Canned tuna used to be my go-to impromptu lunch of choice when I was looking for something quick, tasty, and healthy. It was a cinch to make lunch in a hurry by mixing the tuna into whatever I had on hand: chopped veggies, canned beans, leftover grains, eggs, etc. But concerns over mercury contamination and over-fishing of the species has caused me to take pause when grabbing for those tuna cans in my closet.
The good news is that I’ve recently discovered some delicious, healthy alternatives that are both gentler on the environment and on my own body. Tins of sardines, mackerel, and rainbow trout have gone upscale over the past couple of years. You can now find fancy (yet relatively inexpensive), scrumptious cans of those fishes in your grocery or health food store. Unlike tuna, these fish don’t have the same mercury or overfished risks, and they’re all packed with Omega-3 fatty acids. And they’re also just as delicious as tuna. Use them the same way you would tuna — mixed with other chopped vegetables or thrown into a salad or sandwich. I definitely recommend the canned fishes packed in olive oil and sea salt for the best-tasting variety.
For some more information on “guilt-free” fish to eat, check out this New York Times guide:
I forwarded this article to Benjamin, as he eats tuna 2-3 times a week and I’m constantly bugging him about it. He asked if I knew of a good substitution for tuna, and I immediately thought of your post about this. Thanks again for the great info!
I purchased a can of Cole’s Smoked Mackerel and made a sandwich using that instead of tuna. Holy mole-y; it was scrumptious. I’ll be doing that again. Thanks for the tip, yo.
I’m so glad you liked it! Cole’s smoked mackerel is delish. Try their smoked trout some time too — it’s really tasty.