Tinned Fish Had Its Viral Moment, And Experts Say It's Here To Stay

The idea of something going "viral" has been around for some time now. Though in recent years it has gone beyond a funny video or meme to create all-encompassing food trends that are powerful enough to cause supply shortages. Often these trends are manufactured, like when the pork industry created the bacon boom of the 2010s. One of the most surprisingly organic viral moments of the last few years, however, has been tinned fish. Oddly enough, this viral moment seems to have been thanks to an actual virus and a global pandemic.

When the COVID-19 pandemic began in March 2020, people across the globe were encouraged to leave their homes as little as possible. This created a boom in sales of shelf-stable foods. According to Google Trends, less than a month later searches for canned fish reached a new all-time high.

Since then, previously neglected fish options like anchovies and sardines have started popping up on social media and in more restaurants, and even gourmet canned options have been showing up in grocery store aisles. Those who first bought canned fish out of necessity came to enjoy these tinned offerings, and the market has only continued to grow. Food forecasters (ourselves included) have even picked it as one of the food trends set to take over 2023 and expect it to be sticking around for a while.

The reason that tinned fish seems to have outlived its initial viral moment is that it's a simple food in a complex time. The world is complicated right now, but what can be easier than opening a few cans of fish and enjoying them with some bread and wine, as this Tik Tok user claims she does every week with her husband? It's like charcuterie without all of the hard work of putting a board together.

Like most things that are shiny and new, tinned fish is actually an old practice and one that is thoroughly enjoyed on the Iberian Peninsula. The Spanish tradition of conservas — which is essentially just eating food out of tins or jars as a form of tapas — has been around for a while. The appeal of it is that you can enjoy the flavor of fresh-caught seafood without having to pay a high price.

There's also the aesthetic appeal of keeping stacks of beautifully wrapped and decorated tins in your pantry. Brands are keen on their product's marketability; and, while canned mussels or anchovy filets might not be the most visually appealing foods, their containers can make up for that.

Of course, no amount of presentation or word of mouth would make a dent in the collective consciousness if tinned fish didn't taste good. Canning fresh fish allows most of the flavor to be preserved. 

One of the best ways to enjoy it is to crack open a can with some bread. One of the absolute best bread pairings for tinned fish is nice crusty sourdough. You can eat it with the fish on top or separately, using the bread to soak up the delicious olive oil left in the tin. 

You can easily elevate anchovies with the simple additions of red pepper and parsley to counter the fishy, salty flavors with something fresh and bright.

You can also add tinned fish to other recipes. Try topping a fresh salad with some tuna to add protein or chop up anchovies and spread them through a simple plate of pasta to add some umami. 

There's also nothing wrong with the simplicity of spritzing some lemon onto a tin of clams and feeling like you're on a beach in Spain. The trick is to keep things simple and elevate the natural flavors that tinned fish has to offer. If you get bored of one style of fish you can also change things up by exploring tinned fish packed in tomato, paprika, or hot sauce.