Why This Luxurious Food Sometimes Comes From A Can

Canned foods aren't usually considered glamorous. What tends to come to mind are stacks of aluminum tins full of soup, beans, and tuna, but that isn't always the case. Canning certain goods is sometimes a better option than fresh, especially when it comes to expensive luxury food items like escargot — let us explain.

Whether it's just-picked produce, the catch of the day, or a fresh cut of meat, the second that food is harvested, it starts losing nutrients, notes the BBC. Given that time is of the essence, foods may be frozen or canned to make them last longer. 

Luckily, Healthline reports that canned foods can be just as nutritious as their fresh or frozen equivalents as nutrients, proteins, and fats tend to remain relatively unchanged over time. The only downside is that canned goods often have a higher sodium or sugar content in addition to preservatives to keep food looking and tasting good, expands Harvard. This is critical when dealing with opulent ingredients like escargot.

Canned goods have received a chic makeover in recent years. For example, Thrillist reports that sales of tinned fish are estimated to grow by almost $24 billion dollars in the next five years thanks to aesthetic branding and great marketing. But, aside from the visual appeal, luxury canned food is also a winner for its practicality.

With a texture similar to oysters, the elusive escargot instead has an earthy flavor that's definitely worth trying at least once. But, if you can't fly yourself to France where the delicacy reigns supreme, canned snails are the next best option.

According to The Travel, canned escargot is much easier for chefs to process and use, as it's often already de-shelled, and since canning extends shelf-life. The convenience of a can also makes the product more accessible to both home cooks and restaurateurs alike.

Availability is also responsible for why the escargot that ends up on your plate may be canned. Forbes explains that since only a few USDA-certified snail farms exist in the U.S., it's rare to find fresh snails locally. The same can be said for other triple-dollar-sign goodies like truffles and duck confit.