It's a wide, weird world of food out there, and not everything is perfectly packaged in a way that's entirely appealing. In many parts of the world, including the US, canned food products are simply part of a fully-stocked pantry. Many of these are procured out of convenience or affordability as they're easy to whip up, re-heat, or use in recipes. Canned products are a great invention when it comes to the shelf-life of produce and even meat... but that doesn't mean it's always a tastebud-positive experience.
Around the world, canned products vary based on the country's cuisine and local ingredients. It's actually quite fascinating to find out which locations make use of canning and which food items are important enough to be canned, albeit some of them are a bit strange and unusual. While many of these might not constitute something that a person would snack on just for the heck of it, they are used enough to remain in production, if only for a basket item on Chopped rather than anything else.
Brown Bread
Brown bread is actually one of the most delicious things you can find in a can. Traditionally found and served throughout New England, this canned food item originated in Ireland and England, having made its way across the pond to become a New England specialty. Contrary to popular belief, this bread isn't actually shoved into a can - it's steam-baked right inside the can it's sold in for as fresh an experience as possible.
Escargot
Understandably, not everyone is on-board with trying snails as part of their French experience. However, buying them in a can does make easier work of cooking and serving them, which is a bit of a process. Sometimes, restaurants will purchase escargot in a can because both its shelf life and flavor are generally worth it. In a can or not, snails are definitely worth a try, even once.
Cheese
Washington State University is responsible for this interesting creation which, quite literally, is cheese in a can. We're not talking about spray cheese that tastes like salt with the slightest hint of cheesy flavor. This is actual cheese, with various flavors from sharp cheddar to herb, that's sold for less than a dollar per ounce. These canned cheese have come quite a long way and now, they're somewhat of a cheesy specialty.
Squid
Surprisingly, canned squid is found in many parts of the world. It can even be found in the US and most of the time, it's canned in its own ink, which only adds to the authentic and genuine flavor of this delicacy. While it might not be everyone's idea of an easy snack, it's a great option for seafood lovers to try, especially if the idea of prepping and cooking squid isn't something of great interest.
Braised Eel
In the same way that canned squid is eaten as a snack, canned braised eel is another fun thing to snack on. It's commonly found throughout Asia and is sometimes used in sushi, and it's similar to the eel that one would find in many sushi restaurants. Just like anchovies, these seafood options come packaged to last and are full of tremendous flavor.
Truffles
Many chefs and those who are truffle purists would scoff at the idea of canned truffles. It's best to get them fresh in order to get their full flavor and aroma but sometimes, canned options are just more affordable and are more widely available. This is the case with canned truffles which are the real deal but come in a slightly more unique way than those hunted by special pigs in Italy.
Duck Confit
That's right - the fancy dish that many of us think of when it comes to fancy French restaurants now comes in a can. As one can imagine, canned duck confit is rather different from making it fresh. Whereas a freshly-made duck confit will have that classic crispy skin, in the can, it's a bit more marinated and has a similar texture throughout. that's not to say that flavor isn't decent, though; when it comes to preparing a hearty, slightly fancy meal at home, many people will happily accept canned duck confit as a great alternative to the price and effort it takes to make the fresh alternative.
Whole Chicken
Whole canned chicken does actually exists and while it's a bit disturbing as it's being pulled out of the can, it is something that's still sold to this day. The chicken is fully cooked and has s similar, salty flavor to that of canned chicken meat. For the most part, this cheap alternative to a freshly-roasted chicken is good in a pinch or in the event of an emergency, although we're not sure how many people would willingly dive into this can for no reason.