Canned vegetables are inexpensive, convenient, and always ready if the refrigerator is bare. Most people keep a couple of varieties in their pantry for nights when dinner needs a vegetable and they don’t have fresh produce on hand. Because the vegetables are already cooked, getting them onto the table can be as simple as opening a can. The biggest mistake people make is not rinsing the vegetables from the can. A good rinse can help wash away the sodium that canned vegetables are known for, as well as washing away some of that distinctive metallic or tinny taste. For reduced-salt vegetables, you can still lower the sodium by rinsing, but the benefit may be smaller. Choosing a no-salt-added variety is a more reliable way to start with less sodium than simply rinsing a regular can. Of course, not every canned vegetable needs a rinse. You’ll want to keep the liquid when it’s an intended part of the food or recipe, like canned tomatoes and creamed corn, or when it’s meant to be part of the flavor, like with pickled vegetables. Simply put, if it’s packed in salty liquid and you don’t need or want that liquid, drain and rinse the vegetables.
