With so many brands available, have you ever found it challenging to root
out which is the best canned tuna? Well, we've done the work for you.
Keep watching for 15 tuna brands ranked from worst to best.
While moist tuna is a must, greasy tuna can be completely off-putting.
Since many tunas are packed in oil, it can be hard to know if you're purchasing
something appetizing or cringe-worthy. We found this version of Century Tuna to fall
into the cringe-worthy category because the can is filled to the brim with oil.
Sadly, it ranked low on our list for more reasons than that. The fish is packed in vegetable oil,
specifically soybean oil, which is highly refined. Also included in their very long
list of ingredients are tuna flakes, water, brown sugar, natural ground spices, such as garlic,
ginger, onion, cinnamon, chili, iodized salt, thickeners, whey powder, and artificial flavors.
They also include whey in their canned tuna, and because milk is an allergen,
in addition to soy, eat Century Tuna with caution.
Flavored tunas, like Bumble Bee Lemon Sesame & Ginger, sound great in theory.
Rather than mixing your own flavors ahead of time, you can just pop a travel-friendly to-go
container of deliciously seasoned tuna into your bag and peel back the lid when
you're ready to eat it. If you love the idea of this, beware, not all flavored tunas are a win.
While the flavor combination of sesame and ginger sounds fancy, it may not be the best
mix for packaged tuna. The combination of citrus and ginger makes for a somewhat chemical, cleaning
While we love that the Walmart brand Great Value is easily accessible and, in fact,
a really great value most of the time, you may want to leave this can of tuna on the shelf.
This tuna takes on a bit of a mushy quality and is hard to drain all the oil from. If
you're looking to make tuna salad, the addition of more fat from mayo can be overwhelmingly greasy.
While the label states that the tuna is packed, it looks more like tuna bits floating in oil.
Quality is a concern as you might find bone and skin mixed into their tuna,
as other online reviewers had stated.
Additionally, the ingredient list states that the tuna is packed in soybean oil,
making the product inedible for those with soy allergies. However, the price can't be
matched. At 14 cents per ounce, this can of tuna might just be worth dancing for!
"If I were a lion and you were a tuna,
I would swim out in the middle of the ocean and friggin' eat you!"
Although Bumble Bee couldn't create a winning flavored tuna,
Chicken of the Sea seems to have won the category on flavor. As an Amazon
Choice and bestseller, it's clear that skipjack tuna, extra virgin olive oil,
water, thyme , lemon, salt, and lemon oil flavor are a winning combination.
The fact that they sell this fish in a convenient cup with a lid, spork included, makes it easy to
take on the go. However, this product scored low on our list because these flavored tuna packs
range from 69 cents to $1.07 per ounce, and each cup contains a little less than 3 ounces of meat.
Considering each serving is only 140 calories, it's likely you'll only eat
this as a snack or need to purchase other food items to round out a complete meal.
If you're a tuna purist and sustainable tuna is important to you, take a look at the Safe Catch,
a brand claiming to test each tuna they catch for mercury content. There's no added water,
oil, or fillers, making tuna the only ingredient in each can. As a result,
the fish does taste fresher and has a meatier quality to it.
The company states that they slow cook their fish to retain the inherent moisture of the
tuna and to boost the natural flavor of the fish without relying on additives.
They suggest mixing the juices from the can along with your tuna for the best taste and texture.
When mixed, it's subtle in flavor, not overly fishy, and the texture is meaty.
Due to its lightness and versatility, we've ranked it as one of the higher-rated canned
tunas on our list. It also hit higher marks due to the pop-top lid feature that allows
you to take it anywhere. The biggest liability was the price. At 72 to 90 cents per ounce,
it's one of the pricier tunas on the market.
Trader Joe's is typically known for its competitive pricing, but we had to wonder
why this can of tuna was so expensive. While it is packed in olive oil and has salt added,
it's still priced at $0.62 to $0.90 cents per ounce making it one of the more expensive brands
on our list. Was it the taste or texture that justified the price? Not for us.
In fact, the taste was very lackluster and the texture was broken and mushy.
Unless you use a large amount of mayonnaise, it's very hard to make the tuna stick together.
Additionally, because the pieces were so small, many tuna bits drained out along with the oil.
Despite the subpar taste and texture, one thing we appreciated was the simple ingredients they use.
Kirkland is the Costco store brand name which typically boasts a higher value than
their competitors. However, online pricing can go as high as $0.48 cents per ounce,
making their water-packed tuna pricier than comparable tuna brands.
Some consumers have warned that prices can be much higher online than in-store
for this particular product, so if you're looking for the best deal,
in-store shopping may be the way to go. Despite the above-average pricing, the taste and texture
were very good. They keep their ingredients simple using just tuna, water, and salt.
For things like tuna salad or tuna casserole,
this is a good option where the meatiness and texture of the tuna enhance the dish.
"That tuna didn't salad itself."
If you're tired of plain old tuna packed in water, you may be in the market for the
jazzier version Freshé is serving up. With so many exotic flavor profiles,
you won't have to worry about creating your own tuna salad recipes.
The portable-friendly packaging adds an additional layer of delicious convenience,
allowing consumers to toss the can into their bag, pop the top,
and eat right away without the need for additional seasonings or oils.
