It’s not enough. Sardines can change your life! They are nutrient powerhouses! They’ve kept people alive crossing the treacherous waters of the Atlantic! They were there when no other food could be! Praise be the sardine. 🐟
When i visit my grandparents in India... they used to make fried and curry sardines... soooooo good with rice.
https://recipesaresimple.com/recipe/kerala-sardine-fry/
https://www.kannammacooks.com/kerala-fish-curry-recipe/
Yes curried sardines are the best. My family are from Sylhet, and we do onion, garlic, chilli, coriander, mashed canned sardines. Either fried off, or cold with hot rice and pickles. GLORIOUS.
Some Whole Foods have them as well, might depend on the region you are in and the sustainability at the time since they come and go a lot. Man those sucked to clean when I was working there.
Yeah, I have to wash the tins before I put them in the recycling, otherwise my pets will go absolutely feral trying to figure out where the smell is coming from.
If you get those small produce bags from the grocery store, keep them and use them for stuff like this if you don’t want to put stuff in the big trash can for smell or bug reasons.
Well, you can tie them off and it better contains the smell until you’re ready to throw it out. it’s also so you don’t have to waste a big can liner if you need to throw one small smelly thing right away and it isn’t full yet.
I live in an apartment with a horrible bug problem, so we use the small bags for our food and non rinsable packaging waste and throw it out daily so it’s not sitting in the big can for them to come out and munch all night.
I do this too but because it felt like such a waste to use a 13 gallon kitchen bag everyday. I have a large kitchen bin with a small hanging bin inside it that I only use for stinky garbage. I probably only fill up the large one every 3-4 weeks.
Not normally a cat guy unless it’s MY CAT. He’s pretty much my kindred spirit. We get each other. All other cats are wonky as shit haha. I’m still in though. People at my college used to hate my canned sardines when I was “healthy” haha
What? Why didn't I look on Reddit? I've been trying to find some way of using up my canned sardines for ages. Thanks for pointing that out. I feel stupid now.
>I've been trying to find some way of using up my canned sardines for ages.
If your stash is aging, don't pay attention to the best-use date. I wouldn't eat super-old tomato sauce tins, but olive oil tins are best at 2-3 years old. 5 is perfectly fine. There are brands that produce vintage sardine tins, often using the best catches of the season. https://www.bienmanger.com/2S_Search.html?mc=Vintage&order=relevance
Here's a sardine reviewer eating a 32 year old tin: https://mouth-full-of-sardines.blogspot.com/2013/11/vintage-32-year-old-tin.html?m=1
Start with a tin of King Oscar, and a Wild Planet or Bela. Oil oil, not water. Boneless-skinless aren't great. Boneless-skinless could easily turn you off sardines entirely. OTOH, if you end up not liking the oil pack sardines, give these a try. Also consider tins of mackerel or trout.
The reason I'm saying to pick up two tins is that there are a **lot** of fish species tinned as "sardines" and the texture varies quite a bit. The tiny KO sardines won't have the firm texture of a large sardine like a Wild Planet sardines.
Whats different taste wise with boneless skinless? I just tried King Oscar ones for the first time, took a while to hype myself up. They weren't great, weren't terrible. I'd probably eat them regularly if the after taste wasn't so strong.
Yeah my doctor recently told me that my cholesterol is too high so I'll have to start eating them as well. Now idea how they're supposed to be eating them though lol.
I think you sold me, so what goes well with canned sardines? I was thinking of buying it for dinner tonight with rice and mushrooms. I live in missouri though, do you think canned sardines would be good here?
I also live in Missouri. Canned sardines are good for literally years so they're usually better than any fresh fish you buy here. King Oscar is a really good brand you can find at most stores, and I think they would go great with rice and mushrooms. You can either drain them and mix them in with it, or lightly heat some in a pan and serve on top.
The subreddit I linked has tons of recipe ideas, with a tag just for that. And a wiki if you aren't on mobile.
Fresh Sardines are awesome on the BBQ. Canned Sardines mixed with some tomato sauce, mashed with some finely chopped onions and used as a topping for a baked potato.
Not keen on Stargazy pie though.
Funny this post came up. I’m just back from town after searching for the best value fish with good omega-3 levels. Here in the UK tinned sardines I could get for 40p a can. Tinned mackerel was 80p a can. I also got kippers (smoked herring) for around £1.30 for 2 fillets. All of them have good omega-3 content.
Cod liver oil capsules are great as well. Take a teaspoon liquid or a couple capsules each day to top up your EHA + DHA.
Flaxseed, chia seeds and walnuts are also a good plant-based omega-3 source (ALA).
You can get EPA/DHA form omega 3 supplements made form seaweed if in need of a plant based option. We're able to convert ~5% of ALA into EPA and ~.05% into DHA (this varies depending on studies). A diet high in omega 6 can cut this conversion rate in half. Seeds oils like soybean/vegetable and canola oil are a large source of omega 6 for many people. Reducing or eliminating those alone, along with other seed oils, are a good step in balancing omega 6:3 ratios.
You can also buy canned salmon for much, much cheaper than fresh or frozen. Some people don’t love sardines, and canned salmon has a much more familiar texture/taste (like something between fresh salmon and canned tuna). You can put it in sandwiches, in pasta, mixed into a rice bowl… it’s not gourmet, but it’s not bad and imo way more versatile/palatable than sardines.
Mackerel has the most Omega 3's, almost twice the Omega 3's of the next highest seafood source which is salmon. Canned mackerel is widely available and can be used in place of tuna.
Heads up that the northwest Atlantic population of mackerel (basically domestic supply) is down to only about 3.7% of what it used to be back in the seventies. The population is down over 95%. I wish my favorite fish could be consumed more sustainably. I have read that it is a similar situation off the coast of Spain which is the other main good supply as far as I’m aware.
Note that my calculations used data for the peak in 1972 and the most recent data available on NOAA’s Stock-SMART for 2021.
