# Do you or would you feed your kids canned peas?



## SilvrBck (Oct 14, 2005)

I had this discussion with my fiancee the other night.  When I was little canned peas were served with regularity in my household.  To this day, I find nothing more insipid than canned peas.  When we have kids we both agree that fresh vegetables, which are just as easy to prepare, and infinitely better for you, will be served in lieu of canned peas.  There are so many better options out there.  Just wondering if I'm alone on this one. 

Drew


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## HappyAvocado (Oct 14, 2005)

ive never had canned peas, but i imagine that they are not too tasty.  i eat mostly fresh veggies now, with the exception of some frozen in the wintertime.  i dont have any children yet, but when i do i imagine that i will be even more fussy about things like fresh veggies.  so no, i would not feed my kids canned peas.

to take that even further, i remember the first time i had fresh peas shelled from the pod... we always ate frozen peas when i was a kid.  needless to say, if fresh are in season i choose them every time, even with the extra work to shell them.

lol, i remember my mother telling me that she thought that she hated broccoli until she moved out of her parents house... she had never had fresh broccoli, the only broccoli she had ever had was frozen, the stuff that comes chopped up in a big icy cube.  she thought broccoli was this mushy green stuff, and was surprised the first time she encountered fresh steamed broccoli.


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## Robo410 (Oct 14, 2005)

frozen peas yes...canned no.  canned string beans yes,  but not frozen.  but in both cases fresh when ever possible.  frozen spinach is good in things (ie a quiche) but not alone.  fresh is so much better.  canned fancy asparagus is a nice salad topping when nothing else is available.  canned corn can go in things.  canned tomato product is great to cook with.


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## amber (Oct 14, 2005)

I suppose it depends on where you live and the availability of fresh peas.  I've never had fresh peas, they dont even sell them in my grocery store, except for the frozen version, which take forever to cook.  I love canned peas!


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## pdswife (Oct 14, 2005)

I love fresh peas... but, canned is ok too.  I've never had a frozen veggie that I really liked though.


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## Andy M. (Oct 14, 2005)

My kids hate peas.  Canned, frozen, and fesh.  As a child, canned peas were the only kind we ate.  To this day, when I plan on having a pork roast and roast potatoes, I buy a can of Del Monte canned peas to go with it.


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## corazon (Oct 14, 2005)

HappyAvocado said:
			
		

> lol, i remember my mother telling me that she thought that she hated broccoli until she moved out of her parents house... she had never had fresh broccoli, the only broccoli she had ever had was frozen, the stuff that comes chopped up in a big icy cube. she thought broccoli was this mushy green stuff, and was surprised the first time she encountered fresh steamed broccoli.


 
DH hated spinach, until he was reintroduced.  He had grown up on canned spinach that was almost always overcooked.


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## mish (Oct 14, 2005)

I like canned peas, especially the baby peas, Le Seurre (sp?) brand. I prefer fresh veggies, but sometimes I'm in a hurry. They're not bad in a Mock Guacamole. This looks interesting.

*Green Pea Ice Cream* 







​

Preparation time: 20 minutes 
Cooking time: 20 minutes 
Cost: Reasonable 
Difficulty: Easy​



[font=Arial,Helvetica,Univers,Zurich BT]*My little tips & tricks* Since we pair duck with oranges and use pineapple in savoury dishes, why not turn things around and use vegetables in sweet recipes? This idea might seem a little strange at first, but after all, why not? Certainly when I'm in the kitchen there are no taboos and no boundaries. But I don't set out to surprise or shock with my cooking. Artichoke tart, pea ice cream: these are solid recipes with a story behind them. I come from the country, and the tiny peas you pick in the morning with the dew still on them, only as big as a pinhead, are sweet. They're like carrots: vegetables that are sweet from the outset. We add a bit of sugar, two or three other little things, and end up with a viable dessert. It's not just a flight of fancy, it's something real. There are always one or two vegetable dessert recipes on the menu at Le Grand Véfour that change with the seasons. 


*Ingredients for 5 people*

[font=Arial,Helvetica,Univers,Zurich BT]3 eggs 100 g (1/2 cup) sugar 200 ml (3/4 cup) whole milk 300 ml (1 1/4 cup) cream 700 g (1 1/2 lb.) shelled peas 1/2 bunch mint [/font]

[font=Arial,Helvetica,Univers,Zurich BT]*Making the ice cream* 
Bring a saucepan of salted water to the boil; add the peas and cook for 8 minutes. Drain, then plunge them immediately into ice water to stop the cooking and set their bright green colour.
Drain again; purée the peas in a blender, then put through a strainer to obtain a fine purée. Place in the refrigerator.
Bring the milk and cream to the boil. Beat the eggs and sugar in a bowl until the mixture is foamy. Gradually add in the milk and cream, whisking constantly.
Pour the mixture into a saucepan and cook over low heat for 10 minutes, stirring with a spatula in a figure-8 pattern. The mixture must not boil. Cool and refrigerate.
When the cream is cold, add the pea purée and combine well. Put the mixture into an ice cream maker to freeze until it attains the consistency of ice cream.
Place the ice cream into a shallow container and add the finely chopped mint leaves.
Mix with a spatula and store in the freezer.
At serving time, fill cones with the ice cream Italian-style, using a piping bag fitted with a star tip, or else form balls with an ice cream scoop.

