The Canned Tomatoes You Should Skip On Your Next Grocery Run

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Canned tomatoes are a pantry staple, with a plethora of uses in various recipes. While fresh, in-season tomatoes are always preferred, canned tomatoes are hard to beat for their convenience and ease of use. And there's so many to choose from, too! You can grab crushed tomatoes, whole peeled tomatoes, tomato paste, or passata, to name a few. The issue is, there are literally entire aisles dedicated to canned tomatoes — it can be hard to determine which brand you should choose (and which you should avoid).

Food Republic ranked 14 canned tomato brands and found one that we think you should leave on the shelf: Safeway's Signature SELECT Petite Diced Tomatoes. According to our taste-testers, these diced tomatoes were seriously bland compared to the other options they tried. In fact, one review on Safeway's website noted that the product is of "[average] quality. Overcooked and sorta watery." And when it comes to canned tomatoes, watery products tend not to have a ton of flavor. Another review said that the Signature SELECT Petite Diced Tomatoes are mushy, which, depending on what you're making, may or may not matter to you. 

When it comes to the ingredients, the list is pretty standard, delivering a canned product made with tomatoes, tomato juice, salt, citric acid, and sodium chloride. We do suspect, however, that the addition of citric acid is likely contributing to the extra acidic flavor of the tomatoes, and that the extra tomato juice is what's making the product watery. If you are shopping at Safeway, avoid this particular canned tomato product. 

So, now you know to steer clear of Safeway's Signature SELECT Petite Diced Tomatoes — but which one should you reach for instead? When choosing a canned tomato brand, you're likely looking for bright, rich tomato flavor. While there are options that include additional ingredients and spices, it's not really necessary when it comes to this particular food staple. Instead, it's important to look for a simple product that uses quality tomatoes, so that you have the right base for your recipes. After that, there are plenty of ways to make canned tomatoes taste gourmet, or they can stand alone as the star of your pasta sauce.

When you find yourself exploring the canned tomato aisle, you can feel confident picking up a can or two of Cento's All Purpose Crushed Tomatoes. This brand can be found at most major grocery stores including Whole Foods, Walmart, and ShopRite. Not only did our taste-testers note that it has a bright flavor with rich, savory undertones, they also noticed that the ingredient list was a short one: just vine-ripened, crushed tomatoes. No additives, no additional tomato juice or salt — simply pure tomatoes. Cento's All Purpose Crushed Tomatoes offer a bright, refreshing taste that is delicious all on its own. This product is also a great flavor base for all of your favorite recipes, whether you're making a traditional Italian Sunday sauce, a rich tomato soup, or a deep and flavorful curry.