4 Canned Foods You Can Buy At Trader Joe's For Under $1

With a longer shelf life and lower price tag than fresh versions, there are a number of canned foods to stock in your pantry. This allows you to take your meals further while remaining thrifty, especially with grocery store prices still skyrocketing. Among the best Trader Joe's canned foods, the chain offers several for under a dollar each. Between tomato paste, black beans, lentils, and whole kernel corn, you have the essentials on which to build many of your favorite meals and even a few new-to-you recipes. In Southern California, each of those cans is priced at $0.99 per unit, though there may be some variation depending on your specific location and additional taxes.

There are many advantages to cooking with canned goods, particularly the accessibility and nutritional value. The four powerhouse foods you can buy for under a dollar at Trader Joe's certainly demonstrate this. Both black beans and lentils are from the nutrient-rich legume family and have plenty of uses. Canned corn is rich in vitamin B and can be consumed straight out of the can for a simple snack. Tomato paste is an absolute essential when it comes to thickening up soups, chilis, stews, and other tomato-forward dishes. Each one of these is a great deal on its own and can be combined with one another for an unforgettable meal.

Weighing in at six ounces and packed with a punch of organic, vine-ripened tomatoes, it's clear that Trader Joe's knows how to do tomato paste. TJ's website even offers the practical recommendation of freezing the leftovers from an open can in a properly sealed, freezer-safe plastic bag to ensure none of it goes to waste. Additionally, the company notes a number of different culinary applications for its tomato paste, including homemade barbecue sauces and ketchups. While this can is notably smaller than the others listed for under a dollar, it is still standard to the sizing of most cans of tomato paste.

With only two ingredients—organic tomato paste and citric acid—this can keeps it simple and effective with big flavor and lots of utility. You only need one to two tablespoons of tomato paste to brighten up a borscht or shakshuka recipe. Combining your tomato paste with other Trader Joe's canned offerings, you can also make a delightful lentil soup or chili with black beans. As long as you properly store the paste (and keep a creative mind in the kitchen), there's no limit to how far you can take this one simple and affordable shelf-stable food.

Keeping it simple, as Trader Joe's is wont to do, the ingredients list for the outlet's canned black beans is limited to simply black beans, water, and, per the product description noted on TJ's website, a "just-right amount of salt." This leaves room for you to season your beans and use them in just about any dish imaginable without the concern of conflicting flavors. The 15.5-ounce can is filled to the brim with delicious and nutritious beans, fit for a number of filling meals, whether plant-based or animal protein-forward.

You can make a flavorful Cuban-style arroz congris starting with canned black beans, thick-cut bacon, bell peppers, spices, and rice to serve as a side dish or snack. Mix canned black beans with another affordable Trader Joe's favorite, canned whole kernel corn, alongside black-eyed peas, avocados, tomatoes, and peppers for a hearty, dense bean salad-slash-dip called cowboy caviar — which just so happens to be Trader Joe's best jarred salsa. For a plant-based take on barbecue time, use your canned black beans to prepare a batch of veggie burgers that are great for grilling. The sky's the limit when it comes to the many practical uses for a convenient can of black beans.

Rich in zinc, potassium, and B vitamins, among others, lentils are also a great source of protein and fiber that deserve more room in your pantry and on your table. Trader Joe's lentils come in a 15-ounce can with a minimal list of ingredients that includes just lentils, water, and sea salt. Like the canned black beans, these Trader Joe's lentils are only lightly seasoned with salt, making them highly customizable for a myriad of different uses.

Lentils make an excellent plant-based snack or go-with for meat dishes, depending on your dietary needs. Whip up a tasty and filling hummus, starting with a can of lentils as your base before mixing it up in a food processor with tahini, lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, and Mediterranean seasonings. You can also make a fully vegan lentil loaf or swap in half a portion of canned lentils with half a portion of ground beef to stretch your meatloaf even further. If you're a fan of curry, try a creamy dal using canned lentils, canned pumpkin, coconut milk, and Indian spices to serve over rice. These versatile legumes will come in handy, especially at such an accessible price point.

One of the darlings of Trader Joe's iconic products, its whole kernel corn is among the first of the store's canned goods, bearing a bright yellow label that's remained largely unchanged since its inception. Containing only corn, water, and salt in the 15-ounce can (9.2 ounces drained), this pantry staple deserves all of the love for its natural great taste, nutritional value, and usefulness. Sans preservatives and added sugars, this canned corn is a delight either consumed as-is or mixed into a number of different dishes.

Use your whole kernel corn to make a Mexican elote-inspired protein bowl topped with Trader Joe's canned black beans, a sprinkle of queso fresco, and a hearty squirt of lime juice and chili seasoning. You can also make a savory cheesy corn casserole or sweetened corn pudding for a delectable side dish. Canned corn is also a perfect ingredient for a hearty chowder or a batch of fritters. With a few cans on hand, you can experiment with different recipes to decide which dish you love the most.