Canned Food Products You Had No Idea Existed

Brand: Thailand Unique 
Price: $3.95*

Lizards and frogs aren’t the only ones who eat superworms. Superworms are often used for pet care, but these large larvae are a delicacy in some Asian countries. Thailand Unique sells a tin of eleven chocolate-covered superworms for $3.95. Before they’ve been covered in dark chocolate, the superworms are roasted in an oven.

Chocolate-Covered Superworms @sheknows / Pinterest.com

Judging from the reviews on the store’s website, people really like chocolate-covered superworms. One person said they “taste like Nutty Bars.” Brands like ecoEat also sell this tasty treat for $13.99. If dark chocolate isn’t your thing, Thailand Unique also sells superworms covered in White Chocolate for $3.70.

Brand: Yoo Dong
Price: $8.30* 

It’s no secret that different countries have different ideas about what’s edible and what’s not. Brits love black pudding, while Americans might think it’s repulsive. On the flip side, Koreans are fans of silkworm pupa – yes, bugs.

Silkworm Pupa @modernseoul / @rockingrawat / Pinterest.com

In fact, the pupa is a caterpillar during the transition process from caterpillar to butterfly. YouTube’s Emmy Made told viewers how they tasted in 2014, saying,  “It’s not bad. It’s not great. It’s got a very interesting texture.” Some might agree, while others wouldn’t be so bold as to try it in the first place.

Brand: Sweet Sue
Price: $18*

The perfect roast chicken comes piping hot from the oven after being lovingly prepared by the chef. It doesn’t usually come sliding straight out of the can. However, there’s something about this product from Sweet Sue that’s oddly inviting. 

Whole Chicken @annettegoldfede / Pinterest.com

Not because of the way it looks perhaps, but because of the sheer dedication that went into putting an entire bird inside a metal cylinder. Unfortunately, this product isn’t widely available but if you’re dying to have a taste you can buy one on Amazon for around $18. Just don’t blame us when your family orders takeout. 

Brand: Ligo
Price: $5* 

If you’ve ever been to the Mediterranean, then you’ll know that squid is a popular favorite on the menu in most restaurants. There’s so much you can do with it, from pickling it to making luscious calamari – but what if you can’t get to the fresh stuff? 

Squid @theworldstop10 / Pinterest.com

That’s where Ligo steps in. This brand does all sorts of squid in a can, including a whole one naturally preserved in its own ink. You can’t say fairer than that, can you? Time to get out the Pina Colada and turn on the grill.

Brand: Trekking Mahlzeiten
Price: $7*

There are some things in life that just shouldn’t exist, no matter what the thought process behind it is. Case and point: Trekking Mahlezeiten’s canned cheeseburger. Designed for adventurers to take with them as a nice little mid-camp snack, it may be a novel idea, but it falls short of the bar. 

Canned Cheeseburger @u/crazylatinpapi/Reddit.com

There’s something quite unholy about seeing one of America’s greatest staple foods shoved into a can and left to fester until it sees the light of day. Complete with a bun and gherkins, one thing is for sure – McDonald’s doesn’t have anything to worry about. 

Brand: Game
Price: $3*

Back in 2013, UK gaming retailer Game decided that one thing was needed to elevate the gaming experience for avid players: the Christmas Tinner. Essentially, it’s a Christmas dinner shoved into a can and sold for around $3. 

Christmas Tinner @jeninehartnett / Pinterest.com

While Game thought it was a novel strategy that allowed players to avoid wasting precious hours cooking, they weren’t the first ones to come up with this product. Roast dinners packaged in this way have been seen before, but just because they exist doesn’t mean you should put them in your Walmart cart. 

Brand: Burnham & Morrill
Price: $5* 

Back in the 1970s, Burnham & Morrill’s canned bread might have been a hit. After all, the nuclear threat felt very real, and it was common for families to be stocking up on nonperishable food items. Fortunately, we are now in the 2020s and the world has moved on. 

Brown Bread @bingteam / Pinterest.com

That being said, bread in a can doesn’t exactly set our mouths watering. So, how does it really taste? YouTubers have tried it out so the rest of us don’t have to. User TylerTube simply remarked that it tastes like chemicals. Ick.

