Sardines Sunday: It's time to try cold water fish

If you want to eat healthy, you should incorporate cold water fish into your diet: sardines, mackerel, herring, kippers.  Not only are they super healthy for a million different reasons (citation needed), but canned fish are an essential element to any paleo-friendly disaster preparedness plan.

If you have NOT tried them yet, then join me on SARDINES SUNDAY.  You can eat a different kind than sardines, I just wanted the alliteration.

Here are two ways to eat them.  Others are welcome in the comments.

  • These Bar Harbor Smoked Wild Kippers are great for breakfast.  I heat them up in a frying pan and eat with a couple fried eggs.  The fat from the egg and the salt from the fish go well together.  I've bought this brand at Walmart before, so they shouldn't be hard to find.  (Thanks to Zander for that recipe.)
  • I also eat canned mackerel and sardines as a snack.  I prefer mackerel, but both are good.  But I always buy them in olive oil -- I don't like them in water.

Warning: Don't buy a brand that looks like the packaging was designed in 1972.  Same goes for any covered in cobwebs and dust.  Spend a dollar or two for the higher quality ones just so you have a good first experience.

Comments

I had a can of Cole's

Submitted by Fmcpartlan on Mon, 03/05/2012 - 06:10.

I had a can of Cole's mackerel  on a big assed salad for lunch yesterday.I was pretty suprised... I was expecting a fishy, oily taste.  Instead I got something pretty damn good that will probably replace tuna for me. 

 I love sardines but prefer

Submitted by Paul Brin on Sun, 03/04/2012 - 00:19.

 I love sardines but prefer to stick to the fresh, wild caught, ones due to the BPA used in vinyl lined cans. I know you can find BPA-free cans at Whole Foods but there is no comparison in taste.

I like to take a can of

Submitted by dustin on Sat, 03/03/2012 - 00:02.

I like to take a can of herring, I usually buy Bar Harbor as well, with me on trail runs that are 15+ miles where you have to take a break and eat something.  A banana and a can of herring is a heck of lot better for you than a a couple gels or clifbars.

Yuck....Sorry, as a gulf

Submitted by Melissa on Fri, 03/02/2012 - 16:18.

Yuck....Sorry, as a gulf coast girl I'm partial to grouper, snapper and Mahi Mahi. I can't quite make myself eat something that wasn't caught this morning. :-)

Thanks for the reminder. I

Submitted by Karen P. on Thu, 03/01/2012 - 17:28.

Thanks for the reminder. I grew up in landlocked New Mexico and have no taste for these guys, though my Danish ancestors would be appalled. Someone recommended treating them as you would tuna in a salad-type app. Was very helpful for hiding them a bit for me. Use homemade mayo, of course, or an olive oil-based vinaigrette. Assertive flavors like lemon, olives, and capers help me get them down. I'm trying to learn to like them!

Are the bones already

Submitted by Anonymous on Thu, 03/01/2012 - 16:07.

Are the bones already removed?I love mackerel, nigiri style. I recently bought a can of mackerel with the intention of making a mackerel salad, but when I opened the can, they were in bony chunks. I was heartbroken cause I didn't have the time to pick the meat off.

 Clover Leaf Brisling

Submitted by Anonymous on Thu, 03/01/2012 - 15:21.

 Clover Leaf Brisling Sardines( olive oil) are some of the best I've had, they are smaller but also tastier. 

 The best sardines for the

Submitted by richie on Thu, 03/01/2012 - 14:14.

 The best sardines for the price IMO are the Trader Joe's smoked sardiines. Only $1.69 a tin (at least in D.C), and delicious. 

I love sardines, eat them a

Submitted by Mason Kidd on Thu, 03/01/2012 - 12:24.

I love sardines, eat them a couple of times a week.  Here is my favorite recipe:

  1. Take a can of Brisling sardines packed in olive oil, drain the oil into a bowl.
  2. Add sherry vinegar, lemon zest, pepper, and parsley.  Whisk til combined.
  3. Add the sardines back into the marinade, let sit for 10 minutes or so.
  4. Make a big ass salad with your favorite veggies.  I always include avocado cuz it goes really well with the sardines.
  5. Top the salad with the sardine mixture.  Enjoy!

I adapted this from an Alton Brown recipe for sardines on toast.

I'm gonna have to try this,

Submitted by John on Thu, 03/01/2012 - 15:15.

I'm gonna have to try this, thanks for sharing.

   Two tins of sardines for

Submitted by Anonymous on Thu, 03/01/2012 - 09:44.

   Two tins of sardines for breakfast this morning!  My favorite fish. 

I love those oily little

Submitted by The Pooch on Thu, 03/01/2012 - 09:42.

I love those oily little fish, great recommendation! Plus, eating sardines and mackerel is dramatically better for the ocean, because larger fish (tuna, shark, cod, grouper) are severely overfished all around the world.

Nice!  A can of sardines in

Submitted by Garrett on Thu, 03/01/2012 - 09:40.

Nice!  A can of sardines in olive oil is one of my favorite pre-WOD snacks.  I'll have to try the kippers and eggs sometime.

tjs olive oil soaked sardines

Submitted by the delicate place on Thu, 03/01/2012 - 14:45.

tjs olive oil soaked sardines are so so good! this is how i like to eat them: http://thedelicateplace.com/2012/02/03/frugal-feasting/ fresh water fishies FTW!