[/font]

[/font]


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## momma2chix (Oct 14, 2005)

Okay, I LOVE canned peas.  And corn.  And greenbeans.  But, that's pretty much it for canned goods.


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## KAYLINDA (Oct 14, 2005)

We used to serve only one vegetable...our choice for the night...and whenever we did...the waitresses would swear the customers hated them.

Now...the customers have a choice between two veggies....and whenever we have peas no matter what the other one is...(unless it's corn)..it is chosen the most.

I think our waitresses just didn't like peas.


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## terri2337 (Oct 15, 2005)

Oh, I HATE canned peas!!  I do, however, love fresh snow peas.  I'm generally not a pea fan.  My mom would feed us canned peas, canned corn, canned grean beans.  I don't buy canned anything except beans (in moderation) and try to buy only fresh or frozen veggies.  It means more trips to the store, but it's worth it.  I don't want the added salt and preservatives.


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## luvs (Oct 15, 2005)

if i had children, i'd give them canned peas. i grew up on them and love them now. i usually like my veggies freesh, crisp-tender and bright in color, but i love canned peas.


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## middie (Oct 15, 2005)

if my son liked them i would. 
nobody in this house like peas
though lol


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## CanadianMeg (Oct 15, 2005)

Yuck! No canned peas in my house. I eat frozen peas which are far better!


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## thumpershere2 (Oct 15, 2005)

I use them in creamed dishes and sometimes alone. We do not get fresh peas here and I use the the frozen peas in salads.Naturally we would love the fresh ones the best.


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## bevkile (Oct 15, 2005)

If I had to.
When and where I grew up, canned peas were available year round.  Fresh peas were only available during the garden season.  And only if you had a garden.  They were time consuming and labor intensive and so rare.  Now in my late years I buy only frozen.  They require just a run under hot water and the last to go in casserole or salad.  When I cook "just peas" it is a couple of minutes in the microwave with butter and salt and pepper.  Canned peas are already over cooked.


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## Constance (Oct 15, 2005)

We like canned peas. Le Seur is good, and so are the Green Giant ones with the little pearl onions in them. I nuke them with a pat of butter, a pinch of sugar and a pinch of salt. I use the cheaper canned ones for casseroles. We like frozen ones and fresh ones too!


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## kleenex (Oct 15, 2005)

Frozen vegetables are soooooooooooooo much healthier than canned.


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## marmalady (Oct 15, 2005)

I always use frozen - for everything! I can remember having to choke down yucky canned peas as a kid!


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## licia (Oct 15, 2005)

My mom used to home can peas and other veggies and they were great.  I only use canned green beans, tomatoes, beets, cannelini beans, garbanzo beans, or chili beans. The other veggies I use fresh or frozen. I use canned corn only in recipes for cornbread or casseroles. I suppose if you use baby food it would have to be from a jar. I've never seen frozen baby food.


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## Robo410 (Oct 15, 2005)

canning intensifies the sweetness of peas to an extent I no longer like.  (BTW, I never minded them as a kid, and peas and string beans were my fave veg at the time) I find the frozen baby peas acceptable.


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## lindatooo (Oct 15, 2005)

I happen to love canned peas!


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## pdswife (Oct 15, 2005)

When I was a kid.. I had a crazy cat.  She loved to take baths and played fetch better than any dog I ever had.  Her favorite dinner was canned peas.  lol


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## Michael in FtW (Oct 15, 2005)

I grew up on canned peas - so I guess they are a "comfort food" in a way. While I normally use forzen peas most of the time - when I want Grandma's pea salad or Mom's creamed peas - it has to be canned peas. Nothing else taste right.


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## lawchick04 (Oct 15, 2005)

*greenish..*

If I could find a canned brand that preserved the fabulous kelly green color of fresh peas, then I'd consider it. 

But since I haven't had such luck...and because I won't shuck a pea pod...I go with frozen. Cheap, easy, and they still have a bit of bite.


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## licia (Oct 15, 2005)

Michael, did you post your grandmother's pea salad?  That was my first post when I came here - Pea Salad. Thanks a bunch.


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## crewsk (Oct 15, 2005)

Since I don't like peas at all & hubby & the kids only like canned peas, I use them most of the time. I do use frozen or freash peas for stews & stir frys though.


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## texasgirl (Oct 15, 2005)

I eat canned peas all the time! The only other one that will eat peas here, is my youngest. We fight over who gets the last of it. I had to start warming 2 cans once he got bigger and eats like a horse )


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## Ishbel (Oct 15, 2005)

I don't like canned peas, they taste too sweet to me.

I do use frozen peas occasionally, but only the petit pois type and cook them for half the recommended cooking time.  Then they taste almost 'real'.