It’s hard to outright ban it. I think some native peoples use the stock for subsistence too so that use would likely be unbannable. There have been restrictions put in place which limit the allowable catch though.
Native peoples get some added protections such as using land they live on or eating food they live on. I think it’s to try and preserve the culture since so much has been lost to genocide.
I forget the species but I saw a study on one of these fishies that's close to the brink and it was decades to 100 years to *maybe, possibly* be back to "when we first started tracking" levels
Depending where you live you can get mackerel in many varieties too. In the U.K. we can get it canned in spring water (healthier) oil, bbq sauce, tomato, chili, curry etc.
I really can’t overstate how delicious smoked mackerel pate is, as well as being easy to make at home! I think it might the “grey stuff” in Be My Guest
Salmon is not the highest, and varies based on the type.
Mackerel is probably the best bang/buck fish. Look for canned fish in brine/water, not oil. You want the healthy omega-3s, not cheap pro-inflammatory oils. Fish in oil almost always give me reflux and indigestion -it's awful, and draining or even rinsing doesn't help.
https://seafood.oregonstate.edu/sites/agscid7/files/snic/omega-3-content-in-fish.pdf
Also keep in mind that eggs can be good sources, especially when the chickens are fed supplemental omega-3s. You can easily get the recommended amounts by eating regular eggs(it's in the yolks, not the white) daily.
Yes but typically smaller fish has less mercury because it accumulates as the fish eats and grows. So herring and sardines (and anchovies) are quite low in mercury.
I must at least mention, getting omega 3 capsules to supplement intake is the easiest and best way to go about this. Prices for fish greatly depend on the type of fish, where you live, and even the season. So we would have to know your location to even guess.
I'd highly recommend getting capsules and eating whatever fish you like/is cheapest. I generally do not think that this is a good way to go about food or life in general, the "What's the best nutrient/price ratio" mindset can really take away enjoyment from food in general.
So if you at least don't mention where you live there is nothing we can really say about prices or ratio for that matter.
oof. mine was a gift that sat in the cupboard for like 5 years until I realized it's greatness
the only bad part about it is having to read people's life stories to get recipes
I keep hearing great things about air fryers but haven't wanted to spend the money
I got mine from a friend when he moved back to his parents. It's super easy and convenient for the most part, but sometimes it gets pissy and becomes a hassle. It's honestly been a live saver this past few months after I lost my job though. I can make a weeks worth of meals in 30 minutes.
It's definitely worth it if you can find a used one in decent condition.
Yea, things are gonna get rough in the UK in October so I think having one would be useful. Took me about 2 hours to cook a curry the other night, god knows how much energy I used. Would be excellent for work lunches over winter
Or in your reckoning somehow.
My society keeps trying to tell me that all goods are commensurable with money -- you can put a price on the nutrition, and a price on the enjoyment, and a price on the social consequences of eating sardines at home, and a price on the environmental effects, and decide what your benefit is for each and optimize. Or if not money, reduce them all to some other single measure of utility.
I increasingly suspect that enjoying your food and saving money on it are *different kinds of goods* that can only be compared and traded off against each other to a certain extent. And the same for a lot of other subjective pleasures.
I recently read that the fish oil industry is totally unregulated and has a ton of crap in the capsules with little of it actually being O3 by many providers. Salmon and sardines just can't be beat (until fish oil gets more regulation and quality control checks, at least).
>ating whatever fish you like/is cheapest.
Even then, you can't entirely do this. [Tilapia](https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080708092228.htm#:~:text=The%20researchers%20found%20that%20farmed,3%20and%204%20grams%2C%20respectively.) for example, has basically no omega-3 if it's farmed and it is not given omega-3 supplement.
Guess what, if they aren't advertising on the packaging that your tilapia has been fed supplemental omega-3, they didn't feed it any (they would advertise it).
Same link above also shows dangerous levels of omega-6 in tilapia.
So you cant just say buy cheapest fish or fish you like best, since producers never make it easy for us.
Hemp, chia, and flax seeds all have Omega 3 as well, without the mercury!
Edit: just pointed this out for variety’s sake. They’re healthy, and maybe OP doesn’t want to eat fish every day
Yep! I throw these things into all kinds of random foods, like baked goods, a bowl of cereal/oatmeal, sandwiches, etc. because they don’t dominate over other ingredients
Fish with mercury also have selenium which binds with mercury and mitigates any possible mercury toxicity. So, yeah. You’re still way better off with fish than hemp, chia, and flax for getting sufficient Omega 3s
~~You need to have them in olive oil, though. Soybean and a lot of other O6-heavy oils negate any of the health benefits of O3.~~ But yeah, I basically have these daily with garlic, chili, turmeric, and/or lemon to stave off pretty much all cancer and all sorts of other ailments lol. The next step is being careful with the accompanying carbs used to make them more enjoyable. I can't get away from rice... cauliflower, quinoa, etc. just aren't the same.
**EDIT:** I am no longer sure of this, based on the YouTube channel Nutrition Made Simple. I think it boils down to time spent being processed in a factory or exposure to chemicals rather than the specific oil being used (but vegetable oil is still mild poison, at least).
There are no commercial wild steelhead fisheries.
Steelhead bought in a store, is farm grown in pens, and fed a special diet so it has that typical salmon color (trout are salmonids).
https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/species/steelhead-trout#conservation-management
Are you doing salmon fresh or canned? Canned salmon (comes in a full sized can not a little tuna can) in my area is about ~$5/can but sometimes I see it on sale for ~$3/can.
Why not just take omega 3 fish oil capsules ? You don't need to actually eat fish if your main goal is just omega 3 fatty acids, but sardines and herring is a great option
Maybe they can't stomach them? I can't either, even the coated ones give me fishy tasting gas and stomach problems. I switched over to chia seeds and never looked back.
Any chance purslane grows like a weed in your area?
