What to do with tuna can juice?

[LoveCareThinkDo]

I used to do that a lot. Cream of Mushroom, Minute Rice, tuna.

I alternated between that and Mac-N-Cheese, tuna, and some frozen corn or green beans.

Lived on just those two for dinner for years.

Finally got burned out. But only after a decade or so.

Can you guess that I really hate to cook?

Sent from my SM-G930T using Tapatalk

 

[Rainier70]

I know that it is more expensive, but you might try to use some canned chicken or salmon in place of some of the tuna. The problem with eating lots of tuna is the mercury content. You might even try sardines on crackers. Some pork cuts can also be inexpensive when on sale. Or even eating beans and rice which is probably the least expensive, but a good protein when eaten together.

Good luck

 

[LoveCareThinkDo]

Get the tuna in the foil packs. There's barely any juice. They're $1 at the dollar store and sometimes walmart

So, I bought a packet of tuna at the Dollar General. The only brand they had was StarKist. It was $1.25 for a 2.6oz pouch.

This pouch says there is 17g of protein (1 serving per pouch).  So, that is $0.0735 per gram of protein.

My Always Save tuna is 26g of protein (1 serving per can), for $0.89. That's $0.0342 per gram of protein.

So the pouches are about twice the cost. 

Even at $1 per pouch, the pouches would be $0.0588 per gram of protein. 

Based only on quantity of protein, I would have to use 3 pouches, at $3.75 compared to 2 cans at $1.78. So it would cost an additional $1.97 per day to use tuna in pouches, or just over $60 per month. When my overall budget is only going to be about $700 per month, I think spending an additional 8.5% just to not have to deal with tuna juice is not going to be an acceptable trade off for me. 

If I had more money, it might be worth it. Thanks.

 

[JuliaAnne2018]

I think around here I would just drain the excess tuna water, which can't be more than a few teaspoons if that, somewhere not near where I live or in the trash. I'd then wipe the empty can clean with a damp paper towel or rag and put it wherever the rest of my recyclables go, but that's because I do live near recycling centers. I plan to save a couple for cooking too. Wash them with my dishes.

Sent from my RS500 using Tapatalk

 

[RogerD]

I buy tuna in water so it's not so greasy.

I use a gallon jug and a funnel.

I put tape on the tip part of the funnel to make it thicker so it fits snuggly in the jug.

 

[Dingfelder]

Unless you have one of those special can openers that removes can lids rather than cuts them, I would never gamble on an animal not getting hurt licking them. Especially since a tongue is so delicate and hard to heal.

People in S&B used to commonly save cooking oil rather than pouring it down the sink. I've done that to help start outdoor leaf/yard trash fires in wet weather. The oil really helps. I just used cheap dollar store plastic tupperware type containers. You get three for a buck, and at that price if you throw them away once in a while instead of re-using them, it won't feel like a hugely bad decision.

Someone above suggested using the same things you put your pee into. I've become a big fan of the large plastic V8 juice containers. The plastic is thick and see-through, so no doubt how much you have; the opening is wider than most so getting stuff in there is fairly easy; and the back side of the bottle is indented and also has vertical grooves in it to make gripping much easier than is usually the case with any kind of large bottle. The top screws closed well. You might think of trying one of those; you could pour a lot in there and feel relatively secure it won't spill unless it really gets slammed around. They have them in two different sizes around here; worth checking out IMO. That's what I use to keep my liquids separated from my solids. The way they designed the grip is really helpful! You wouldn't want to be spilling stinky tuna stuff either.

And I agree about not wanting the water or oil in soup. It really really does taste "fishy" even if the tuna tastes fine.

 

[maki2]

You could pour the tuna liquid onto stale bread and give it to the birds. But while it is a solution it is likely not a good idea as birds (and humans) are sensitive to mercury poisoning. Plus canned foods are often high in salt.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5365029/

Tunas appear to be mercury magnets, accumulating it in much higher rates than other sea animals.


One possible approach to the problem is wean yourself off all of that tuna in your soup and put something else in it.

 

[maki2]

You could pour the tuna liquid stale bread and give it to the birds. But that is likely not a good idea as birds are sensitive to mercury poisoning.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5365029/

The CDC does not even recommend that humans eat more than a couple of servings of it per week. Tunas seem to be a mercury magnet, it hangs around in their bodies in much higher levels than other sea life animals.

One solution is wean yourself off all of that tuna in your soup and put something else in it instead.

If you are concerned about getting enough protein this website can help you figure out viable substitutes. Eggs are an economical source of protein. My dad used to make egg drop soup, you crack an egg open and drop into hot soup, stir gently with a fork. The egg does cook quickly.
https://www.verywellfit.com/high-protein-foods-and-the-amount-of-protein-in-each-2242514

 

[TexasWoman]

Add a little pickle juice and electrolyte powder and BINGO: cheap homemade Gatorade..

Yummy!

