Canned Food UK’s latest campaign with TV chef, author and CANbassador Theo Michaels, is encouraging the public to rediscover the canned ingredients that have been part of their lives for years, while highlighting some of the most versatile, and overlooked, canned food products in kitchen cupboards today.

The campaign combines two new content series, My Life in Cans and Canned Cupboard Staples, designed to show the versatility, convenience and enduring appeal of canned foods. Through personal storytelling and practical cooking inspiration, the campaign explores how canned ingredients continue to play a role in kitchens across the UK.

In My Life in Cans, Theo reflects on the canned foods that transport him back to different stages of his life. From tinned peas that remind him of student days and affordable home cooking, to fruit cocktail that brings back memories of childhood treats, and condensed milk on toast, a family favourite made by his mother, the series highlights the emotional connections many people have with everyday foods.

Alongside this nostalgic look at food memories, Canned Cupboard Staples encourages shoppers to look beyond traditional favourite, go-to ingredients. Theo’s recommended cupboard heroes include canned green beans, anchovies and peaches, each chosen for their ability to bring flavour, convenience and variety to everyday meals.

Theo Michaels commented: “Food is about much more than what ends up on the plate. It has an incredible ability to connect us to places, people and moments in our lives. Many of us have canned ingredients that remind us of childhood, family traditions or important life stages.

“Whether it’s a can of peas that take you straight back to your student years or tinned food for dessert as a kid, these ingredients have stories to tell and still have a place in modern kitchens.

“At the same time, canned foods continue to be some of the most versatile ingredients we can keep at home. From anchovies that transform a simple pasta sauce to a tin of green beans that can elevate everything from salads to casseroles. Whether you’re recreating a comforting childhood favourite or trying something new with ingredients already in your cupboard, canned foods remain an important part of everyday cooking.”

The campaign forms part of Canned Food UK’s ongoing work to demonstrate how canned foods can support everyday meal preparation, offering consumers nutritious, convenient and affordable ingredients that can be stored in the cupboard until needed, with some canned foods providing a shelf life of up to five years. The campaign messaging also highlights how easy it is to recycle metal packaging and its strong environmental credentials. Ultimately, canned food offers consumers a practical choice that combines convenience in the kitchen with support for the UK’s ambitions to increase recycling rates and to reduce food waste and landfill.

Theo continued: “Everyone has a story about food and for many people canned ingredients feature in some of their fondest memories. This campaign celebrates those personal connections while reminding of the versatility and convenience that canned foods continue to offer today.”

Canned Food UK is the campaign managed by the Metal Packaging Manufacturers Association (MPMA), which promotes the benefits of canned foods and highlights their role in healthy, affordable and convenient meal preparation. 

Jason Galley, director and chief executive of MPMA, said: “Theo Micheals has a real talent for bringing canned ingredients to life. Whether it’s a family favourite or creating a new recipe for Canned Food UK, Theo shares our passion for helping people make the most of the ingredients they already have at home.

“Theo’s approachable style and enthusiasm for great food make him the perfect person to inspire people to think differently about what’s in their store cupboard and to celebrate the role canned foods play in everyday life.He’s a fantastic ambassador for Canned Food UK.”

The My Life in Cans and Canned Cupboard Staples content is available across Canned Food UK’s digital channels and social media platforms, featuring recipes, cooking inspiration and video content from Theo Michaels.