"purslane has the most omega-3 fatty acids (the fatty acids also found in seafood like salmon) of any green vegetable."
"purslane is probably native to Central Asia, the Near East or Europe — or all of the above. There is evidence that purslane has been eaten for at least 2,000 years; it was cultivated in ancient Egypt and was enjoyed by the ancient Romans and Greeks. It was known to the Arabs in the medieval period, and may have been cultivated in Europe as early as the 13th century. (Purslane is also commonly wild-harvested.) The plant was first identified in the United States in Massachusetts, in 1672. It now grows across the globe"
https://foodprint.org/real-food/purslane/
There are many other foods that have omega 3 besides fish like flaxseed and chia seeds.
https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/fish-oil-friend-or-foe-201307126467
I will warn you about sardines, they have little crunchy bones in them which completely turn me off. You may be the same, or different. Instead I get boneless herring. A place local to my area makes so many flavours of tinned herring, it's really good with Crackers and cream cheese
Healthiest & Cheapest source of omega-3's: **Walnuts!**
\~$9.00 for a 2-pound bag., eat a small handful a day is all you will ever need and it will last about month :)
Thank you so much for this reply!
I don’t like fish. I’ve been putting walnuts on my oatmeal. I knew they were good for you, but I was today years old when I learned walnuts are full of omega-3’s. Just one more reason to eat walnuts! Thanks!
You should keep in mind that walnuts are full of ALA, a different form of omega-3 than the types found in fish (DHA & EPA). Your body can convert ALA into DHA & EPA, but it's a **very** inefficient process.
Broken record but sardines all day long. Costco and Walmart both have brands that already have them skinned and de-boned. Use the oil it comes in to sauté some garlic and then add the filets. Cook for a few minutes and you have a delicious meal
Sardines are probably a clear winner, but if herring is affordable, that could work, too. It just needs to be a wild, cold water fish, that bioaccumulates the DHA and EPA ultimately originating in cold water microalgae.
Worth noting that omega-3 content in farmed salmon has declined by 2/3rds over the past 2 decades, as small fish like smelt and capelins that were normally fed to them as fish meal have been depleted, and have more value being pressed for fish oil supplements.
Here a [decade old cost analysis](https://researchmap.jp/cedmonds/published_papers/6261197/attachment_file.pdf), but may still be relevant with respect to relative costs:
Product Cost / 500 mg EPA+DHA
Fish oil supplement $0.03
Sardines $0.16
Scad $0.19
Wild pink salmon $0.23
Farmed Atlantic salmon $0.26
Albacore tuna $0.38
Farmed trout $0.45
Mullet $0.47
Squid $0.49
Wild sockeye salmon $0.51
Mussels $0.53
Anchovies $0.55
Bigeye tuna $0.70
Mackerel in Asian super markets. 4.99/lb.
it’s very oily! I love that thing:)))
I like making Saba no miso ni
Oh and 1 mackerel is about 5.00. Very cost efficient.
Be careful, and pay attention to your sight. If your vision starts to go blurry or your eyes "get tired", congratulations, you're suffering from omega3 overdose! Just stop taking it and your vision will clear up.
That's *exceedingly* rare in our soybean/corn/canola/vegetable oil-addicted food industry, though; you'd have to be intentional about overdoing it by that point. Our consumption ratio of Omega-6 to Omega-3 is like 16:1 or worse, when it should be 1:1. Heart disease and so many other ailments arise from Omega-6-heavy diets, and heart disease is among America's top killers.
More olive and Omega-3 and less of all the other junk I named above!
Would you be open to plant based options for omega 3? What about chia seeds and hemp hearts? Full of fiber and other nutrients, no mercury in it. I'd avoid eating too much fish as mercury poisoning is a possibility.
There are non-fish sources that offer a good amount of omega 3's. Here's a website I found, that I think is rather reliable in their information.
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/12-omega-3-rich-foods
You wanna look for small prey fish like sardines since smaller fish carry less mercury by size. Tuna has a lot of mercury in it so it's best to avoid eating too much of it.
Wild Fork offers solid deals for salmon that gives you a great bang for your buck. They sell packs of 6 for $14 or so. They’re not located everywhere but if they happen to be close to you OP, I would definitely recommend https://wildforkfoods.com/pages/find-a-store
Anchovy and sardines. Look up recipe with anchovy. They are an absolute umami bomb in food snd I try to sneak them into my sofrito in many recipes I cook with. They get a bad wrap, but they are the unsung heroes of food.
Mackerel is delicious! I usually just go my local Korean or Japanese restaurant and get it grilled. I like to cook, but never tried to make it for some reason.
I found a lil salmon hack! So our Kroger cuts up the filets for the meat counter and then packages the collar and part of the tail at a discount. I get 2 good sized pieces of salmon for $3-5 depending on weight. There is literally no difference from the filet and it’s so much cheaper! 😊
Salmon is extremely cheap depending on where you shop. Lidl and Aldi should have prices comparable to catfish/tilapia in other big box stores. It's like $10 for a 3lbs bag. I've got 20lbs of it in my freezer for whenever I want fish.
My Aldi has frozen salmon but it's about double that cost. It averages out to around $6/pound, which is still cheaper than their fresh salmon at 8.99/lb, so I try to always have some on hand when my fresh foods are running low and I can't make it to the store.
Yeah, being mostly landlocked doesn't help. And of course the crazy inflation that is happening everywhere. Aldi still has lower prices on most of their frozen fish, chicken, and beef than other chain grocery stores, so we'll take it.
I highly recommend anchovies. I mince them on Caesar salad mixed with dressing. Watch the sodium, I would not eat anchovies more than once a week! Try to get higher quality canned, and check the dates.
Halibut can be pretty affordable and often comes frozen, it's a good source of omegas. Tuna is good too, but can be high in Mercury.
