10 Canned Corn Brands, Ranked Worst To Best

Canned food, as a whole, has seen a renaissance in recent years. It seems like more folks are taking to things like canned fish and seafood, sauces, and of course, fruits and vegetables. Not only do these items have a long shelf life compared to their fresh counterparts, but they are also super easy to use. Pop open the can, remove the excess liquid, and you have an ingredient ready. 

Canned corn, in particular, holds a special spot in my heart. Growing up, my dad would make canned corn at least once a week as a side for rotisserie chicken and mashed potatoes. Now, as an avid home baker, I'll add canned corn to an array of dessert recipes and use it in my vegan burrito bowls. It's so easy to use, and I can rely on it when fresh corn isn't in season — or when I don't want to make a mess of my kitchen by husking and peeling the cobs.

My experience with canned corn has led me to ask one big question that I'm sure (at least) a niche population of people also wants to know: Do all canned corn brands taste the same? What separates a $0.60 can from one that costs upwards of $3? To answer these questions, I put several popular name-brand and generic canned corns up against each other and ranked them from worst to best. As I tasted them, I considered how well-flavored and plump the kernels were, as well as how versatile the corn itself was, based on its flavor. And above all, I wanted to see if premium-priced canned corn is better than a more budget-friendly option.

Based on visuals alone, Stop & Shop's canned corn pales in comparison to its competitors — in more ways than one. The can is filled with a ton of water that takes on the same briny hue as Goya's corn. However, the main difference that set these two close contenders apart was that Stop & Shop's corn had far more broken kernels and shards of corn in it. The whole kernels that I did find were paler than I would have wanted from "golden" corn, and they lacked the distinct "corn-y" flavor I was looking for. After I bit into the kernels, I could feel them turn into a mealy and flavorless mush in my mouth. 

Like Goya, the sodium content of this can is a pertinent issue. One can contains about 700 milligrams of sodium, and you can tell that it's very salty from start to finish. Since it is a store brand, its price is cheaper than a premium selection from Del Monte or Libby's, but I still wouldn't pay that much when there are better corn varieties out there. You get what you pay for when it comes to a canned product like this one, and it seems like if you're after a quality flavor and texture, you'd be better off spending a little extra to get something better. 

Goya is a brand I more commonly associate with canned beans rather than canned vegetables. Though, it does carry this golden corn, which I found buried in its extensive legume selection. Unlike some of the other brands on this list, this corn came packed with salt — about 560 milligrams per can. Its flavor was very punchy and well-rounded, and if I was only relegated to eat corn straight from the can for the rest of my life, I would have liked it. But, dare I say this corn was slightly too salty for my taste? I felt like I lost a little of that corn flavor, as my palate was more focused on the salty flavor. 

There are two other observations I made about Goya's corn that landed it low on my list. For one, the can had much more water than the other brands (thus less corn), and the kernels had a slightly dull color, almost like they were a cross between white corn and yellow corn. It's a far cry from the plump golden corn pictured on the label. These factors, coupled with a higher-than-necessary price tag, landed Goya's corn at the bottom of my ranking. May I suggest the brand just stick to beans? 

Happy Harvest, Aldi's in-house brand, offered the cheapest corn on this list — though it was only a few cents cheaper than brands like Great Value and Stop & Shop. I'll admit that as an Aldi loyalist, this corn has historically been my go-to. But, after I tried a whole bunch of other brands for this ranking, I can confidently say that I've been settling for sub-par corn and am deserving of something far better than it. 

Aldi packs a ton of water into its corn, diminishing its value. The water is not as murky as brands like Goya and Stop & Shop, but it's still indicative that it's made with a fair amount of salt; 700 milligrams per can to be exact. But, it doesn't come off as being that salty. That being said, it doesn't really come across as tasting like anything. Sure the kernels are plump and have a nice "squish" when they meet your molars, but other than that, this can is devoid of flavor and life. Maybe there's a little plasticky undertone to its corn, but there's nothing much here to report. 

Corn generally is a backup dancer to more dominant flavors in your dish, so having corn that isn't super flavorful isn't usually a big deal. If you want to roast your corn and use it for an elote-style corn dip or as a side dish, I would recommend opting for one of the better brands on this list instead of Aldi. 

If you want a can of water with a couple of corn kernels, then this brand is for you. I figured something was amiss when I tried to open this can, only to find that a torrent of its watery contents had spilled over and onto the table. This can was one of the most watery of the bunch, but it did boast very plump kernels. 

This can, like several on this list, does not come with any added salt. I think that the lack of salt in this Great Value Organic can allow the flavor of the vegetable to shine, which may be ideal for some recipes where you want the corn's flavor at the forefront. These kernels have some meat to them, in that they're toothsome, crisp, and flavorful. 

I didn't inherently score the no-salt-added cans lower than the rest, as I think that there is a time and a place that they can come in handy. However, I did have to mark this one for its poor corn-to-liquid ratio and its slightly higher cost (it is organic, after all). It's not a bad option per se, but I think that there are cans that are more deserving of your time and hard-earned cash than this one. 

Who in their right mind would pay more than $3 for a can of corn? I was shaking my head when I added this can of Green Giant Steam Crisp corn — a mere 11 ounces compared to other brands' 15-ounce cans — to my shopping cart. The brand touts that these niblets are vacuum-packed and steam-cooked, which the company claims uses less water and packaging. But when you think about it, you're just paying triple the price for a can of corn when you could just drain the big can anyway? It just doesn't make sense. 

