Keto Together–Meat from a can?

Absolutely!  Shelf stable keto meals can be hard to find, especially when you’re looking for sufficient protein. Canned meats and seafood offer some pretty good options to build a meal.

You can find chicken, tuna, salmon, shrimp, crab, sardines, oysters and other sources of protein in cans. Some are even sold at convenience stores or dollar stores.

It’s an inexpensive option that not only travels well, but will wait for a while in your cabinets until you need it unilke fresh meat that only waits a few days. And while you can enjoy it casseroles, stir fries or soups, canned meats and seafood are often easiest enjoyed in a salad, like my Chipotle Chicken Salad.

How to create your own keto meals from canned meats or seafood

Just like some of our other meals in our 10-day Keto Together, there’s a formula for creating a tasty meal from canned meat. 

Because most tinned protein options contain very little fat, choose a fat like mayo, olive oil, or sour cream to add flavor. 

You can also add a lot of flavor with just a ½ teaspoon or so of vinegar. White vinegar, apple cider vinegar, red wine vinegar, unsweetened rice vinegar, or even a little balsamic vinegar add a nice zing to a fresh, cold salad.

My favorite cold salads have a little crunch tossed in. Celery, chopped nuts (think slivers of almonds, toasted pecans, chopped walnuts and even macadamia nuts or cashews), or dill pickles add just a little texture to break up the texture of the meat.

For seasonings, you can use your imagination and what you actually have on hand. If you’re using seafood like canned shrimp or crab, add some dill or Old Bay seasoning. Seafood is great with mayo, and I also like to add some avocado or a little chopped tomato if I have it. 

For a smokey Mexican flavor, try my Chipotle Chicken Salad. Swap chipotles for other peppers if needed. Fresh peppers add a little crunch along with flavor.  Don’t forget the cumin and a little chili powder.  A sprinkle of fresh paprika just before serving makes it look a little fancy!

For more inspiration, you can find additional cold salad recipes in many of my books:

Journey to Health: Egg Salad
Keto Living Day by Day: Chicken Salad
Crazy Busy Keto:Shrimp Salad, Chipotle Chicken Salad

Also, I recently created two new recipes using canned chicken while preparing for our Keto Together. Both are dairy-free! One uses an Asian seasoning and the other has a spicy little kick, and would be good on seafood as well.

Try the Asian Ginger Chicken Salad with canned salmon.

Shrimp or crab, or a combination of the two, would be great with my Spicy Chicken Salad.

As always, don’t forget to tag #ketotogether so that I can see your creations! 

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