6 Canned Fruits You Should Skip (And 6 Worth Cracking Open)

Canned fruit can be a lifesaver when fresh isn’t an option, but let’s be honest, not all cans are the same. Some deliver real nutrition and great taste, while others are swimming in syrup and come with a side of disappointment.

After years of taste-testing my way through the grocery aisles, I’ve figured out which canned fruits actually deserve a spot in your pantry, and which ones you’re better off leaving on the shelf. Let’s dive into the fruity hits and misses.

1. Skip: Canned Fruit Cocktail

Mystery fruits swimming in syrup rarely deliver anything but disappointment. Most commercial fruit cocktails contain minimal actual fruit and maximum sugar, with those unnaturally bright cherries being the worst offenders.

I once served these at a family gathering, thinking they’d make a quick dessert topping. My nephew asked why I was serving “candy soup.”

He wasn’t wrong! Labels commonly show about 10–18g of added sugar per ½-cup serving when packed in heavy syrup.

2. Skip: Syrup-Packed Peaches

Peaches naturally contain all the sweetness they need. When food manufacturers drown them in heavy syrup, they transform a healthy fruit into a dessert that rivals candy bars in sugar content.

Heavy syrup piles on added sugar; while syrup can actually help peaches hold their shape during canning, the trade-off is much more sugar.

If you’re craving peaches, look for water-packed or fresh frozen alternatives that maintain both nutrition and flavor.

3. Skip: Maraschino Cherries

Those bright red cocktail garnishes barely qualify as fruit anymore. Did you know they’re actually bleached before being dyed that artificial red color?

The processing strips away most of the fruit’s natural color and flavor and adds artificial colors, flavors, and lots of sugar, leaving minimal nutritional value.

Growing up, I thought these were the height of fancy desserts. My grandmother would put one atop ice cream as a special treat. Now I realize she was serving us little red balls of food coloring and corn syrup!

4. Skip: Fruit Pie Fillings

That gelatinous, overly sweet blob in a can is barely recognizable as fruit. Most canned pie fillings often include thickeners, preservatives, and corn syrup alongside the actual fruit pieces.

Last Thanksgiving, I thought I’d save time with canned apple pie filling. My pie tasted like sugary apple-scented paste! The ingredient list revealed apples were listed first, followed by water, sugar, and modified corn starch.

Fresh or frozen fruits make infinitely better pies.

5. Skip: Canned Strawberries

Strawberries simply weren’t meant to be canned. These delicate berries disintegrate into unrecognizable mush during the canning process, losing both their texture and vibrant flavor.

What remains is a sad, pale shadow of fresh strawberries. The color alone should warn you – that grayish-pink hue bears little resemblance to the bright red berries we love.

Frozen strawberries maintain much more integrity and nutritional value than their canned counterparts.

6. Skip: Tropical Fruit Salad

Papaya, mango, and pineapple deserve better than being reduced to sugary, mushy chunks. Canned tropical fruit salads typically contain fruits that don’t hold up well to processing, resulting in a texture that’s more reminiscent of baby food than tropical paradise.

The vibrant flavors that make tropical fruits special get lost in translation. Many brands compensate with extra sugar and artificial flavoring. If you crave tropical goodness, frozen varieties maintain much more of their natural character.

7. Worth It: Canned Pineapple

Pineapple’s robust texture stands up beautifully to the canning process. Unlike more delicate fruits, pineapple maintains its tropical flavor and distinctive bite even after processing.

I keep canned pineapple chunks as a pantry staple for quick smoothies and impromptu desserts. Just be sure to choose varieties packed in juice rather than syrup.

Fresh pineapple contains natural enzymes that can tenderize meat, but canning inactivates them. Use fresh juice for tenderizing and enjoy canned pineapple for flavor.

8. Worth It: Unsweetened Applesauce

Unsweetened applesauce deserves a permanent spot in your pantry. This versatile puree works as a healthy snack, baking ingredient, or even a fat substitute in many recipes.

Unlike many processed foods, unsweetened applesauce often contains just apples, or apples with water and ascorbic acid (vitamin C)! The single-serve cups make perfect portable snacks.

I’ve started using applesauce to replace half the butter in my banana bread recipe, and nobody can tell the difference!

9. Worth It: Mandarin Oranges in Juice

Mandarin oranges packed in their own juice (not syrup!) offer a surprisingly good alternative to fresh. These little sunshine segments maintain their structure and vitamin C content reasonably well during canning.

They’re perfect for tossing into winter salads when fresh citrus prices soar. My toddler nephew refuses most fruits but will happily gobble these up by the handful.

Just drain and rinse them before serving to remove excess sugar.

10. Worth It: Water-Packed Peaches

When fresh peaches aren’t in season, water-packed canned varieties make a surprisingly good substitute. Unlike their syrup-soaked cousins, these maintain a more natural flavor profile and significantly less sugar.

They’re perfect for baking, smoothies, or quick desserts. Look specifically for “packed in water” or “no added sugar” on the label.

I’ve found that warming them slightly before serving enhances their natural sweetness without needing any additional sugar.

11. Worth It: Canned Pumpkin Puree

Pure canned pumpkin stands as the ultimate convenience food that sacrifices nothing in nutrition. This fiber-rich, vitamin-packed puree typically contains just one ingredient: pumpkin (which, for labeling, may include certain sweet squashes like Dickinson that are considered “pumpkin”).

Don’t confuse it with pumpkin pie filling, which comes loaded with sugar and spices. I use canned pumpkin year-round in smoothies, oatmeal, and even my dog’s food when his tummy is upset. Just make sure the ingredient list says “pumpkin” and nothing else.

12. Worth It: Canned Jackfruit

This tropical treasure has become a plant-based cooking sensation for good reason. Young jackfruit has a remarkably meat-like texture when cooked, making it perfect for vegetarian pulled “pork” and other savory dishes.

Fresh jackfruit is intimidatingly large and messy to prepare. The canned version saves hours of preparation time. Look for young green jackfruit packed in water or brine, not the sweet ripe variety in syrup.

It absorbs flavors beautifully while providing a satisfying texture.