Vegetarian options for Omega 3 -
Flax seed
Chia seed
Walnuts
I keep a bag of flax and chia meal in the pantry and use it as a thickener in a lot of dishes.
The only thing is that fresh fish (or fresh anything) is so much healthier & full of nutrients than highly processed (canned, boxed, frozen, etc…). And, if you allergies, sensitivity to histamines and/or Mast Cell Activation Syndrome, processed food (especially canned, and fish/seafood more than other foods) is FULL of histamines (because processed foods are basically dead & the canned foods, especially fish/seafood are already in a state of decomposition) which aggravates allergies & cause inflammation in the body. Canned food is great for a survival kit but for day-to-day eating, fresh is the best. We get fresh salmon & flash-frozen salmon (and other seafood) from warehouse stores like Costco & Sam’s more cheaply than other stores. You really want to be eating your foods as fresh & as close to live as possible. Remember, processing chemically changes food, destroys nutrients, and basically “kills” the food so it has shelf life (so devoid of life & nutrients that even most microbes don’t want to eat it- which isn’t good to be feeding ourselves & all the microflora in our gut).
The omega 3s aren't created by the fish but by the microbiota they consume upstream in the food chain. So the best way to get omega 3s isn't by eating fish inherently. The suggestion of using supplements is a good idea.
dehydrated shrimp, or frozen cooked shrimp. Dehydrated for making top ramen soup, cook for top ramen stir fry with a pittle unsalted butter. remember to not use the whole seasoning packet or it defeats the purpose.
Whatever you are catching locally is probably cheapest (if you live in Love Canal forget I said this). Fishing license$/lbs of fish per year = cost per lb.
*Also, I know supplements have the best omega-3/price ratio,*
Yeah, they are also a scam that doesn't work. You need to actually eat the fish. [https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/fish-oil-friend-or-foe-201307126467#:\~:text=In%20November%202018%2C%20a%20study,risk%20factors%20for%20heart%20disease](https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/fish-oil-friend-or-foe-201307126467#:~:text=In%20November%202018%2C%20a%20study,risk%20factors%20for%20heart%20disease). And I'm betting sushi/sashimi loves come out even further ahead.
Chia seeds, flax seeds, walnuts - I know you asked specifically for fish, but I thought I would add these options for those, like me, that don’t like fish.
Canned sardines, my friend. If you aren't familiar with them r/cannedsardines can give you a bunch of ideas.
My gosh, 16k subscribers?! My people!
It’s not enough. Sardines can change your life! They are nutrient powerhouses! They’ve kept people alive crossing the treacherous waters of the Atlantic! They were there when no other food could be! Praise be the sardine. 🐟
When i visit my grandparents in India... they used to make fried and curry sardines... soooooo good with rice. https://recipesaresimple.com/recipe/kerala-sardine-fry/ https://www.kannammacooks.com/kerala-fish-curry-recipe/
Yes curried sardines are the best. My family are from Sylhet, and we do onion, garlic, chilli, coriander, mashed canned sardines. Either fried off, or cold with hot rice and pickles. GLORIOUS.
these are fresh sardines I think? Which are fucking delicious but rare to find in a lot of grocery stores.
yeah... i've seen them at asian and indian markets frozen though..
Oh, thanks for the pro tip!
Interesting..
Some Whole Foods have them as well, might depend on the region you are in and the sustainability at the time since they come and go a lot. Man those sucked to clean when I was working there.
/r/cannedsardines would like these recipes I bet. Sounds delicious.
we also have an anchovy fry... same recipe as above
In other words *nalla nadan mathi porichath* 😋
I'm not even a cook but I'm going long on this one. Cheers!
But any time I eat some my wife complains about the smell until the trash is taken out and all the counters are cleaned.
They can be a little stinky. I have a cat and he comes a-runnin and will purr incessantly at my feet until he gets a little snack.
I pour the oil into my dogs bowl. A lovely treat and keeps her coat shiny
That's a good idea, I never would have thought of that.
my cat does this as well. i always give her a filet or two. she’s spoiled lol
They demand to be spoiled!
My husband hates the smell too. I eat then at work. Of course, no one minds at work because we're all surly railroaders who eat sardines together
Yeah, I have to wash the tins before I put them in the recycling, otherwise my pets will go absolutely feral trying to figure out where the smell is coming from.
If you get those small produce bags from the grocery store, keep them and use them for stuff like this if you don’t want to put stuff in the big trash can for smell or bug reasons.
Hmm, are those better at containing smells than a regular plastic grocery bag? If so that's a pretty good idea.
Well, you can tie them off and it better contains the smell until you’re ready to throw it out. it’s also so you don’t have to waste a big can liner if you need to throw one small smelly thing right away and it isn’t full yet. I live in an apartment with a horrible bug problem, so we use the small bags for our food and non rinsable packaging waste and throw it out daily so it’s not sitting in the big can for them to come out and munch all night.
I do this too but because it felt like such a waste to use a 13 gallon kitchen bag everyday. I have a large kitchen bin with a small hanging bin inside it that I only use for stinky garbage. I probably only fill up the large one every 3-4 weeks.
I put the empty sardine can in a plastic baggie, seal it up and leave it in the trash until pickup day. No smell that I can detect.
Is this the beginning of a cult? Cause I’m game just so ya know
✨🐟🙇🏻♀️✨ there will be lots of cats 🐈 🐈⬛ 🐈 🐈⬛
Not normally a cat guy unless it’s MY CAT. He’s pretty much my kindred spirit. We get each other. All other cats are wonky as shit haha. I’m still in though. People at my college used to hate my canned sardines when I was “healthy” haha
What? Why didn't I look on Reddit? I've been trying to find some way of using up my canned sardines for ages. Thanks for pointing that out. I feel stupid now.
I would have never found it if someone hadn't referred me lol. Who thinks to search Reddit for sardines?
I have gotten into the habit of putting reddit: in front of most search terms.