Maybe I would have been a little more receptive to this canned corn if it had a better flavor than the other brands I sampled. Though I found that the kernels were plump and tasty enough, there wasn't much difference between Green Giant's product and a brand like Libby's. The corn had a nice yellow color and looked appetizing, and the saltiness was tamped down, so it didn't interfere much with the flavor of the corn. Each can has 735 milligrams of sodium, which is on par with Goya and Stop & Shop. It's not inherently a bad product by any means, but I think it's a little wild that anyone would spend upwards of $3 on a can of corn to dump into a burrito bowl or use as a small component of a recipe.

A bogus health foods marketing campaign hates to see me coming. You might think by looking at this can of Libby's Naturals that you're getting something healthier or inherently more sustainable than every other can of corn on this list. I hate to inform you, but you've just been swindled by a labeling gimmick. 

This corn isn't USDA-certified organic, which leads me to believe that Libby's just used the "natural foods" label to convince consumers it was worth the extra couple of cents. It wasn't packed with as much water as some of the other brands on this list, but the kernels were still floating around in fluid when I opened the can. I will say that these kernels are crisp and easy to bite into, but I wouldn't describe them as anything special beyond that. It scored above Green Giant simply because it wasn't as expensive, but it also wasn't as budget-friendly of a buy as the corn that scored above it. If it was the last canned corn on Earth, I think it would do its job just fine, but it's not a product I would go out of my way to buy for any reason. 

Great Value is known for its affordable staple products, and canned corn certainly fits under this umbrella. I sampled its no-salt-added whole sweet corn kernels, although it does carry several other canned corn options on its shelves. 

The first thing I noticed about this can is it had very little liquid in it. It was well-filled with kernels — almost to the brim of the can — which makes its low price all the more worth it. Great Value's canned corn was the second cheapest option on my list, save for Aldi, and it's readily available for consumers across the country. 

The flavor of the kernels was sweet, surely, though I felt I was missing something — that something being the salt. The saltiness gives balance to the corn, and this can skipped out on it. While I understand why someone would buy no-salt corn for their pantry — and I doubt anyone is eating corn straight from the can for a meal — I think that even just a little salt would have taken away from the plasticky flavor of the corn and made the profile a little more even-keeled. 

Going into the race, I figured that there would have been a ton of competition between Del Monte and Libby's, as they are two of the big brands of the canned vegetable world. And, I can say that Libby's put up one heck of a fight with its yellow canned corn. As soon as I opened the can, my eyes were drawn to the plumpness of the kernels submerged in the almost clear water. Although Libby's had about the same amount of water in its cans as Goya, the color was not as briny-looking. The taste was also not as salty, as I found that the sweetness of the corn was the perfect foil to the slightly salty solution that the kernels were swimming in. 

Although it doesn't seem like Libby's is that salty, I was shocked to see the nutrition facts on the back of the can. One whole can contains 1,120 milligrams of sodium. Yet, you can't really tell that these kernels are that salty, so I'm wondering where Libby's is hiding all that excess sodium. 

This is a name-brand, so you'll pay a name-brand price for it. Though, I thought the kernels were the plumpest and most flavorful of all the brands that I sampled. The not-that-salty flavor makes me think that with a quick rinse, they could be used for a sweet cornbread recipe or some other dessert — which earns the brand some brownie points. However, the amount of water in this can — which meant I got less bang for my buck — would make me hesitant about buying it again from a value perspective. 

I'll say one thing: I'm a sucker for a pull tab. The fact that this Nature's Promise organic corn came with one immediately earned it some respect. No one wants to waste time using a can opener when there are so many pots cooking at once and vegetables that need to be chopped. 

I'll admit that I didn't have high hopes for this brand, the organic and natural foods wing of Stop & Shop because its parent brand failed so miserably with its canned corn. But, Nature's Promise offered a canned corn that I would consider buying myself. The can is not packed to the brim with water, and you get a fair amount of kernels inside. The supersweet corn has a great flavor and the kernels boast a plumpness that I didn't find with others in this roundup. Each can have a total of 700 milligrams of sodium, which makes it a good option for someone watching their salt intake or folks who want a versatile can of corn to use for savory or sweet recipes. 

I honestly didn't place this corn above its competitors based on its organic label — as I don't believe it's inherently better than conventionally grown food. However, I can admit that this corn does have a great taste and texture that makes its pricy (though not exorbitantly expensive) label all the more worth it. My top pick in this race was just a better value. 

Del Monte was a childhood household staple. My dad thought it had a better flavor than all the other canned vegetable brands, and I can honestly say that though we disagreed on things, I will back him on this one. This corn is really that good. 

I selected the Del Monte no-salt-added yellow corn for this review, and I'll admit that I was pleasantly surprised by it. There wasn't as much water in the can as there was with the other generic canned corn brands, which made its slightly higher price tag a little more reasonable. The kernels were very plump and uniform — almost like they all resembled tiny rectangles, rather than the oblong and oval-ish shapes of other brand's kernels. But, this isn't just a beauty contest; there also has to be some substance to put the brand on the top of my list. And that, for Del Monte, was its flavor. The corn inside of it was not plasticky nor rubbery; it boasted a solid, slightly sweet flavor that exuded freshness. What more could you want from a canned item?

Del Monte snatched the top spot in this ranking thanks to its price, which was $1 less than the second-place victor. Its wide variety of corn products, as well as its great flavor and texture, makes it deserving of your cart, pantry, and every dish in between. 

I sampled each of these products straight from the can on the same day so that I could compare them to one another. I looked at the overall taste and texture of each product to determine how they would rank. To rank highly, the kernels had to be plump, and juicy, and balance their flavor with that of the salt in the can (where applicable). The flavor profile should be simple and straightforward enough so the corn can be used for both sweet and savory recipes. 

Since folks often purchase canned corn as a cost-effective way to add veggies to their diet, I also considered the overall value of the can. If it had a higher water to corn ratio, I placed it lower. Though, products that had a high price tag, but were well worth the buy, placed higher than those that were cheaper and of low quality.