Almost every kitchen has at least one can of tomatoes sitting in the pantry, ready to save dinner when fresh ingredients run low. But here’s something that might surprise you: not all canned tomatoes are created equal, and some brands are so terrible they can actually make your food taste worse than if you’d skipped the tomatoes entirely. What makes this even more frustrating is that the worst offenders are often sitting right next to much better options for the same price or even less money.
Hunt’s consistently disappoints home cooks everywhere
Walk into any grocery store and Hunt’s canned tomatoes are practically guaranteed to be on the shelf. This widespread availability makes it tempting to grab a can when making a quick shopping run. Unfortunately, popularity doesn’t equal quality when it comes to Hunt’s products. The brand has earned a reputation for producing watery, overly salty tomatoes that taste more like metal than actual tomatoes. Many home cooks report opening Hunt’s cans only to find an unappetizing mixture of tomato skins, peels, and tough cores that need to be picked out before cooking.
The problems with Hunt’s go beyond just appearance. Consumer surveys consistently rank Hunt’s as one of the least favorite canned tomato brands, with nearly 23% of people naming it their worst choice. The tomato sauce version is particularly problematic, with sodium levels so high that reviewers describe it as making “a pufferfish pucker.” The consistency is thin and watery, while the overwhelming saltiness masks any actual tomato taste. When a basic ingredient like canned tomatoes can derail an entire recipe, it’s worth spending a few extra cents on a better brand.
Contadina tastes more like tomato candy than real tomatoes
Contadina has been around since 1918, which should theoretically mean they’ve had over a century to perfect their canned tomato recipe. Instead, this brand has developed a reputation for producing tomatoes that are unnaturally sweet and artificial-tasting. The sweetness is so pronounced that many people describe Contadina products as tasting like “tomato candy” rather than actual tomatoes. This cloying sweetness comes from added sugars that have no business being in quality canned tomatoes, and it throws off the balance of any recipe that calls for tomatoes.
The problems with Contadina extend beyond just the weird sweetness. Professional taste tests consistently rank Contadina at the bottom of canned tomato reviews, with testers noting that their whole peeled tomatoes come with a “dark pool of sauce that can best be described as muddied with an aroma of chemicals.” The color and smell are so off-putting that people often check expiration dates to make sure the product hasn’t spoiled. When canned tomatoes look and smell questionable right out of the can, they’re not going to improve your cooking.
Signature SELECT from Safeway ranks dead last in taste tests
Store brands can be hit or miss, but Safeway’s Signature SELECT Petite Diced Tomatoes consistently lands at the bottom of professional taste tests. At $2.09 per can, these tomatoes aren’t even cheap enough to justify their poor quality. The main problem is that they’re significantly more acidic than other brands, creating a harsh, unbalanced taste that can make pasta sauce or chili taste sour and unappetizing. The acidity is so pronounced that it overpowers other ingredients instead of complementing them like good canned tomatoes should.
Beyond the excessive acidity, food experts describe Signature SELECT tomatoes as seriously bland and overcooked. The texture is mushy and watery, which dilutes whatever tomato taste might have survived the canning process. When professional taste testers specifically warn against a product and note that better options cost less money, that’s a clear sign to steer clear. The combination of poor taste, bad texture, and mediocre pricing makes Signature SELECT a triple threat of disappointment.
Target’s Good & Gather disappoints despite the attractive packaging
Target’s Good & Gather brand has modern, appealing packaging that makes their canned tomatoes look like a premium product. The clean design and reasonable pricing make these tomatoes seem like a smart choice for budget-conscious shoppers who still want quality ingredients. Unfortunately, the attractive exterior doesn’t reflect what’s inside the can. Good & Gather tomatoes consistently receive poor ratings from consumers, with many people reporting that the tomatoes taste bland and watery compared to other brands at similar price points.
The disappointment with Good & Gather is particularly frustrating because Target shoppers often expect store brands to offer decent quality at competitive prices. Consumer surveys show that over 20% of people consider Good & Gather one of their least favorite canned tomato brands. When shoppers are specifically making trips to Target for groceries, discovering that the store’s own tomato brand doesn’t deliver on taste can derail dinner plans. The lesson here is that attractive packaging and familiar store names don’t guarantee good canned tomatoes.
Cento somehow made it onto worst lists despite good marketing
Cento markets itself as an authentic Italian brand with quality ingredients, which makes its appearance on worst canned tomato lists particularly surprising. The brand’s marketing emphasizes traditional methods and quality sourcing, leading many shoppers to assume they’re getting a premium product. However, consumer experience tells a different story, with many people reporting that Cento tomatoes don’t live up to the marketing promises. The taste often falls flat compared to other brands, and the texture can be inconsistent from can to can.