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## Zereh (Oct 15, 2005)

I don't like peas unless they're freshly shelled from the garden and uncooked. Strange, I know.  To this day I scoot the peas out of a dish onto the side of my plate. And it's still a great point of teasing from my family! My mom is always inviting me over for pea salad.  My son gave me grief about having to join the army in order to be served peas. LOL 

I can't think of any other vegetable I won't eat. 


Z


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## Constance (Oct 16, 2005)

kleenex said:
			
		

> Frozen vegetables are soooooooooooooo much healthier than canned.



Actually, nutrition experts say there is no difference in the nutritional quality of canned, frozen and fresh vegetables.


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## HappyAvocado (Oct 16, 2005)

Constance said:
			
		

> Actually, nutrition experts say there is no difference in the nutritional quality of canned, frozen and fresh vegetables.



i read an article about a study done about this.  and what i wondered was... how well cooked were the fresh veggies that they compaired to canned?  when you cook vegetables, some of the nutrients are lost, right?  when i cook veggies i leave them crisp, usually just a quick steam, to try to preserve the good stuff in them.  when something is canned it is cooked during the canning process, probably quite a bit more cooked than if you had picked fresh veggies and given them a quick steam.  so canning vs fresh aside, one would think that lightly cooked (fresh steamed) veggies would have more nutritional value than more heavily cooked (cooked in the canning process) veggies.


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## terri2337 (Oct 16, 2005)

> Fresh foods vs. frozen or canned.  Many people wonder if frozen and canned vegetables are as nutritious as fresh vegetables. The answer to this question depends on both the time between the harvesting of the vegetable and the canning and freezing process. Generally, vegetables are canned or frozen immediately upon harvest when their nutrient content is at its peak.
> 
> The way vegetables are prepared at home can also affect the nutrient content. Vegetables of any type (fresh, frozen, or canned) that are boiled in large amounts of water for long periods of time lose much of their nutritional content compared to vegetables that are lightly steamed.
> 
> To be more specific, therefore, vegetables that are fresh from the farm or just picked are more nutritious than their frozen or canned counterparts. However, frozen and canned vegetables are an acceptable nutritional alternative. Just be careful of the amount of salt added to canned vegetables; try to buy those without added salt. And, don't overcook any vegetables.


 
This was taken from the following site:
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/002095.htm


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## htc (Oct 16, 2005)

I don't have any negative memories of canned peas. Asian families don't eat it much, at least canned peas alone. I guess I wouldn't mind feeding it to my kids.


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## Barbara L (Oct 16, 2005)

I prefer frozen most of the time (baby peas), but I also love canned peas. Especially for creamed peas. As for other vegetables, I prefer frozen for most, but for some reason I prefer canned spinach to frozen. It's funny, my family had switched to frozen, which was good, but one day my mom admitted that she liked canned better. I said that I did too, so after that we usually had canned. Canned vegetables have more salt in them (and the "no salt" versions are disgusting), so frozen are better for you anyway. They are usually frozen right after being picked, so they are closest to fresh.

 Barbara


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## jennyema (Oct 16, 2005)

Andy M. said:
			
		

> My kids hate peas. Canned, frozen, and fesh. As a child, canned peas were the only kind we ate. To this day, when I plan on having a pork roast and roast potatoes, I buy a can of Del Monte canned peas to go with it.


 

I love canned peas!  Childhood favorite.

I generally eat fresh or frozen and would probably NOT feed kids canned veggies of any type.  Double standard, I know, but I probably wouldn't give kids baloney and a lot of other stuff we ate as little ones.


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## SilvrBck (Oct 17, 2005)

Great replies people!  I see a recurring trend here.  I think that the people who grew up eating them grew fond of canned peas.  My parents must have given up on me long before that point!     I think it is very interesting, what we eat.  How many foods do we eat today based on yesterday's necessity?  So many traditional foods we love would never even be considered given today's wide range of easily attainable substitutes.  Another thing that is very apparent is that you all are very creative with otherwise banal fare.  Good work!   


Drew


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## cartwheelmac (Nov 8, 2005)

*A youth's opinion.*

Canned peas are disgusting (I am a kid so I know). Frozen are cheaper than fresh and quicker to prepare (In a family of twelve if it saves time it becomes an adopted principle). 

Cameron


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## TXguy (Dec 21, 2005)

Three little words: No, No, and No. Did I make myself clear?


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## RMS (Dec 21, 2005)

I'm guilty!  They are easier!


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## buckytom (Dec 21, 2005)

edit, oops, it showed up twice, sorry.


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## buckytom (Dec 21, 2005)

i love canned peas, but only the lesieur brand baby peas that mish mentioned. i think that the brand is owned by campbells, in case anyone is interested.
i have always hated those giant dimpled peas that we used to call army peas when i was young. i've never known why they were called that, but i would have to incorporate them into my mashed taters to choke them down.

how can you beat the ease of preparation of canned veggies? just dump them in a pot, and heat for just a minute, e voila!
i love canned corn and french cut stringbeans too.


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## TXguy (Dec 21, 2005)

canned veggies (corn, peas, carrots, etc.) are simple _gross_ compared to fresh or steamed frozen veggies.


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