SMASH Fish: What They Are + Easy Ways to Eat More Tinned Fish
If you’ve ever been a patient at The Facility, there is a decent chance we’ve told you to eat more fish.
More specifically, you may have seen “SMASH fish” somewhere in your recommendations, usually with a goal of getting them into your diet a few times per week.
The recommendation itself is easy. Figuring out what to actually DO with a can of sardines is apparently the harder part.
I have sent patients individual recipes, Instagram reels, snack plate ideas, and other people’s tinned-fish roundups for years. It was time to put all of my favorite ideas in one place!
So, first, a quick explanation of why we keep talking about SMASH fish. Then we’ll get to the important part: how to actually eat them....
What Are SMASH Fish?
SMASH is simply an acronym for:
Sardines
Mackerel
Anchovies
Salmon
Herring
Why We Recommend SMASH Fish
SMASH isn’t an official nutritional classification. It’s just a useful way to remember several fatty fish that are particularly good sources of the long-chain omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA.
And this is an important distinction when we talk about “omega-3s.” Plant foods like chia, flax, and walnuts contain the omega-3 ALA. Your body can convert ALA into EPA and DHA, but that conversion is limited. Fish and seafood give us EPA and DHA directly.
SMASH fish also bring quite a bit more to the table than omega-3s. Depending on the fish, you’re getting a combination of high-quality protein, vitamin B12, selenium, vitamin D, iron, and other micronutrients. Sardines eaten with their tiny bones intact are also a surprisingly good source of calcium.
Another advantage: many of these are relatively small fish.
Mercury accumulates as you move up the food chain, so smaller fish tend to be useful choices when we want the nutritional benefits of seafood without regularly choosing larger predatory fish. Sardines, salmon, herring, anchovies, and (Atlantic) mackerel are all considered lower-mercury choices.
So when I recommend SMASH fish, I’m looking for a pretty impressive intersection of:
EPA + DHA
Protein
Micronutrients
Generally low mercury exposure
Bonus: especially when we’re talking about tinned fish, something shelf-stable, convenient, and relatively inexpensive
SMASH is a useful way to remember several fatty fish that are particularly good sources healthy fats and relatively low in contaminants.
How Often Should You Eat SMASH Fish?
For many of our patients, I use a very practical goal: Aim for about 3 servings of SMASH fish per week.
This is a little more specific than the general recommendation for adults to eat about 8 ounces of seafood per week because I want at least some of that seafood to come from the fatty, omega-3-rich varieties.
But this does NOT mean you need to cook salmon three nights a week.
My favorite rhythm is much easier: Tinned fish for lunch twice per week + salmon or another fatty fish for dinner once per week.
This is also one of those places where I generally prefer FOOD before immediately reaching for another supplement. Fish oil absolutely has a place, particularly when we’re using a specific amount of EPA and/or DHA therapeutically. But eating the actual fish gives you EPA and DHA alongside protein and a whole package of other nutrients that aren’t coming along for the ride in a fish oil capsule.
Okay, But How Do I Actually Eat Tinned Fish (and make tinned fish taste good)?
This is the real reason you’re here.
If you’re brand new to sardines, I do not recommend opening a tin of plain sardines, eating one directly over the sink, deciding it tastes aggressively like FISH, and concluding that sardines aren’t for you. I want you to think of tinned fish as an ingredient.
My loose formula = FISH + ACID + CRUNCH + SOMETHING CREAMY/SAUCY + A VEHICLE
That might look like:
Sardines + lemon + pickled onion + Dijon + sourdough
Mackerel + cucumber + herbs + tzatziki + toast
Salmon + avocado + chili crisp + rice
Sardines + cornichons + mustard + crackers
Acid helps. Crunch helps. Fresh herbs help. Something creamy helps. Good bread or crackers help considerably. You also do not need an elaborate recipe. Most of my favorite tinned-fish lunches are essentially assembly.
LEVEL 0: Make An Easy Tinned Fish Snack Plate
This is probably my most common approach. Open a tin and surround it with whatever sounds good:
Good crackers, toasted sourdough, or sliced baguette
Cucumbers, radishes, carrots, snap peas, or tomatoes
Olives, capers, cornichons, or pickled onions
Dijon or whole-grain mustard
Hummus, labneh, cream cheese, tzatziki, or another dip
Lemon wedges
Fresh herbs
Fruit
Cheese
Hard-boiled eggs
You’re essentially making yourself a tiny charcuterie board for lunch, except the fish brings considerably more protein and omega-3s to the situation. If you need some visual inspiration, I love this Tinned Fish Snack Plate from Real Simple.