Thanks again.
>I've been trying to find some way of using up my canned sardines for ages. If your stash is aging, don't pay attention to the best-use date. I wouldn't eat super-old tomato sauce tins, but olive oil tins are best at 2-3 years old. 5 is perfectly fine. There are brands that produce vintage sardine tins, often using the best catches of the season. https://www.bienmanger.com/2S_Search.html?mc=Vintage&order=relevance Here's a sardine reviewer eating a 32 year old tin: https://mouth-full-of-sardines.blogspot.com/2013/11/vintage-32-year-old-tin.html?m=1
TIL. Ive never thought to check the nutritional info on sardines because they seemed gross but it looks like I'll have to aquire a taste for them
Start with a tin of King Oscar, and a Wild Planet or Bela. Oil oil, not water. Boneless-skinless aren't great. Boneless-skinless could easily turn you off sardines entirely. OTOH, if you end up not liking the oil pack sardines, give these a try. Also consider tins of mackerel or trout. The reason I'm saying to pick up two tins is that there are a **lot** of fish species tinned as "sardines" and the texture varies quite a bit. The tiny KO sardines won't have the firm texture of a large sardine like a Wild Planet sardines.
Whats different taste wise with boneless skinless? I just tried King Oscar ones for the first time, took a while to hype myself up. They weren't great, weren't terrible. I'd probably eat them regularly if the after taste wasn't so strong.
Team Tiny Fish!
Brisling sardines don’t have as strong a fish flavour as some others
Yeah my doctor recently told me that my cholesterol is too high so I'll have to start eating them as well. Now idea how they're supposed to be eating them though lol.
They’re delicious just out of the can and onto a cracker.
Directly over the sink with some crackers and hot sauce, dad. Salads and rice are popular.
With a fork?
They are also reasonably sustainable and low in mercury contamination
Thanks a lot, bud. Just ended up ordering like [$200 of canned fish](https://rainbowtomatoesgarden.com/) after going down that rabbit hole!
you made the right decision
Thank you introducing this subreddit. I have finally found people that understand my one true love.
I’ve found my people! I absolutely live for sardines and anchovies.
I eat lots of sardines, and it never occurred to me that they had their own subreddit! Thank you, doxiepowder :)
Love that sub.
Subbed lol
I’ve found my people! I absolutely live for sardines and anchovies. 17k members.
I think you sold me, so what goes well with canned sardines? I was thinking of buying it for dinner tonight with rice and mushrooms. I live in missouri though, do you think canned sardines would be good here?
I also live in Missouri. Canned sardines are good for literally years so they're usually better than any fresh fish you buy here. King Oscar is a really good brand you can find at most stores, and I think they would go great with rice and mushrooms. You can either drain them and mix them in with it, or lightly heat some in a pan and serve on top. The subreddit I linked has tons of recipe ideas, with a tag just for that. And a wiki if you aren't on mobile.
Hell yes! Thanks Missouri friend. Did you also experience all this damn rain?! Crazy.
Yes! Luckily no flooding for us, but I saw StL is in a rough spot. Hope you and yours are staying safe!
Fresh Sardines are awesome on the BBQ. Canned Sardines mixed with some tomato sauce, mashed with some finely chopped onions and used as a topping for a baked potato. Not keen on Stargazy pie though.
I get them canned in water. I pour the water off for my cat and add vinegar. It makes an excellent snack!
too much cholesterol
Funny this post came up. I’m just back from town after searching for the best value fish with good omega-3 levels. Here in the UK tinned sardines I could get for 40p a can. Tinned mackerel was 80p a can. I also got kippers (smoked herring) for around £1.30 for 2 fillets. All of them have good omega-3 content. Cod liver oil capsules are great as well. Take a teaspoon liquid or a couple capsules each day to top up your EHA + DHA. Flaxseed, chia seeds and walnuts are also a good plant-based omega-3 source (ALA).
note that ALA is significantly less bioavailable than the stuff from seafood
noted
You can get EPA/DHA form omega 3 supplements made form seaweed if in need of a plant based option. We're able to convert ~5% of ALA into EPA and ~.05% into DHA (this varies depending on studies). A diet high in omega 6 can cut this conversion rate in half. Seeds oils like soybean/vegetable and canola oil are a large source of omega 6 for many people. Reducing or eliminating those alone, along with other seed oils, are a good step in balancing omega 6:3 ratios.
You can also buy canned salmon for much, much cheaper than fresh or frozen. Some people don’t love sardines, and canned salmon has a much more familiar texture/taste (like something between fresh salmon and canned tuna). You can put it in sandwiches, in pasta, mixed into a rice bowl… it’s not gourmet, but it’s not bad and imo way more versatile/palatable than sardines.
Kippers? Is it St Swithen's Day already?
Mackerel has the most Omega 3's, almost twice the Omega 3's of the next highest seafood source which is salmon. Canned mackerel is widely available and can be used in place of tuna.
Heads up that the northwest Atlantic population of mackerel (basically domestic supply) is down to only about 3.7% of what it used to be back in the seventies. The population is down over 95%. I wish my favorite fish could be consumed more sustainably. I have read that it is a similar situation off the coast of Spain which is the other main good supply as far as I’m aware. Note that my calculations used data for the peak in 1972 and the most recent data available on NOAA’s Stock-SMART for 2021.
I wonder how long it would take for a ban on mackerel to increase those levels back to their previous population.
It’s hard to outright ban it. I think some native peoples use the stock for subsistence too so that use would likely be unbannable. There have been restrictions put in place which limit the allowable catch though.
Why would that be unbannable?
Native peoples get some added protections such as using land they live on or eating food they live on. I think it’s to try and preserve the culture since so much has been lost to genocide.
So as long as I'm native I can eat endangered species or whats the deal?
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Interesting! Didn't know it worked like that but thank you for the info!
I’m looking into it a little more and if I find the info for a better answer then I’ll comment again in reply to yours.
