Canned Cheeseburgers Really Do Exist But They Probably Shouldn't

Some situations call for convenient food. If you're out in the wilderness for weeks on end, your palate may demand something different. We have the Swiss company Trekking-Mahlzeiten to thank for the initial development of hamburgers in cans, and the idea has since spawned copycats that even come wrapped in paper inside of a sealed tin. 

Once the can is opened — a similar tab as a tuna can is ripped off the top — two bread buns enveloping a meat patty can be plopped out of the tin. An assortment of onions, pickles, and sauce line the surface of the moist meat patty, offering a surprising texture to those daring enough to bite into the pre-packaged food. Adorned with cheese and a smattering of sauce, the concept has understandably sparked a mixture of reviews online. From taste testers who describe the meal as akin to a fast food order to others who vehemently detest the idea, the taste of a hamburger in a can most likely depends upon the circumstances in which it is consumed.

From breakfast to desserts, trekking food is made specifically to withstand long journeys into nature or more desperate times that call for survival rations. Unless you've been in war, natural disasters, or unexpected emergencies, you may never truly understand the need for this kind of comfort in a can, but perhaps in such a moment, a canned hamburger can deliver a taste of what you crave. 

Say you've been walking all day in unforgiving weather. A can of one of these burgers can be placed into a pot of boiling water to be heated up (after the paper label is removed), or the burger itself can be taken out of the can and laid into a heated pan to cook. The smell of the sesame-seed-topped burger is sure to reward any hungry eater eagerly waiting to dig into a hot meal. For the average person sitting at home, however, there are most likely better options. Is a canned burger going to rival a freshly cooked and seasoned burger taken straight off your backyard grill? Probably not. But if you are planning on an extended camping trip or have decided on stocking up on emergency supplies in your home, canned burgers may not be a bad call after all.