The Popular Brand We Didn't Expect To Make Such Low-Quality Canned Fish

You may not always expect top quality from canned fish, but there are some brands out there that offer a delicious product. The taste is typically better than the look, but in our own review of canned fish brands, there was one that seriously disappointed us. Goya is a brand known for its delicious canned goods and other food staples, and it's even our favorite brand of canned pumpkin. However, it seriously missed the mark on its canned sardines, and it's an item we certainly won't be buying again anytime soon. 

Goya's sardines are wild caught and sit in a tomato sauce for added flavor. Unfortunately, they had a mushy consistency and were drowned in the watery and unappetizing tomato sauce. The sardines were also oddly large and oily, which made the dish all the more unappealing. Had the sardines not been in the tomato sauce, maybe the texture would have been better, but these were all around a bad experience to consume. Goya's canned fish doesn't have the best reviews online either, with one Reddit user saying, "Did not like it at all. Near the bottom of the list of what I would buy." While the canned fish is a cheap buy at around $3 for a 15 ounce can, sometimes you get what you pay for. 

Goya's sardines were a major letdown, but this wasn't the only bad brand of canned fish we tasted. Sardines specifically can be a hit or miss, and some brands, like Great Value, were flavorless, while others, like Iberia, were too fishy. A good can of sardines should be tender with a slightly salty, savory flavor. Sardines are also a packed with protein and omega-3 fatty acids, along with many other great nutrients like vitamins D and B12. While they seem like a great snack, unfortunately, our luck varied when it came to canned sardines — but some others we tried, like Tonnino's yellowfin tuna, were flavorful, tasty, and much better buys.

Tinned fish has grown in popularity over the years, and it's a great addition to a charcuterie board or a savory plate. But if you're in the market for a can of sardines, you're better off skipping Goya and picking the likes of Trader Joe's sardines in olive oil or Nuri's spiced sardines in tomato sauce instead. Although Goya's sardines weren't the only unpleasant canned fish snack we tried, it was quite surprising to find that such an admired brand had a bad product. There are many tips to make canned sardines taste better, but these can't be saved even if you add them to a salad or use as a pasta topping. In the realm of canned fish, it's best to leave Goya's sardines in tomato sauce off your shopping list.