The basic tinned fish snack plate: FISH + ACID + CRUNCH + SOMETHING CREAMY/SAUCY + A VEHICLE
LEVEL 1: I Have Two Minutes and I'm Hungry
Tinned Fish Toast
The formula is basically: Good bread + something creamy + fish + acid/crunch/herbs
A few combinations:
Sourdough + avocado + sardines + lemon + flaky salt (ahem, see below image)
Toast + Dijon + sardines + pickled red onions + arugula
Toast + cottage cheese + sardines + cucumber + dill
Toast + cream cheese + sardines + capers + red onion
Toast + hummus + sardines + tomatoes + parsley
Toast + smashed white beans + sardines + lemon + chili flakes
Toast + tzatziki + mackerel + cucumber + herbs
For something slightly more composed, Fishwife’s Sardine Garden Toast uses crème fraîche, cucumber, herbs, lemon, and Aleppo pepper. Their Mediterranean Smoked Mackerel Toast uses tzatziki, cucumber, tomatoes, radishes, and herbs.
Tinned Fish and Rice
This is another ridiculously easy starting point. Warm leftover rice + tinned fish + whatever crunchy/fresh/saucy things you have.
Try:
Salmon + avocado + cucumber + sesame + spicy mayo
Mackerel + kimchi + cucumber + scallions + egg
Sardines + avocado + shredded carrots + herbs + chili crisp
Salmon + seaweed + cucumber + sesame + soy sauce or coconut aminos
If you want an actual recipe, try this Sushi-Inspired Sardine Rice Bowl by WildPlanet.
Pair Tinned Fish + Beans
This combination does not get enough attention. Canned beans are pressure cooked in the can, so don't overcomplicate 'lectins' here....
Try:
White beans + sardines + arugula + parsley + lemon + olive oil
Chickpeas + mackerel + cucumber + tomatoes + feta + vinaigrette
Lentils + salmon + dill + capers + mustard vinaigrette
Cannellini beans + sardines + tomatoes + parsley + toasted sourdough
You get protein from both sides of the equation, fiber from the beans, and it can be assembled in minutes.
Mitchell’s One-Minute Sardine and Black Bean Lunch
This one is 100% Mitchell’s idea. Very functional, slightly boring, effective.
Combine:
1 can sardines
½ cup rinsed canned black beans
About 30 grams sprouted pumpkin seeds
Whatever dressing, sauce, or seasoning makes the entire situation palatable to you
Mush it together. You’re looking at roughly 35 grams of protein and 10 grams of fiber in a lunch that takes approximately one minute to make. It is not winning a plating competition. Sometimes food is allowed to just get the job done.
LEVEL 2: Tinned Fish Recipes Worth Trying
If you’re willing to spend 10–20 minutes, this is where tinned fish starts getting really good. Consider this my "recipe roundup" section where I provide a ton of external links.
Sardines on Toast with Lemon-Mustard Crema
Crème fraîche, sardines, lots of herbs, lemon, mustard, and olive oil on sourdough.
Sardine Tacos
Sardines with avocado, crunchy cabbage and radish slaw, cilantro, lime, and jalapeño crema.
This is also a great example of using sardines in a meal where they aren’t just sitting naked on a cracker staring back at you.
Mediterranean Mackerel Toast
Greek yogurt/tzatziki, smoked mackerel, cucumbers, peppers, tomatoes, radishes, dill, lemon, and za’atar.
Lemon Pepper Sardine Toast with Ricotta
Sardines, creamy ricotta cheese, bright lemon and optional additions of snap peas and squash blossoms piled onto good bread.
Smoky Mackerel Caesar
If you already like Caesar salad, this is a very reasonable gateway into stronger-flavored fish. Add good bread or roasted potatoes and call it lunch.
Deconstructed Greek Salad + Sardines
Tomatoes, cucumbers, olives, feta, herbs, sardines. This is another combination that translates easily into a “use whatever you have” lunch rather than something you need to follow exactly.
LEVEL 3: Turn Tinned Fish Into Dinner
Tinned fish is not only emergency lunch food. It can also make a genuinely good dinner.
Mackerel Pantry Pasta
This is exactly the kind of recipe I like for tinned fish: pasta, pantry ingredients, and a tin of fish become dinner in about 20 minutes. You can use mackerel, tuna, sardines, or even trout here, so this is a good template rather than a one-time recipe.
Sardine & Blistered Tomato Pasta
Sardines work particularly well with pasta because garlic, tomatoes, lemon, herbs, capers, chili flakes, and olive oil all happen to be excellent friends with oily fish. This is THE recipe for when you have no plan for dinner, but a pantry-full of ingredients.
Salmon, Sardine, or Mackerel Cakes
Canned salmon is probably the most approachable place to start, but sardines and mackerel can work too.
Basically: Combine the fish with egg, breadcrumbs or gluten-free flour, Dijon, herbs, scallions, and seasoning. Form into patties and pan-sear OR cook in an air-fryer for ultimate ease.