What makes Cento’s poor performance especially disappointing is that it often costs more than better-performing alternatives. Survey results show that over 20% of consumers rank Cento among their least favorite canned tomato brands, despite the premium positioning and higher prices. When people pay extra for what they think is a quality product and get disappointed results, it feels like a double loss. The gap between marketing promises and actual performance makes Cento a brand that many home cooks learn to avoid after one bad experience.
Whole Foods 365 brand fails to meet organic expectations
Shopping at Whole Foods usually means paying premium prices for products that are supposed to be higher quality than conventional grocery store options. The 365 store brand reinforces this expectation with clean labeling and organic certification that suggests superior ingredients and better taste. Unfortunately, when it comes to canned tomatoes, the 365 brand doesn’t deliver the quality that Whole Foods shoppers expect. Many customers report that 365 canned tomatoes taste bland and watery, with a texture that doesn’t hold up well in cooking applications.
The disappointment with 365 canned tomatoes is amplified by the higher prices typical of Whole Foods products. Consumer feedback shows that nearly 16% of people consider Whole Foods 365 one of their least favorite canned tomato brands. When shoppers are already paying more for groceries with the expectation of better quality, getting subpar canned tomatoes feels like a particular letdown. The organic label doesn’t automatically mean better taste, and 365 canned tomatoes serve as a reminder that premium grocery stores don’t guarantee premium flavor in every product.
San Marzano knockoffs often disappoint home cooks
San Marzano tomatoes from Italy have legendary status among home cooks and professional chefs for their sweet taste and low acidity. This reputation has led to numerous brands trying to capitalize on the San Marzano name by producing tomatoes that claim to offer similar quality at lower prices. Unfortunately, many of these knockoff products fail to deliver the superior taste that makes authentic San Marzano tomatoes special. The result is often disappointment for cooks who expected premium quality but got mediocre canned tomatoes instead.
The problem with San Marzano-style products is that they often trade on the reputation of authentic Italian tomatoes without actually delivering comparable quality. Consumer surveys show that brands like San Merican, which sounds similar to San Marzano, receive poor ratings from home cooks. These products often cost more than standard canned tomatoes but don’t provide the superior taste that justifies the higher price. When the name promises premium quality but the contents taste like regular canned tomatoes, it creates frustration for cooks who thought they were upgrading their ingredients.
Muir Glen costs too much for what it delivers
Muir Glen positions itself as a premium organic option with tomatoes grown in Northern California and processed using traditional methods. The brand markets “sun-kissed and vine-ripened” tomatoes that sound like they should be significantly better than conventional canned tomatoes. At $2.99 for a 14-ounce can, Muir Glen definitely prices itself as a premium product. However, taste tests reveal that while Muir Glen tomatoes aren’t terrible, they don’t justify the significantly higher cost compared to better-tasting alternatives available for less money.
The issue with Muir Glen isn’t necessarily bad taste, but rather poor value for the price premium. Professional taste tests found that Muir Glen actually has a balanced, pleasant taste without excessive acidity or saltiness. The problem is that superior-tasting canned tomatoes are available at lower prices, making Muir Glen a poor choice for budget-conscious cooks. When organic certification and premium marketing don’t translate to noticeably better taste, the higher price becomes harder to justify. Many home cooks find they can get better results with less expensive alternatives.
Generic store brands often cut corners on quality
Generic store brands can be tempting when budget is a concern, but canned tomatoes are one area where the cheapest option often creates more problems than it solves. Many generic brands use lower-grade tomatoes, add excessive amounts of water or tomato juice to bulk up the contents, and include more citric acid than necessary as a preservative. These shortcuts result in canned tomatoes that are watery, overly acidic, and lacking in actual tomato taste. The money saved at the store often gets wasted when recipes don’t turn out as expected.
The problem with poor-quality generic canned tomatoes extends beyond just taste issues. Home cooks often find that cheap canned tomatoes require additional seasoning, longer cooking times, or extra ingredients to compensate for their shortcomings. This means the initial savings get eaten up by the need to fix the problems created by subpar ingredients. When a key ingredient like canned tomatoes doesn’t perform as expected, it can throw off the entire balance of a recipe, leading to disappointing meals and wasted time in the kitchen.
The good news is that avoiding these problematic canned tomato brands doesn’t require spending a fortune or hunting down specialty ingredients. Many excellent canned tomato options are available at reasonable prices in regular grocery stores. The key is knowing which brands consistently deliver good taste and quality, and which ones are likely to disappoint despite attractive packaging or familiar names. A little knowledge about the worst performers can save both money and dinner plans.