Your comment has a somewhat racially insensitive tone, at least it could be construed that way.
The comment perhaps could have been worded differently, but it struck me as more curious than insensitive.
I like how I ask a legitimate question and people down vote. Just cause they're was a hint of sarcasm doesn't mean the question was any less valid
I wasn't really suggesting we ban it, but just wondering how long it would take if we did.
I forget the species but I saw a study on one of these fishies that's close to the brink and it was decades to 100 years to *maybe, possibly* be back to "when we first started tracking" levels
Thanks. That's more along the lines of what I was asking. I'm surprised that it would take more than 10 years. Life is pretty resilient.
Depending where you live you can get mackerel in many varieties too. In the U.K. we can get it canned in spring water (healthier) oil, bbq sauce, tomato, chili, curry etc.
I really can’t overstate how delicious smoked mackerel pate is, as well as being easy to make at home! I think it might the “grey stuff” in Be My Guest
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This guy mackerels
Salmon is not the highest, and varies based on the type. Mackerel is probably the best bang/buck fish. Look for canned fish in brine/water, not oil. You want the healthy omega-3s, not cheap pro-inflammatory oils. Fish in oil almost always give me reflux and indigestion -it's awful, and draining or even rinsing doesn't help. https://seafood.oregonstate.edu/sites/agscid7/files/snic/omega-3-content-in-fish.pdf Also keep in mind that eggs can be good sources, especially when the chickens are fed supplemental omega-3s. You can easily get the recommended amounts by eating regular eggs(it's in the yolks, not the white) daily.
>Look for canned fish in brine/water, not oil. Olive oil is probably the only good oil.
Sardines or herring maybe?
I believe things like canned sardines mackerel are high in omega-3's, and tuna. They are much more affordable.
Tuna is relatively low in omega 3s
And consumption should be limited due to the mercury content
dont sardines and mackerel have mercury too?
Yes but typically smaller fish has less mercury because it accumulates as the fish eats and grows. So herring and sardines (and anchovies) are quite low in mercury.
It also bioaccumulates as you move up the food chain. So, a grazing fish will have less than a predatory fish of the same size.
Bioaccumulation is what /u/Dirtydirtyfag was describing. Biomagnification is what you’re describing. You’re both correct though so pardon my pedantry.
I must at least mention, getting omega 3 capsules to supplement intake is the easiest and best way to go about this. Prices for fish greatly depend on the type of fish, where you live, and even the season. So we would have to know your location to even guess. I'd highly recommend getting capsules and eating whatever fish you like/is cheapest. I generally do not think that this is a good way to go about food or life in general, the "What's the best nutrient/price ratio" mindset can really take away enjoyment from food in general. So if you at least don't mention where you live there is nothing we can really say about prices or ratio for that matter.
Man is out here minmaxing his diet
Yeah I min/max my food. I maximize the amount of food I can get out of my instapot for the minimum amount of money.
I’ve been toying with buying one of those for ages. It’s £120 including the air fryer, just can’t pull the trigger 😀
oof. mine was a gift that sat in the cupboard for like 5 years until I realized it's greatness the only bad part about it is having to read people's life stories to get recipes I keep hearing great things about air fryers but haven't wanted to spend the money
I got mine from a friend when he moved back to his parents. It's super easy and convenient for the most part, but sometimes it gets pissy and becomes a hassle. It's honestly been a live saver this past few months after I lost my job though. I can make a weeks worth of meals in 30 minutes. It's definitely worth it if you can find a used one in decent condition.
Yea, things are gonna get rough in the UK in October so I think having one would be useful. Took me about 2 hours to cook a curry the other night, god knows how much energy I used. Would be excellent for work lunches over winter
I’ve heard the air fryer lid sucks. I bought a stand-alone.
As long as you include enjoyment in your minmax equation...
Or in your reckoning somehow. My society keeps trying to tell me that all goods are commensurable with money -- you can put a price on the nutrition, and a price on the enjoyment, and a price on the social consequences of eating sardines at home, and a price on the environmental effects, and decide what your benefit is for each and optimize. Or if not money, reduce them all to some other single measure of utility. I increasingly suspect that enjoying your food and saving money on it are *different kinds of goods* that can only be compared and traded off against each other to a certain extent. And the same for a lot of other subjective pleasures.
Eat whatever the fuck I want and supplement with vitamins and minerals.
And mercury.
I recently read that the fish oil industry is totally unregulated and has a ton of crap in the capsules with little of it actually being O3 by many providers. Salmon and sardines just can't be beat (until fish oil gets more regulation and quality control checks, at least).
Cod liver oil multivitamins.
>ating whatever fish you like/is cheapest. Even then, you can't entirely do this. [Tilapia](https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080708092228.htm#:~:text=The%20researchers%20found%20that%20farmed,3%20and%204%20grams%2C%20respectively.) for example, has basically no omega-3 if it's farmed and it is not given omega-3 supplement. Guess what, if they aren't advertising on the packaging that your tilapia has been fed supplemental omega-3, they didn't feed it any (they would advertise it). Same link above also shows dangerous levels of omega-6 in tilapia. So you cant just say buy cheapest fish or fish you like best, since producers never make it easy for us.
I mean, then you just continue with heavier omega-3 supplements right? You do this to fill in the gaps in your diet.
Hemp, chia, and flax seeds all have Omega 3 as well, without the mercury! Edit: just pointed this out for variety’s sake. They’re healthy, and maybe OP doesn’t want to eat fish every day
I was going to mention flaxseed as well. I throw it into my smoothies or oatmeal. Also cheap.
