24 Canned Foods You Should Avoid At Walmart
Sam Walton opened the first Walmart supermarket in Arkansas in 1962, and the business was based on his ethos of "the lowest prices anytime, anywhere." That strategy was bolstered with the launch of the company's own Great Value range in 1993, which was overhauled in 2009. It currently comprises more than 48,800 low-cost but good quality products, and covers a wide selection of items, from apple juice to whole cashews, and a variety of tinned veggies, fruits, and ready meals.
With Walmart losing customers to more affordable supermarket rivals, their Great Value label seems to be letting down the retail giant's reputation for quality at competitive prices. Setting aside the vast number of complaints about tins being badly dented, other problems include foreign objects, lack of flavor, and unappealing-looking contents. With all that in mind, here are 24 canned foods from Walmart you would be wise to avoid.
Read more: 13 Canned Trader Joe's Items You Should Pick Up On Your Next Trip
"Picked and packed the same day," the label proudly states, and Walmart's Great Value French-style Green Beans sound amazing for $0.84 per can. They are sugar and gluten-free, and contain no added preservatives or chemicals. These versatile veggies seem like a cheap, healthy addition to any meal. Sadly, only half of buyers would agree.
Cooking fresh green beans can be tricky, but for many customers, finding stems in their cans of French-style green beans has been a problem for years. One buyer wrote they found something that was "hard enough it wouldn't bend," while a two-star review said the "ungodly amount" of stems in cans was "ridiculous."
Who doesn't love a comforting plate of chili with added protein? It's one of the world's greatest comfort foods and when it comes in a tin ... well, that's convenience on a plate. Walmart's 15-ounce Great Value Chili with Beans and Franks isn't for the health conscious, thanks to the 910 milligrams of sodium and 65 milligrams of cholesterol, but they're not what bothered some customers.
Among the one-star reviews were alarming comparisons to dog food, and one reviewer said the chili: "Tasted the way it looked." Another disgruntled buyer left a lengthy comment, complaining about the lack of flavor (despite all that salt) and ingredients -- including hotdogs.
Peas are a tiny but mighty veggie, and can be elevated with just one ingredient. Walmart's Great Value Sweet Peas are packed the same day they're picked, maximizing their goodness and locking it in a tin. While many customers would agree with the "great for you" label on the can, there are plenty who wouldn't.
One buyer said their peas went hard while cooking, and another urged fellow customers to throw their cans of Great Value sweet peas away, describing them as: "Hard, grainy, and tasteless." Arguably the most terrifying was the person who claimed to have found "what Google says to be a pupa," that was well-hidden among their can of peas.
There are lots of customers who have no problem with Great Value Golden Sweet Whole Kernel Corn, and at $0.84 per can, it's easy to see why. Like many tinned veggies in the range, it's picked and packed the same day, plus it's free from gluten and cholesterol. What's not to love?
Quite a bit, according to the lower-star customer comments. One buyer complained about the addition of sugar and gave the tinned corn one star. Another wrote it had tasted "odd" several times and "left a weird film in our mouths." In 2024, several customers left one-star reviews after a label warning that the corn might contain lead.
With its vibrant packaging, Walmart's Great Value Pineapple Chunks in Pineapple Juice is a tempting sweet treat. It's just 70 calories per serving, contains no fat or cholesterol and even the can is recyclable. None of that prevented more than 130 customers from giving it a one-star review.
One buyer claimed their can of Great Value pineapple chunks in pineapple juice was sour and gave them an "extreme stomach ache," while another said their fruit was bland. Unpleasant odors and flavors were issues for other unsatisfied customers too, including a one-star reviewer who said two cans they bought "smelled like propane gas" after being opened.
Walmart's 16-ounce can of Great Value Traditional Refried Beans costs just $1, so at least the product lives up to its name. Unfortunately, for more than one-third of verified buyers, their cans did not lead to the "memorable and amazing meals" enthused about on the website.
Among the one-star reviews, a customer found their can contained whole beans as well as the refried kind, another said theirs were: "Greasy -- totally gross," while a third wrote: "Worst canned refried beans I've ever had." It was no better for those giving two-star reviews. One buyer dubbed them: "The ABSOLUTE WORST," while another was unhappy with both the flavor and the texture.
With an average rating of 3.8 out of 5, Walmart's 15.5-ounce can of Great Value Pinto Beans might look like a decent buy at just $0.86. They're listed on the store's website as a good source of fiber, though there is 130 milligrams of salt per serving. While plenty of customers were satisfied, almost a quarter of reviewers preferred to steer clear.
The Great Value pinto beans' high sodium level -- which two people claimed was 420 milligrams in one and three-star ratings. Others leaving both one and two-star reviews had issues with the beans not softening when cooked, while another commenter was horrified to find rust inside the tin.
