This Canned Fish Is Completely Underrated For Breakfast

Breakfast means different things to different people. For some, it means taking the time to make a batch of chocolate cake waffles or a classic eggs benedict on a slow weekend morning while skipping it every other day of the week. And we get it. Weekday mornings are hard, and an extra five minutes of sleep often seems like a fair trade to make in exchange for giving up a good breakfast. But breakfast doesn't have to be complicated.

There are a number of canned foods that you should definitely be taking advantage of when it comes to making a quick breakfast that you're actually going to love to eat. One of our absolute favorites is one that you might not even think of when it comes to this important meal, and that's canned salmon.

Even though salmon is one of the main ingredients in longtime breakfast favorite bagels and lox, canned salmon doesn't really get the same kind of love as the fresh variety — and that's a shame. It isn't just easy to use, but it's also affordable and perfect for keeping stocked in the pantry. If you do your research, you'll find that many family-owned canned salmon companies, like Drifters Fish, go above and beyond to make sure their product is of the highest quality. Add in the fact that recent scientific research has revealed some fascinating things about why you should be eating breakfast, and it turns out that canned salmon is an all-around win.

Canned salmon isn't just convenient, but it turns out that there's a pretty fascinating reason why it just might be the perfect breakfast food. In 2021, researchers from Ohio State University conducted an analysis of the dietary habits of 30,000 Americans. When they published their findings (via Science Daily), they revealed some startling trends. Of the participants, 15.2% regularly skipped breakfast. By the end of the day, most of these individuals were consuming far fewer vitamins and nutrients than recommended. The biggest deficits were in vitamins A, B1, B2, B3, C, and D.

Salmon is a brilliant source of A and B vitamins, as well as being high in things like protein and minerals, including selenium, potassium, and magnesium. It's also been linked to reducing the risk of heart disease and osteoporosis, as well as helping to manage blood pressure. That said, there's a bit of a footnote to this.

The nutritional value of salmon varies, and it's the wild-caught salmon that has more vitamins and minerals. In order to get the most out of your canned salmon breakfast, you should read labels. Look for companies that source wild-caught salmon and practice sustainable fishing practices. Brands that are approved by the Marine Stewardship Council are a great place to start, as they monitor the supply chain to help ensure that there's plenty of salmon left for future generations.

There are a ton of delicious breakfast ideas that can be made even on a busy weekday morning, and you might just find yourself never reaching for that boring old cereal again. One of the more versatile ideas is to make salmon cakes: They're typically made with the addition of bread crumbs and eggs and can be ready in around 10 minutes. Add fresh herbs, whip up a tasty mustard sauce, or spice things up with some Old Bay. Add poached or scrambled eggs, and you've got a breakfast that make its worth getting out of bed.

Canned salmon is also delicious when it's added to a quick frittata, and it can also make a hearty omelet that's only made better with the addition of some cheese, hot sauce, and veg — which can also be a great way to use up leftover from the previous night's dinner. Don't feel like an omelet? Stir the salmon flakes into some scrambled eggs, and you're golden. 

There are so many ways to upgrade canned salmon that it almost seems infinite. Add it to your grain bowl, mix it with some cream cheese and serve on toast, or enjoy it on a breakfast sandwich. If you have a little bit more time in the morning, you should also know that it's pretty amazing when it's added to a breakfast pizza. There's a meal that the whole family can love!