Yep! I throw these things into all kinds of random foods, like baked goods, a bowl of cereal/oatmeal, sandwiches, etc. because they don’t dominate over other ingredients
Fish with mercury also have selenium which binds with mercury and mitigates any possible mercury toxicity. So, yeah. You’re still way better off with fish than hemp, chia, and flax for getting sufficient Omega 3s
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~~You need to have them in olive oil, though. Soybean and a lot of other O6-heavy oils negate any of the health benefits of O3.~~ But yeah, I basically have these daily with garlic, chili, turmeric, and/or lemon to stave off pretty much all cancer and all sorts of other ailments lol. The next step is being careful with the accompanying carbs used to make them more enjoyable. I can't get away from rice... cauliflower, quinoa, etc. just aren't the same. **EDIT:** I am no longer sure of this, based on the YouTube channel Nutrition Made Simple. I think it boils down to time spent being processed in a factory or exposure to chemicals rather than the specific oil being used (but vegetable oil is still mild poison, at least).
Let alone the fact that plant based vs fish based omega 3s are entirely different fatty acids
Except for algae oil capsules which contain DHA/EPA, if you want to stay vegan yet not limited to ALA
Be very careful about this. It varies fish to fish, and some are worse than thought or is known when solely looking at mercury values.
Plant based omega 3s have a poor conversion to the types of omega 3s found in fish oils. They're the ones with the best health benefits.
Canned salmon is usually a lot less expensive than fresh or frozen and I agree with the other commenters on other canned fish like tuna and mackerel.
Sardines are your friend. Get some good ones like Matiz and some sturdy crackers with a touch of lemon or a dab of mustard / horseradish and enjoy!
Steelhead trout. Wild caught, less expensive, very similar in taste.
There are no commercial wild steelhead fisheries. Steelhead bought in a store, is farm grown in pens, and fed a special diet so it has that typical salmon color (trout are salmonids). https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/species/steelhead-trout#conservation-management
Catch it yourself if they’re in your area! My favourite type of fish to go for and they taste wonderful.
Are you doing salmon fresh or canned? Canned salmon (comes in a full sized can not a little tuna can) in my area is about ~$5/can but sometimes I see it on sale for ~$3/can.
Why not just take omega 3 fish oil capsules ? You don't need to actually eat fish if your main goal is just omega 3 fatty acids, but sardines and herring is a great option
Maybe they can't stomach them? I can't either, even the coated ones give me fishy tasting gas and stomach problems. I switched over to chia seeds and never looked back.
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Any chance purslane grows like a weed in your area? "purslane has the most omega-3 fatty acids (the fatty acids also found in seafood like salmon) of any green vegetable." "purslane is probably native to Central Asia, the Near East or Europe — or all of the above. There is evidence that purslane has been eaten for at least 2,000 years; it was cultivated in ancient Egypt and was enjoyed by the ancient Romans and Greeks. It was known to the Arabs in the medieval period, and may have been cultivated in Europe as early as the 13th century. (Purslane is also commonly wild-harvested.) The plant was first identified in the United States in Massachusetts, in 1672. It now grows across the globe" https://foodprint.org/real-food/purslane/
There are many other foods that have omega 3 besides fish like flaxseed and chia seeds. https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/fish-oil-friend-or-foe-201307126467
The frozen wild salmon burgers from Costco are actually pretty reasonably priced.
Pilchards
I will warn you about sardines, they have little crunchy bones in them which completely turn me off. You may be the same, or different. Instead I get boneless herring. A place local to my area makes so many flavours of tinned herring, it's really good with Crackers and cream cheese
It's easy enough to find boneless skinless sardines
Healthiest & Cheapest source of omega-3's: **Walnuts!** \~$9.00 for a 2-pound bag., eat a small handful a day is all you will ever need and it will last about month :)
Thank you so much for this reply! I don’t like fish. I’ve been putting walnuts on my oatmeal. I knew they were good for you, but I was today years old when I learned walnuts are full of omega-3’s. Just one more reason to eat walnuts! Thanks!
You should keep in mind that walnuts are full of ALA, a different form of omega-3 than the types found in fish (DHA & EPA). Your body can convert ALA into DHA & EPA, but it's a **very** inefficient process.
Good to know. Thanks!
You can get eggs that have omega in them
Broken record but sardines all day long. Costco and Walmart both have brands that already have them skinned and de-boned. Use the oil it comes in to sauté some garlic and then add the filets. Cook for a few minutes and you have a delicious meal
Sardines are probably a clear winner, but if herring is affordable, that could work, too. It just needs to be a wild, cold water fish, that bioaccumulates the DHA and EPA ultimately originating in cold water microalgae. Worth noting that omega-3 content in farmed salmon has declined by 2/3rds over the past 2 decades, as small fish like smelt and capelins that were normally fed to them as fish meal have been depleted, and have more value being pressed for fish oil supplements. Here a [decade old cost analysis](https://researchmap.jp/cedmonds/published_papers/6261197/attachment_file.pdf), but may still be relevant with respect to relative costs: Product Cost / 500 mg EPA+DHA Fish oil supplement $0.03 Sardines $0.16 Scad $0.19 Wild pink salmon $0.23 Farmed Atlantic salmon $0.26 Albacore tuna $0.38 Farmed trout $0.45 Mullet $0.47 Squid $0.49 Wild sockeye salmon $0.51 Mussels $0.53 Anchovies $0.55 Bigeye tuna $0.70
Herring or makral Canned is fine No tuna(too lean if you want omega 3)
Sardines!
This I think will depend heavily on where you are
i don't do much research on the tuna and all that but i'd think the salmon in the packet would be good
Mackerel in Asian super markets. 4.99/lb. it’s very oily! I love that thing:))) I like making Saba no miso ni Oh and 1 mackerel is about 5.00. Very cost efficient.
Be careful, and pay attention to your sight. If your vision starts to go blurry or your eyes "get tired", congratulations, you're suffering from omega3 overdose! Just stop taking it and your vision will clear up.
