in light liquid, I don't know why, but I find them so good . I guess we all do the best we can!

 

[praisehimau]

I didn't know that. although fresh is better anyway which is what I try to stick too.<br><span style="font-size:xx-small;"><i>Posted via Mobile Device</i></span>

 

[Sometime]

Here is interesting news on the canned tomato front, too. Evidently next year Muir Glen tomato cans won't contain BPA:<br><br><a href="http://www.greenbiz.com/news/2010/04/19/general-mills-pull-bpa-organic-tomato-cans" target="_blank">http://www.greenbiz.com/news/2010/04...ic-tomato-cans</a><br><br>
Not that it helps us pregnant ladies now, but since BPA is still really bad for growing children, it's good to know...<br><br>
In the meantime, personally I use the jarred tomatoes, even though they are too expensive, but they are often on sale. The lids may still have BPA in the lining, but I think there has to be a lot less leaching. There are also tomatoes in cartons. Also using fresh tomatoes will be a pretty good option soon, since it is summer now! Here is an article about "alternative" tomatoes:<br><br><a href="http://thesoftlandingbaby.com/2010/01/14/bpa-free-tomatoes-do-exist/" target="_blank">http://thesoftlandingbaby.com/2010/0...toes-do-exist/</a>

 

[jennica]

I haven't been eating canned foods this whole pregnancy, except Eden brand beans which don't have BPA. I buy tuna in the pouch (which could still have BPA - but I'm hoping less than canned. For tomatoes I've just been using fresh.

 

[Jaesun's Dad]

<div style="margin:20px;margin-top:5px;">
<div class="smallfont" style="margin-bottom:2px;">Quote:</div>
<table border="0" cellpadding="6" cellspacing="0" width="99%"><tr><td class="alt2" style="border:1px inset;">
<div>Originally Posted by <strong>slgt</strong> <a href="/community/forum/post/15432153"><img alt="View Post" class="inlineimg" src="/community/img/forum/go_quote.gif" style="border:0px solid;"></a></div>
<div style="font-style:italic;">Would love to hear about canned tomato alternatives!</div>
</td>
</tr></table></div>
I use fresh tomatoes instead of canned tomatoes whenever I can afford to (depending on the price of tomatoes which varies a LOT). It's relatively easy to skin tomatoes (boil them for 30 seconds, comes right off) and seeding isn't that awful if you have to do that. It's easy enough to reduce if you need a thicker consistency. I haven't found many recipes that call for canned tomatoes where the real thing doesn't work out better.<br><br>
(Sorry to jump in on another due date club topic, I landed here from the front page and just clicked on the topic as it's of interest to me too ... though DP isn't pregnant any more I do worry about canned foods still)

 

[isras1]

Thank you for the info, I copied the info and shared it with my DDC.<br><br><div style="margin:20px;margin-top:5px;">
<div class="smallfont" style="margin-bottom:2px;">Quote:</div>
<table border="0" cellpadding="6" cellspacing="0" width="99%"><tr><td class="alt2" style="border:1px inset;">
<div>Originally Posted by <strong>KatWozBlue</strong> <a href="/community/forum/post/15432198"><img alt="View Post" class="inlineimg" src="/community/img/forum/go_quote.gif" style="border:0px solid;"></a></div>
<div style="font-style:italic;">I like to buy either fresh or frozen so we don't do a lot of can, but I can't seem to give up my yellow cling peaches in light liquid, I don't know why, but I find them so good . I guess we all do the best we can!</div>
</td>
</tr></table></div>
I emailed the news article to my DH and I specifically said that the one thing I'll have a hard time giving up are canned peaches. I eat them with cottage cheese and cinnamon, yum. I guess I'll try to stock up on the jarred variety when they go on sale....

 

[jennica]

Just found this "cream of soup" substitute and thought I'd share here: <a href="http://chaosinthekitchen.com/2009/11/cream-of-soup-substitute/" target="_blank">http://chaosinthekitchen.com/2009/11...up-substitute/</a> I'm looking at recipes and starting to make and freeze stuff for postpartum and I was trying to figure out what to substitute cream of mushroom soup with. This should work well! As for other soups, they sell many varieties in boxes at Trader Joes.

 

[flitters]

We do very little canned food here, but this pregnancy I have been craving (and eating) sardines. My understanding is that acidic foods tend to cause the BPA to come into the food more, and since sardines are just in olive oil and have so much nutritional value (omegas) I'm eating them and not worrying about it. But let me know if anyone knows of sardines in a jar or something other than those little metal tray "cans".