Although salmon was once upstaged by other types of fish such as mackerel and tuna, more and more people are realizing that this fish is actually quite tasty. It can be used for making a variety of dishes including salmon salad, salmon fish patties, salmon rice bowls and even salmon curry. However, this fish’s great taste isn’t the only thing worth mentioning about it. It’s also an extremely healthy addition to anyone’s diet, specially if you select the best canned salmon.
Doctors recommend that people eat 2-3 servings of salmon per week and there’s a good reason for that fact. It’s because salmon is rich in Omega 3 fatty acids and other nutrients that contribute to heart health. That’s why we’ve decided to review the best canned salmon that’s currently available. Now everyone can easily add this healthy fish to their diet.
List of the Best Canned Salmon
- Best Overall: Wild Planet Wild Sockeye Salmon (Amazon) – Review
- Best Gourmet: Rubinsteins Salmon Red Sockeye (Amazon) – Review
- Best For To-Go Lunches: Chicken Of The Sea Premium Pink Salmon (Amazon) – Review
- Best Keto Salmon: Redhead Wild Sockeye Salmon (Amazon) – Review
- Best Omega-3 Salmon: Kirkland Signature Wild Pink Alaskan Salmon (Amazon) – Review
- Best Affordable: Bumble Bee Skinless & Boneless Pink Salmon (Amazon) – Review
- Also Consider (Affordable): Chicken Of The Sea Traditional Pink Salmon (Amazon) – Review
- Best Low Sodium : StarKist Wild Alaskan Pink Salmon (Amazon) – Review
- Also Consider (Low Sodium): Crown Prince Low-Sodium Natural Salmon (Amazon) – Review
- Best Whole Packed Salmon: 365 Everyday Value Alaskan Wild Salmon (Amazon) – Review
Best Overall: Wild Planet Wild Sockeye Salmon
If there’s one thing we wanted to start this review off by saying it’s this: This salmon is some of the best salmon that we’ve tasted. It’s skinless and boneless, so it’s easy to prepare, and it doesn’t have the fishy taste that other canned fish does. As good as it tastes out of the can, however, that’s not the main reason to like this salmon.
In our opinion, the best thing about this salmon is that it’s sustainably sourced and received both a favorable Greenpeace ranking and a Clean Choice Award. Sure, this product might be more expensive than other brands, but it’s good taste and its responsible sourcing make it one worth trying.
Best Gourmet: Rubinsteins Salmon Red Sockeye
Not only is this salmon rich in Omega 3 fatty acids, but it’s also a canned salmon that has a deep, rich and exquisite flavor to it. It’s a little more expensive than other types of fish such as King Mackeral or tuna, but it’s healthier than these other types of fish and in our opinion, tastes better.
This product is sourced using wild Alaskan blueback red salmon that’s immediately canned to seal in their flavor. Although this product isn’t boneless, this bone is easily removed for cooking. All things considered, this is a quality canned salmon that many people are going to love to eat and enjoy.
Best For To-Go Lunches: Chicken Of The Sea Premium Pink Salmon
Yes, we’re quite aware that this pink salmon isn’t canned and instead it comes in a pouch, but we thought it was a good enough product anyway to make it on our list. What’s so great out about this product? For one, it’s made with wild-caught pink salmon that doesn’t need to be drained to be used and is both skinless and boneless.
It’s also 97% fat-free and has approximately 70-calories per serving. Its pouch container might not be as durable as a can, but it keeps the product just as well and is convenient to toss into a backpack or handbag. It’s simply a great salmon.
Best Keto Salmon: Redhead Wild Sockeye Salmon
As soon as a can of this salmon is opened, it’s quite easy to see just what a quality product it is. You can almost smell the freshness in each of these cans of salmon and they have a flavor that’s deep and rich. Although the product packed into these cans aren’t boneless, the bones are soft and easily digestible and provide the consumer with a good source of salmon.
There’s also a little bit of skin in each can, but this too is hardly noticeable. And because this product is high in Omega 3 fatty acids and other nutrients, it’s a healthy addition to just about any diet.
Best Omega-3 Salmon: Kirkland Signature Wild Pink Alaskan Salmon
There’s a lot of things to mention about this salmon, so we better get to it. The first thing we want to say is that this product is a quality salmon product. It’s got a deep-rich taste and is only made with two ingredients: premium salmon and salt. It’s also a product that doesn’t contain bones or skin like other products, and it also delivers 360 mg of Omega 3’s per serving. All great reasons to like this product.
If there’s one thing that we didn’t like it was its price tag. Its per-ounce price was considerably higher than any other salmon product we reviewed. We expected a higher price due to its quality, we just didn’t think it would be that high.
Best Affordable: Bumble Bee Skinless & Boneless Pink Salmon
One of the most affordable skinless and boneless canned salmon products we’ve found is this one from Bumble Bee. It has a per-ounce price that was consistently lower than other salmon products we’ve reviewed. That immediately makes it a great budget salmon, but to us, it’s more than that. It’s also a product that’s high in protein, is extremely flavorful and is gluten-free.
It’s a product that’s great for Keto diets or as a high-protein snack for bodybuilders. And it can be used to make a variety of dishes including pasta tossed with salmon, salmon croquettes and sandwiches, too.
Also Consider (Affordable): Chicken Of The Sea Traditional Pink Salmon
Anyone on the lookout for a high-protein snack that delivers high levels of Omega 3 fatty acids, and is rich in calcium, might want to take a look at this canned salmon from Chicken of The Sea. We’re all familiar with this company’s tuna advertising, but not everyone knows they make a quality salmon product.