Brand: Golden Horde
Price: $40*

As humans, we drink a lot of milk that might be considered slightly odd. The dairy industry generates around $90 million a year in the US alone, but there are plenty of other kinds of milk out there to suit everyone – including powdered horse milk. 

Powdered Horse Milk @neatorama / Pinterest.com

Yes, it may sound strange, but some people shun regular moo-milk for milk straight from a stallion. According to the website Power of Horse Milk, ingesting this strange substance can actually help heal sensitive skin. Call us cynical, but we think we’ll stick to Costco’s soy alternatives.

Brand: Princes
Price: $4*

The UK isn’t exactly known for having the best local cuisine (though there’s a lot to be said for fish and chips). Pop into any local grocery store and you might be surprised at what’s lingering on the shelves – like this Lunch Tongue by Princes. 

Lunch Tongue @Tony Worrall Photography / flickr.com

For around $4 you can pick up this can of meaty goodness. But what is it, exactly? As it turns out, it’s a big ol’ slab of pork tongue, lying in wait and ready to be sliced into a sandwich. It’s not for everyone, but then again, that’s Britain for you. 

Brand: Unknown
Price: $3*

Canned herring itself isn’t a big deal. It’s commonly seen all the time in the US. But if you were to take a trip to Russia, you might be a little taken aback at what you find. Crack open a tin over there and don’t be surprised if your lunch literally smiles back at you. 

Russian Herring @bustystclaire / Pinterest.com

It wouldn’t happen if you bought a can like this from Kroger – at least, that’s what we would hope. However, they do things differently in Mother Russia. If you can’t handle the thought of your food biting back, you might want to avoid this particular product. 

Brand: Domino’s
Price: $4* 

Ordering a piping hot pizza sent straight to your door is a pastime that’s celebrated across the world. However, when it arrives, it’s usually in a box and hasn’t long come out of the oven. Back in 2013, Domino’s Japan thought it would spice things up a little. 

Domino's Deluxe ©techeblog.com

They offered Domino’s Deluxe: a slice of pizza conveniently stored in a can. The problems with this are endless, but despite an interesting marketing campaign fans soon realized it was actually an April Fool’s Day hoax – and thank goodness. No one wants to live in a reality where this actually exists. 

Brand: Candwich
Price: $12 for 4*

PBJ sandwiches have long since been a snack time staple, but is the idea of getting the bread out and actually assembling this slice of sweet, nutty heaven too much for you? Well, look no further: Mark One Foods changed the sandwich game with their PBJ Candwich. 

PBJ Sandwich @thinkgeek / Pinterest.com

The idea first reared its questionable head back in 2011. Essentially, it’s exactly what you would expect – everything you need to make a PBJ sandwich, in a handy portable can. The product immediately attracted media attention, but the reviews are (perhaps understandably) mixed.

Brand: Fray Bentos
Price: $2*

Believe it or not, pies in a can are actually quite common in British supermarkets. They come in all sorts of strange flavors, like cheese and onion, steak and ale, and even steak and kidney. While a decent puff pastry pie that isn’t encased in metal might cost you around $5, these Fray Bentos products are just $2. 

Steak and Kidney Pie@lagairoi123 / Pinterest.com

What they taste like is up for debate, but at that price, it might be worth finding out. There’s something about pastry in a can that seems a little off-putting, but as this canned good is still widely available at stores like Asda Walmart, Fray Bentos must be doing something right.

Brand: Goblin
Price: $1* 

Goblin’s Meat Pudding sounds like something you would find a villain eating in a fairy tale fit for Disney, but that’s not exactly the case. This is another weird and wonderful product that hails from ol’ Blighty – but is it worth it? 

Meat Pudding @frozenwarning / Twitter.com

It may cost just $1, but what is it made of? Perhaps the most suspicious thing about it is that it’s not immediately clear what kind of meat it’s made of. Sometimes, eating canned products is like Russian roulette – but therein lies the fun. At least the pastry seems like it’s not falling apart.