When Shopping for Canned Tomatoes, Which Brand Should I Choose?
When you are looking for the best canned tomatoes to use in a favorite recipe, choosing the right brand can be a bit confusing. We know it’s hard to compare brands by just looking at a bunch of unopened cans in the grocery store.
Even though you can’t see the tomatoes you buy until you get home, let’s review what you should look for from the information printed on each can in the grocery store.
All top-quality canned tomatoes should have the following attributes or characteristics.
Family Owned, Grown, & Made in the USA
The best canned tomatoes come from American, family owned farms, where the utmost care and attention can be given to the plants growing in the fields. Farming families take a great amount of pride in what they produce, and this commitment to quality can be seen in the beautiful tomatoes they harvest each year. The same can be said about a family owned and operated company. Family-owned companies are more trustworthy than a faceless corporation, more stable, and make quality a higher priority.
Nothing Artificial
Top quality canned tomatoes should get their deep red color and flavorful taste naturally, without the need for artificial colors, flavors or preservatives.
Non-GMO Project Verified Ingredients
In addition, it is preferable that all of the ingredients used in canned tomato products are certified Non-GMO vs bioengineered, ensuring that buyers get only the best in every can.
Allergy Free
The best canned tomatoes should also be free of common allergens including:
- Wheat
- Dairy
- Egg
- Peanuts
- Tree Nuts
- Shell Fish
- Soy
- Fish
- Sesame
- Casein
- Potato
- Sulfites
Certified Kosher
Being Certified Kosher is also a great sign of quality with regard to canned tomato products. Foods that receive approval to be labeled Kosher have met strict compliance standards.
Vegan
There is never a need to involve animal products in the production and canning of tomatoes. The finest canned tomatoes will always be Vegan friendly.
Sustainably Produced
Top quality canned tomato brands should always operate and maintain facilities that minimize their environmental impact, and are dedicated to conserving energy and natural resources.
Non-BPA /BPS Liner Cans
Some canned tomato products have a “metal taste” when they are eaten, because of the type of lining used in each can. Look for brands, like Red Gold, that utilize Non-BPA/BPS lined cans to ensure you get nothing but full tomato flavor every time.
100% Recyclable
The cans that tomatoes come in are be 100% recyclable. Why not have the best quality canned tomatoes and be able to help the environment at the same time? Tetra Packs are not currently being recycled in the United States and should be avoided. The metal can is superior and the most recycled package in the world, in fact it is infinitely recyclable.
An Actual Tomato Company
Many tomato brands out there are owned by mega corporations that make everything from dog food to pie filling with no real interest in being the best…just being the biggest. Choose a tomato brand that focuses on tomatoes only and you’ll be amazed at the difference in quality.
Red Gold Wins in Every Category!
It may not be a surprise that Red Gold canned tomatoes scores a big “Yes” in every category on the checklist!
Since 1942, our family owned company’s mission has been to produce the freshest, best tasting tomato products in the world. We get our tomatoes only from a selected group of Midwest family farms. Picked at the peak of freshness, our canned tomatoes are bursting with flavor and color. By putting all of their focus into tomatoes and only tomatoes, Red Gold has become the most awarded tomato brand in the nation.