Although we have to admit that it’s the smell is a little off-putting at first, we can confidently say that it has a great flavor that anyone can enjoy. It’s a product that can be used for a variety of different dishes, and has a pretty long shelf life, too.
Best Low Sodium : StarKist Wild Alaskan Pink Salmon
Quite a few people avoid canned salmon because it tends to be high in sodium. After all, the manufacturers of canned foods have to add extra salt to canned products to keep them fresher in the can longer. However, StarKist has found a better way to can salmon and their process results in this product having significantly lower sodium levels.
This product has up to 30% less sodium than regular salmon, so it isn’t as salty as other brands. This product is also rich in Omega 3’s and is a good source of calcium. And it’s rich in vitamin D as well.
Also Consider (Low Sodium): Crown Prince Low-Sodium Natural Salmon
This sustainably wild-caught salmon is a product of the United States and has a delicious flavor and texture to it that we feel most everyone is going to enjoy. This product also delivers a good amount of Omega 3 fatty acids, protein and vitamin D as well. It contains 1,415 mg of Omega 3’s per serving, 120% of the RDA for vitamin D, and 17-grams of protein.
It’s also Kosher and is a certified Paleo product. Although it still contains skins and bones, it’s still a highly enjoyable product that we feel many people are going to want to have in their pantry.
Best Whole Packed Salmon: 365 Everyday Value Alaskan Wild Salmon
Even though this canned salmon product might not suit everyone because it’s packed in the traditional method with not only the salmon but the bones and skin as well, we think it’s a product worth trying anyway. That’s because its a product made from Alaskan red sockeye and has a great flavor to it.
It’s certified Kosher, has a fancy-grade and delivers quite a bit of nutrition to the person eating it. It’s also a product that’s good in sandwiches, salads or other traditional salmon dishes.
The Consumer’s Guide To Canned Salmon
As all of our readers can clearly see with their own two eyes, there’s a lot of different varieties of canned salmon available. Now, all the faithful reader has to do is to choose the variety that most matches their needs. Unfortunately, there are no classes available on selecting canned salmon, so a lot of people don’t know exactly what they need. That’s why we’ve decided to write this guide—a guide that should give everyone the information they need before they start stocking up on canned salmon.
The Benefits Of Salmon
The first thing we’d like to address in this article is the benefits of salmon. Salmon is a fish that’s very nutrients rich and that’s why so many people have decided to add it to their diet. Below is just a sampling of some of the health benefits that salmon provides to those who eat it.
- It’s a good source of protein
- It’s rich in Omega 3 fatty acids
- High in B3, B6, and B12
- It’s a good source of potassium
- Contains Selenium
- May help with heart health
- May help with weight control
How To Buy The Best Canned Salmon For You
The next section of our guide on canned salmon examines how our readers can find the best canned salmon for their needs. There’s quite a selection of canned fish products available, and some people may prefer one type over another, so it’s important to carefully consider the options available before purchasing. Below are some of the things that we think that our readers should consider before they purchase their next can of salmon.
Wild Caught Vs. Sustainably-Harvest Salmon
One of the first things that consumers might want to consider when buying salmon is whether it’s wild-caught or farmed salmon. Although both of these types of salmon are worth checking out, our research has indicated that wild-caught salmon is the best. Over the past few years, there have been a few issues with farmed salmon and it’s not only less sustainable than wild-caught salmon but it also has fewer nutrients. Wild salmon is sustainable, is better for the environment and is more nutritious. That makes it the most obvious choice between the two.
Bone-In Or Deboned Salmon
Some salmon are canned with their bones and/or skin and some are deboned and skinned before they’re canned. Which one is best? Well, the answer to that question has to reside with the consumer. While the bones and skin in these products are edible, some consumers just hate the texture they provide and would prefer them to be removed. However, it should be said that if the consumer doesn’t mind salmon bone and/or skin, then they should definitely get a variety that has both the bone and skin in it. That’s because the skin provides a larger dose of Omega 3 fatty acids and the bones provide additional calcium and Vitamin D.
What To Avoid In Canned Salmon
Having just touched on the positive things that consumers should consider before they purchase their next can of salmon, we wanted to shift gears and talk about some of the things that consumers should absolutely avoid when they’re shopping for salmon. The following things are the products that can make canned salmon more unhealthy or can pass on ingredients that the consumers don’t want to receive such as soy or gluten. Let’s examine the following ingredients and find out why some or all consumers might want to avoid canned salmon products that contain them.
Harmful Oils
Although it’s our firm opinion that consumers should avoid any type of salmon that’s packaged with oil, we do understand that some varieties of smoked salmon are packed in oil and as such are almost unavoidable. When choosing one of these cans or tins of salmon, it’s important to choose the ones that contain olive oil and don’t contain soybean or canola oil. Of course, since we prefer more naturally packed products, all of the salmon we’ve placed on our top list are packed without oil.
Hidden Soy, Milk or Egg Products
Even though all of the salmon varieties we’ve selected are without the hidden ingredients of soy, milk or egg products, there are some types of canned salmon that contain these ingredients. Although these ingredients aren’t generally harmful, they may be harmful to people with allergies to these ingredients. And people who are following a Paleo diet plan will want to avoid canned salmon that contains those ingredients as well.
BPA
Some consumers might also want to avoid products that contain BPA, an ingredient that’s been found to be harmful to humans. Salmon varieties that are BPA-free are available, all the consumer has to do is look for it on the label.