Canned fruits and veggies can be a bit of a lottery. Some will sit on a shelf forever and the food inside will be as perfect as the day the lid was sealed. Others not so much. So it goes for Great Value Canned Pear Halves in Heavy Syrup. Many customers cracked open their cans and devoured the contents, some weren't so lucky.
One buyer said their canned pear halves in heavy syrup, which had an expiry date of September 1, 2026, were "partially brown," despite no dents or damage to the tin. Another had a problem cutting hard fruit and had to throw their pears out. They also deemed there was more syrup than pears in the Walmart can, and would be switching brands.
Walmart's Great Value Sloppy Joe Sauce is rated 3.4 out of 5 on the company website. While the cans not containing bisphenols is a good thing, that doesn't compensate for the 300 milligrams of salt per serving. Okay, so sloppy joe sauce isn't a health food, nonetheless, this brand is far from a hit with customers.
An unhappy customer gave it two stars after adding several ingredients to boost the flavor, without success, while another said it was "acidic tasting tomato sauce." The taste was also an issue for customers who gave Great Value sloppy joe sauce one star. They dubbed it "very disappointing."
There's nothing like a tasty, yet floral peach galette recipe to put a smile on everyone's faces. At $1.74 for a 15-ounce can, and no fat, sodium, or cholesterol included, Walmart's Great Value Sliced Yellow Cling Peaches in Juice sounds like the perfect ingredient for it. But only to half the buyers who picked them up.
After buying two cans, a customer told the retail giant the peaches in both were green, crunchy, and hard, which is still a better experience than the shopper who found a bug in their can. Others complained about the dark color of their fruit, one buyer's peaches were moldy, and a fourth described theirs as: "Slimy and gross."
Budget food can be great, according to half the reviewers who bought Walmart's Great Value Extra Noodle in Chicken Broth Condensed Soup. Presumably they were not put off by the website's declaration that it contains "real chicken and egg noodles," the "inspected for wholesomeness" label, or the 780 milligrams of sodium per serving.
A quarter of the other customers who picked up a can were less impressed. One unhappy buyer had to add water to make their own broth. Another had broth but no chicken, and noted that their soup also had an aftertaste. This Walmart soup may only cost $0.92 but some customers aren't getting great value.
A staple in millions of household cupboards, a 14-ounce can of Great Value Corned Beef Hash is a meal in moments. On the plus side, it contains none of the "Big 9" allergens, it's a good source of iron, and the can is recyclable. Over half the people who left reviews were happy with it, the rest were a mixed bag.
In the one-star ratings, a customer wrote: "This smelled gross from the time I opened the can," while another complained: "It smells and tastes like cat food." Both said they wouldn't buy Great Value corned beef hash again. One buyer gave it a two-star rating because of the steel can, and warned that seniors or people with arthritis could struggle to open it.
What could go wrong with a canned food that has just three ingredients? Quite a bit, if the customer reviews for Great Value Sauerkraut are anything to go by. During 2024, for some shoppers the taste changed and, as a two-star reviewer ominously wrote: "Not in a good way." A customer who left a one-star rating dubbed it: "Nastiest tasting bitter vinegar taste ever," adding they threw it in the garbage.
Another unhappy buyer described it as "vile," while a third customer, in a detailed comment, explained how their Great Value sauerkraut smelled different from usual, had a "strong yet bland" flavor, and noted previous comments about it tasting metallic.
Described as a "robust soup with wholesome ingredients and unique flavor combinations," Great Value Clam Chowder Soup contains clam meat, potatoes, and celery. At $1.68, it's good value for people on a tight budget, if it delivers. According to several three, two and one-star reviews, it doesn't.
A customer who gave it three stars said: "Hardly any clam meat. Celery? No." A two-star review compared it to milk and grumbled about the lack of potato. Among the one-star ratings, one buyer said: "Watery, very celery-forward. Haven't found a clam yet," while another wrote bluntly: "I don't think there's any seasoning or hot sauce that can be added to fix the taste of this chowder."
A 15-ounce can of Great Value Mandarin Oranges might be a tempting treat for some, but for $1.92, it's got to deliver value for shoppers on a budget. There are no added sugar, additives, or preservatives, and it found a place in many buyers' shopping carts. However, not all of them were happy with their cans once they'd been cracked open.
A customer that left a two-star review, who had been buying Great Value canned mandarin oranges for several years, noted a decline in quality -- alongside an increase in price. One buyer who gave them a single star called their cans "mush," while another unsatisfied customer asked why the fruit was being artificially sweetened.
Pineapple is delicious any time of the year and, according to Walmart, its Great Value Crushed Pineapple in Pineapple Juice is "picked at the peak of freshness," and ideal for smoothies and fruit salads. Not all their customers would agree.