(PS - you might want to have your mercury levels checked.)

 

[Dennis]

Angel Wing (deformity in wings of birds) has been linked to eating bread fed them by humans. Commonly seen in water birds. Ducks, Geese.... All probably susceptible if they eat it often.
I was guilty of that in years past until I read about the cause.

 

[TexasWoman]

Someone above suggested using the same things you put your pee into.  I've become a big fan of the large plastic V8 juice containers. 

As long as we are on this subject  ...

Glass is the way to go for urine. 
Wide-mouth Mason/Ball jars with lids are  my favorite.
Quart size/pint size or whatever size that fits you down there.
Much more pleasant than stinky plastic jugs.

That's why I will never have a composting toilet.

If more liquid storage is needed,  empty the jar into a one gallon glass container with reusable screw on top 
(Santa Cruz juice makes a nice one).  
Store the jar inside a slightly larger plastic container to prevent breakage.
Also less embarrassing to lug across the parking lot.

Added benefit of glass:  keeps people from choking and gasping for air when you empty the thing into the toilet.

Just my 2 cents  ... based on experience.

 

[Dingfelder]

What strikes me as really strange here is that you didn't advance an argument. Is it just anecdote? If so, then why does it look to be posited as if it were some sort of alternative viewpoint?

It looks like it might be an argument but then just ... I don't really know ...

 

[maki2]

I did come across some information about the liquids produced in making canned tuna. They are very good for you, and there are bound to be some of those peptides described below contained in the liquid that is in the can. It could be you will acquire a taste, some cultures love extra fishy tasting foods. I did not drink coffee until I was thirty, I was in my 50s before I acquire the taste for espresso. But a one month car camping trip to France where there was nothing but espresso available and it then became the only way I now like coffee. Tons of tuna in soup does not sound appealing to me but no doubt I would learn to enjoy it if I had it often.

During the preparation of tuna for canning, whole fish are often steamed for a period of hours, and during this process, a watery liquid (called cooking juice) is created that frequently gets discarded as waste by tuna manufacturers. In recent studies, however, scientists have examined the nutrient composition of this cooking juice and determined that small protein fragments—called peptides—are present in the cooking juice and that they possess strong antioxidant properties. The antioxidant properties of these tuna peptides include the ability to protect cell membranes from oxygen-related damage (a process called lipid peroxidation). While the manufacturing of canned tuna is obviously a very different and much more lengthy process than the very short duration cooking methods that you would be using to steam, sear, or broil tuna in your own kitchen, it is still very likely that your at-home cooking methods for preparing fresh tuna will result in creation of some of these same beneficial antioxidant peptides.

 

[GypsyJan]

"Use soup cans for waste. I stuff used paper towels into them to soak up any soup left inside."

I use this method when discarding cooking grease. The paper towels can later be used as fire starters. I use the tuna juice to cook rice or pasta. Couscous will soak it all up. I also use the juice from canned mushrooms this way.

 

[RoamerRV428]

drink it! It is fine!
I mean it is good for ya.....a quick super small shot of liquid....doesn't even matter in reality but it handles the 'dreaded' disposal of such a juice.

I drink my 'baby shot of oil' I love from my sardine cans when I eat them. I love skinless/boneless sardines in oil. The oil in that can is SO minimal that I just shoot it down then east my sardines and enjoy. We are talking a teaspoon or for tuna maybe 2 tablespoons if it hits that much? And squeeze out less liquid, many squeeze til the cows come home and make it super dry, leave a bit in there Tuna and sardines in a can is a non-waste food if you make it that way.

you are throwing away something good ya know

 

[Cammalu]

I feed any leftovers to birds, possums, raccoons, and the very rare coyote. Sue me.

 

[Weight]

It is never good practice to feed wild mammals. That racoon will soon be inviting itself into your home, and not be nice about it.

 

[Doubleone]

I love tuna from the can for a quick snack with some Louisiana hot sauce, Dijon mustard, and salt mixed in. I eat it with a spoon, juice and all... like a cold soup. I'm thinking it may be best to buy the tuna in water and put the juice in the soup. Maybe rinse the can with minimal water and discard the rinse water into the toilet or poo bucket. Tuna water certainly won't make the stinky water any more stinky... After the rinsed can dries it shouldn't be to odoriferous.

 

[WanderingRose]

"I use the tuna juice to cook rice or pasta. Couscous will soak it all up. I also use the juice from canned mushrooms this way.

I think this is a great idea!!!

Maybe, save the tuna juices in a jar in the frig for several days or a week, along with that from mushrooms if you have any, and use as part of the cooking liquids for one of the above.

Got to be a little bit of nutrients in those liquids, so why waste them?

Now at post #39 of “what to do with tuna can juice”.

 

[reppans]

Use Tuna in water and drain the water into your pee bottle.... same for pasta water. I use 3L Nalgene Cantene bladders for pee bottles, and keep them in collapsible buckets (in case of leaking).