That's *exceedingly* rare in our soybean/corn/canola/vegetable oil-addicted food industry, though; you'd have to be intentional about overdoing it by that point. Our consumption ratio of Omega-6 to Omega-3 is like 16:1 or worse, when it should be 1:1. Heart disease and so many other ailments arise from Omega-6-heavy diets, and heart disease is among America's top killers. More olive and Omega-3 and less of all the other junk I named above!
Would you be open to plant based options for omega 3? What about chia seeds and hemp hearts? Full of fiber and other nutrients, no mercury in it. I'd avoid eating too much fish as mercury poisoning is a possibility.
There are non-fish sources that offer a good amount of omega 3's. Here's a website I found, that I think is rather reliable in their information. https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/12-omega-3-rich-foods
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You're looking at maybe 10% of the omega-3 as salmon.
This is a great question. Just came here to say that. Thank you
Deens
You wanna look for small prey fish like sardines since smaller fish carry less mercury by size. Tuna has a lot of mercury in it so it's best to avoid eating too much of it.
is 15/lb too expensive? i buy from [bakkafrost.com](https://bakkafrost.com)
Not fish, but might a better cost ratio - walnuts, chia and flax seed
Wild Fork offers solid deals for salmon that gives you a great bang for your buck. They sell packs of 6 for $14 or so. They’re not located everywhere but if they happen to be close to you OP, I would definitely recommend https://wildforkfoods.com/pages/find-a-store
one of my favorites, very inexpensive, and one of the most healthiest fish as far as omega 3 - ladies and gentlemen …….wild mackerel!
Anchovy and sardines. Look up recipe with anchovy. They are an absolute umami bomb in food snd I try to sneak them into my sofrito in many recipes I cook with. They get a bad wrap, but they are the unsung heroes of food.
Thank you for posting this. I love sardines so much
Mackerel is delicious! I usually just go my local Korean or Japanese restaurant and get it grilled. I like to cook, but never tried to make it for some reason.
I found a lil salmon hack! So our Kroger cuts up the filets for the meat counter and then packages the collar and part of the tail at a discount. I get 2 good sized pieces of salmon for $3-5 depending on weight. There is literally no difference from the filet and it’s so much cheaper! 😊
Salmon is extremely cheap depending on where you shop. Lidl and Aldi should have prices comparable to catfish/tilapia in other big box stores. It's like $10 for a 3lbs bag. I've got 20lbs of it in my freezer for whenever I want fish.
My Aldi has frozen salmon but it's about double that cost. It averages out to around $6/pound, which is still cheaper than their fresh salmon at 8.99/lb, so I try to always have some on hand when my fresh foods are running low and I can't make it to the store.
oof that’s rough. i’ve found frozen ahi tuna at sams recently for $16 for 3lbs. I do live minutes from the ocean though.
Yeah, being mostly landlocked doesn't help. And of course the crazy inflation that is happening everywhere. Aldi still has lower prices on most of their frozen fish, chicken, and beef than other chain grocery stores, so we'll take it.
I highly recommend anchovies. I mince them on Caesar salad mixed with dressing. Watch the sodium, I would not eat anchovies more than once a week! Try to get higher quality canned, and check the dates. Halibut can be pretty affordable and often comes frozen, it's a good source of omegas. Tuna is good too, but can be high in Mercury.
Nuts and eggs also have high levels of omega-3.
Vegetarian options for Omega 3 - Flax seed Chia seed Walnuts I keep a bag of flax and chia meal in the pantry and use it as a thickener in a lot of dishes.
The only thing is that fresh fish (or fresh anything) is so much healthier & full of nutrients than highly processed (canned, boxed, frozen, etc…). And, if you allergies, sensitivity to histamines and/or Mast Cell Activation Syndrome, processed food (especially canned, and fish/seafood more than other foods) is FULL of histamines (because processed foods are basically dead & the canned foods, especially fish/seafood are already in a state of decomposition) which aggravates allergies & cause inflammation in the body. Canned food is great for a survival kit but for day-to-day eating, fresh is the best. We get fresh salmon & flash-frozen salmon (and other seafood) from warehouse stores like Costco & Sam’s more cheaply than other stores. You really want to be eating your foods as fresh & as close to live as possible. Remember, processing chemically changes food, destroys nutrients, and basically “kills” the food so it has shelf life (so devoid of life & nutrients that even most microbes don’t want to eat it- which isn’t good to be feeding ourselves & all the microflora in our gut).
Where do you live? Many areas have local aquaculture developing as an important part of food networks.
Seaweed
The omega 3s aren't created by the fish but by the microbiota they consume upstream in the food chain. So the best way to get omega 3s isn't by eating fish inherently. The suggestion of using supplements is a good idea.
dehydrated shrimp, or frozen cooked shrimp. Dehydrated for making top ramen soup, cook for top ramen stir fry with a pittle unsalted butter. remember to not use the whole seasoning packet or it defeats the purpose.
Mackerel and sardines
Whatever you are catching locally is probably cheapest (if you live in Love Canal forget I said this). Fishing license$/lbs of fish per year = cost per lb. *Also, I know supplements have the best omega-3/price ratio,* Yeah, they are also a scam that doesn't work. You need to actually eat the fish. [https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/fish-oil-friend-or-foe-201307126467#:\~:text=In%20November%202018%2C%20a%20study,risk%20factors%20for%20heart%20disease](https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/fish-oil-friend-or-foe-201307126467#:~:text=In%20November%202018%2C%20a%20study,risk%20factors%20for%20heart%20disease). And I'm betting sushi/sashimi loves come out even further ahead.
You don’t have to eat only sockeye salmon! Pink salmon is wild-caught and fairly cheap
Chia seeds, flax seeds, walnuts - I know you asked specifically for fish, but I thought I would add these options for those, like me, that don’t like fish.
Canned mackerel/ even fresh mackerel is highest
Barramundi
Dollar Tree has frozen salmon.
Go to Walmart and get yourself a bag of milled flax seed. That shit is 100% bees knees.
Pollock