While this brand is revolutionizing canned tuna to make it anything but bland or boring,
they charge a premium price for their innovation. Averaging around
one dollar per ounce, this is one of the more expensive brands on the
market emphasizing the fact that this is a gourmet version of canned fish.
It ranks higher on our list despite the steep price because they're delicious, convenient,
and culturally inclusive, combining some of the best flavor combinations from around the globe.
Chicken of the Sea Chunk Light tuna boasts exceptional reviews and we agree
that there's much to love about this product. Priced at 28 cents per ounce,
it's highly affordable while still maintaining great overall quality. We also appreciate that
this iconic brand can be found in almost any grocery store across the country.
While the availability factor and pricing are positives, their addition of soy-containing
vegetable broth in the ingredients could be problematic for those who can't tolerate soy.
Despite the minor negative, the flavor of the tuna
is very mild and doesn't smell or taste overly fishy like other tuna products.
The Whole Foods 365 store brand is known for offering quality products.
At 50 cents per ounce, we found this tuna product to be a little more expensive than
other comparable products in this category, but we thought that the quality made up for it.
One of the best aspects about this product was the minimal and recognizable ingredient list including
just tuna and water. Once drained, it appears to be slightly dryer in texture than other brands, so
additional oil or moisture will likely be needed in order to yield a moist, tender-tasting tuna.
One thing we didn't love was the fact that it was difficult to open
and required a can opener, making this product less portable and convenient than others.
StarKist is one of the leading tuna brands across the nation and it's easy to see why.
They have evolved their brand to include a wide variety of offerings at affordable prices.
One of the tastiest products you can find under this brand name is the Honey BBQ tuna creation,
one of the many flavored tuna products of the creation line.
This particular flavor is one of their most popular and an Amazon bestseller.
We love that this product expands how we think about eating tuna beyond the
standard mayo and chives version. Their BBQ tuna is meaty and flavorful enough
that it can be piled onto a bun the way one might pile pulled pork barbecue.
Although it has a longer list of ingredients and goes beyond the standard addition of olive oil
and salt than standard tuna, we love that there's nothing boring about this product.
"Eh, what did I tell ya, they sent for me. All right, cut the comedy."
Additionally, it's conveniently packaged in a tearable pouch so you can easily take it to
work or camping. Although many flavored versions of tuna are steeper in price,
StarKist has kept their prices very reasonable at just 38 cents per ounce,
which is on average about a third of the price of comparable, competitive products.
With the simplest, high-quality ingredients of just tuna, extra virgin olive oil, and sea salt,
it's easy to love this tuna brand. Some of the other things we really love
are the texture, taste, and value. While some tuna brands take on more of a grated texture,
Genova has thicker chunks yielding a more meaty texture.
The taste was another high point for this brand, likely because they pack their fish
in extra-virgin olive oil instead of soybean oil, yielding a more complex flavor profile. In
addition to the sea salt, we found it flavorful and moist enough to eat on its own without the
addition of mayo or other spices and seasonings, unless of course, you wanted to add them.
This brand at 42 cents per ounce is a good value for those wanting higher
quality ingredients. While it doesn't have the most spectacular packaging,
they design the cans as flip-tops allowing them to be portable and easy to open.
Great Value's tuna packed in vegetable oil wasn't a winner in our book,
but Great Value tuna packed in water is a much better choice. Not so surprisingly,
this canned tuna ranks highest in overall value at just 14 cents per ounce,
one of the lowest-priced offerings on our list. Because it's packed in water, it has a
light and fresh mouthfeel. The delicate texture makes it easy to flake and scoop onto crackers.
Those with soy allergies should be aware this can of tuna contains soy and there seems to be
an overall inconsistent quality where some cans had bits of bone and skin in them.
While bone and skin are edible, it may be off-putting for some,
especially with regards to canned tuna. The lack of flip-top convenience may also
be a negative factor for those who want to take it on the run.
Consider this tuna brand the fancier of the bunch. While it's an Amazon bestseller with
phenomenal reviews, you have to get past the price tag of around a dollar an ounce
in order to try it. We found the quality matched the pricing for the most part.
First, there's no oil or water added and the fish is cooked only once during the canning process,
while most others cook the fish twice and need to add oil or water to the can to prevent drying.
Raincoast uses small, young albacore making it one of the purest choices,
low in mercury and other pollutants that may affect taste and quality.
It's hand-packed and has one of the meatiest textures of all the brands. While it may not
be the best value for your money, it certainly ranks as one of our best-tasting, plain tunas.
Wild Planet Skipjack Wild Tuna ranks as our all-around best can of tuna.
Without added water or oil, you'll only be tasting pure ingredients,
which smell more like fresh seawater than pungent fish. We consider this
product the freshest, most mild-tasting, and moist of all the canned tuna brands.
Due to its meaty, rich texture, it makes for the best tuna casseroles
and salads and because it's not packed in oil, it doesn't have a greasy mouthfeel or quality.
One-hundred percent pure tuna and sea salt are the only ingredients that make it into each can,
making it a versatile choice for various cooking methods and preparations.
Not planning to cook a casserole or mix with mayo? No problem! The pull-top function of
the can also makes it a great choice for a quick and easy way to pop the top and eat it on the go.
Sustainable sourcing practices make this brand a little extra delicious.
At 57 cents per ounce, it's moderately priced for the value it provides,
including transparency of ingredients, quality of ingredients, portability, taste, and texture.
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