If you can, then why not?
Image: Heinz
Canned food giant, Heinz, is causing controversy with its new Spaghetti Carbonara in a can, but the arguments are nothing new.
The front of the can states this is a pasta ‘in a creamy sauce;’ the first major offence, given that real a traditional Italian carbonara does not include cream, just egg. The second offence seems to be that people are questioning why Heinz is encouraging laziness in its consumers, when carbonara is deemed an easy/quick-to-make meal.
I’ve yet to try the new offering myself, but I think the majority of criticisms are a bit extreme. Why make anything easier to eat? Because you can. Why call a carbonara ‘creamy’? Because Brits have been altering traditional recipes and creating new variations for years. Need I mention chicken tikka masala?
Back in my university years, not a week went by where I didn’t purchase tinned soup. Canned pasta, not so much, but I reckon I would have given this a try, for curiosity and convenience’s sake. And Gen Z may be no different. Fast-paced, post-Covid lifestyles are driving demand for canned food, in addition to the cost-of-living crisis. In this instance, who isn’t going to turn down a £2 bowl of carbonara? The pink and yellow packaging certainly catches the eye, too.
Heinz recommends heating its new product on the hob, but it can also be microwaved. Low in fat and sugar and containing no artificial colours, the latest offering joins the rest of the Heinz Pasta range, which includes Ravioli, Macaroni Cheese, Spaghetti Bolognese and Spaghetti Hoops.
- Alex Rivers (she/her), CanTech International editor
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