One shopper's Watergate salad was ruined after finding their can had lots of core pieces and skin, while another said all they got was "strings and watery juice." Both gave Great Value canned crushed pineapple one star. Buyers who gave it two stars had similar issues, including core segments and lack of taste. Great value at $1.68? Perhaps not.
Dented cans make up a lot of complaints from Walmart's customers, and rightly so. At best they can be awkward to open, at worst, impossible so your money's wasted. The retailer's Great Value Bacon Flavored Luncheon Meat comes with a warning that a dented can could compromise the meat inside. But for this product, it's not the only major problem.
One customer called it an "absolute health hazard," and said they found bone shards in every can of Great Value bacon flavored luncheon meat they bought, including one that contained enough to "cover a whole penny." Another buyer was disappointed that it stuck so badly to their pan, while a two-star reviewer said theirs had no bacon flavor.
The online description for Great Value Chicken Noodle Soup sounds mouthwatering: "Brimming with seasoned broth, white meat chicken, carrots, pasta, celery, and an array of flavorful spices." All that for $1.50 per 18-ounce can is a bargain for some shoppers. For others, it's a bit of a let-down.
A customer who bought three cans complimented the flavor, but added that the first can was sans chicken, while the second contained hardly any. The same issue was addressed by a buyer who ended up giving the chicken noodle soup four stars. They went on to say: "The flavor lacks the depth and richness of higher-quality brands."
Canned legumes are versatile (just don't leave them in the fridge for too long after opening) and Walmart's Great Value Mixed Chili Beans certainly tick the boxes for many customers. It may be tempting to throw a couple of the $0.72 cans into your cart too, but not everyone has been happy with their purchase.
One shopper compared the contents of their cans to wet dog food and said they looked "rancid," while another buyer's looked so bad they said it wasn't fit for their dogs. Another unimpressed reviewer said almost all the beans inside their cans were smashed, while the thick texture made it hard to empty the tin.
These delicious veggies are popular across Latin America and, thanks to cans, home cooks in the United States can have some on standby all year round. A 14-ounce can of Great Value Hearts of Palm costs $2.36, but more people had negative things to say about their purchase than positive.
Sodium levels were a big problem for one reviewer. They said their can had over twice the amount listed on the website which, had they known, they wouldn't have bought it. Another unsatisfied customer complained theirs were "fully inedible and fibrous," while a third buyer threw theirs out and described them as: "Mushy and gross."
As for the Great Value Condensed French Onion Soup with Beef Stock, this is one of the single-star comments: "Flavor is horrible," and "completely off-putting odor."
One customer who had been unwell and hoped the $0.92 soup wouldn't upset their stomach was disappointed, and urged fellow shoppers to: "Pay up for Campbell's!" They were not alone. One person who left a three-star review claimed the celebrated brand tasted better than Walmart's offering, which they wouldn't buy again. If you're in need of French onion soup for mashed potatoes, with or without beef stock, maybe avoid this brand.
There's a lot you can do with some canned meats, from making a chunky, protein-rich sandwich to stirring them into a casserole to give it a meaty boost. Walmart's Great Value Diced Ham costs $1.52 for a 5-ounce can, and while some customers love it, plenty of others aren't big fans.
One customer took a look inside and threw their can away, while another complained about the ratio of fat compared to real meat. In their one-star review, they claimed their can was "about 80% fat with very little actual ham added." A shopper who left a two-star rating said they opened their can to find: "Loose cubes of fatty ham in a runny liquid."
The asparagus growing season lasts for around six to eight weeks but canned versions of these delicious, nutritious vegetables are available for a lot longer. A 14.5-ounce tin of Great Value Asparagus Cut Spears costs just $1.78, and serves up vitamin A and fiber -- along with lots of stems, according to many disgruntled customers.
"Don't waste your money. It's mostly stems that you can not chew," a one-star reviewer said, another claimed their tin contained zero spears, just woody stems. A third customer also had the same issue, grumbling their can was: "All leftover product." Stems weren't the only issue: One buyer described Great Value asparagus spears as "tough as leather and bitter."
Whether you think beans belong in chili or not, they're a great pantry staple. The retailer's Great Value Chili with Beans costs $1.92 for a 15-ounce can, and while some were happy with their purchase, many people were far from impressed. One shopper explained how they had to add lots of ingredients to get a chili taste -- money they didn't want to spend, hence their one-star rating.
Another single-star reviewer said it was: "The worst tasting chili I've ever had," adding it was "disgusting." A third, who also didn't appreciate the flavor, claimed their can of Great Value chili with beans made them sick, and urged fellow customers not to buy it.
Read the original article on Foodie.
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