You can serve them with a salad, put them into a sandwich, or make smaller ones and dip them into a yogurt-herb sauce. Freeze the extras!
The Anchovy Section: For People Who Don't Want to “Eat Anchovies”
Anchovies deserve their own category because you do NOT need to sit down and eat a tin of anchovies for them to be useful. Think of anchovies as a seasoning.
They can essentially melt into:
Tomato sauce
Caesar dressing
Pasta
Sautéed greens
Roasted vegetables
Beans
Soups and stews
They bring saltiness and a deep savory/umami flavor without necessarily making the finished dish taste overtly fishy. If you’re skeptical, pasta is probably your gateway. Try an Anchovy Pasta with Garlic Breadcrumbs or browse Bon Appétit’s larger collection of Anchovy, Sardine & Tiny Fish Recipes.
Want Even More Tinned Fish Ideas?
If none of the above sounds good, here are the larger collections I find myself sending people:
This is probably my favorite general roundup. There are plenty of ideas that barely qualify as recipes, which is exactly what I want from tinned fish.
A much larger collection if you actually want to cook.
Particularly useful if you bought sardines or anchovies and now have absolutely no idea what possessed you to do that.
I think Fishwife is overpriced for everyday tinned fish. HOWEVER, I have to give them credit for having a very fun recipe library. Browse it for ideas, then make the recipe with whatever tin you like.
A good starting point if this entire category of food is new to you.
And, of course, social media is absolutely blowing up with creative tinned-fish ideas. Search Instagram or TikTok for things like “sardine recipes,” “tinned fish lunch,” or “tinned fish snack plate.” Fair warning: search this ONCE and your algorithm may decide that tinned sardines are now a defining feature of your personality.
And No, Not Everything Has to Be SMASH: Other Tinned Seafood Counts!
Actually, I’m going to encourage you to break the acronym. SMASH is a useful shorthand specifically because it reminds us of several fatty fish that provide meaningful amounts of EPA and DHA. It does not mean these are the only seafood worth eating.
Tinned trout, tuna, mussels, oysters, clams, and other seafood can all be fantastic pantry staples.They also bring different nutritional advantages. Shellfish, for example, can be particularly rich in minerals. And if smoked trout is the tin that gets you genuinely excited about eating seafood at lunch, I am certainly not going to tell you that it doesn’t count because it ruined my acronym.
The bigger goal is to eat seafood more often, with a particular emphasis on fatty, omega-3-rich fish.
What Should I Look for When Buying Tinned Fish?
You do not need to spend $14 on a beautifully illustrated tin of sardines.
There are some very good premium tinned-fish companies making smoked, seasoned, and preserved options, and they can be fun! They are not necessary for this habit to “count.” Browse some of my favorite 'premium' options here.
For everyday use, I generally look at:
The actual species of fish + where they are sourced
What it’s packed in: olive oil, water, tomato sauce, etc.
Added flavors that might make it easier to use (and/or additives to avoid)
Preparation: skinless, boneless filets versus whole fish
Some common brands you'll find at grocery stores (or Amazon!) include Crowne Prince, Season, Wild Planet, FishWife, Bella, Nuri, Patagonia, Matiz, and BarHarbour. Costco's Kirkland brand is an excellent option for wild canned salmon!
When you're ready to experiment with more "premium" tins, I recommend Jose Gourmet, La Narval, Briosas, Conservas Santos, and FishWife. Then there's the 'ultra luxe' category of Ramon Pena and Alalunga.
Most importantly, experiment with a few brands and preparations. One mediocre sardine should not be allowed to represent the entire sardine population. Find one that is realistic to eat (not just choke down!)... if you can only handle the skinless, boneless filets, that's still OK.
My Favorite Tinned Fish
Ready to stock your pantry? You can view my amazon store collection of common grocery-store options here and browse the 'fancier' tinned fish I personally buy and recommend below:
The Goal Is Repetition, Not the Perfect Sardine Recipe
If I tell someone to eat fatty fish three times per week but the recommendation requires buying and cooking fresh salmon three nights a week, there is a decent chance it isn't happening. That is why I love tinned fish.
It sits in the pantry. It doesn't go bad when your dinner plans change. It requires essentially no preparation. You can turn it into a legitimate meal in five minutes, and it delivers nutrients that are genuinely difficult to get in meaningful amounts from many other foods.
Start with one or two ideas that sound good. Keep a few tins in the pantry. Find a preparation you actually look forward to eating! Then repeat it.
Nutrition does not always need more novelty. Sometimes we just need to make the good stuff easier.
If you want to try some of my favorite brands of tinned fish, check out the links below. Remember, you can often find these in grocery stores, I just wanted a convenient collection for you to browse!
What does SMASH fish stand for?
SMASH stands for sardines, mackerel, anchovies, salmon, and herring. It isn’t an official nutrition classification; it’s a convenient way to remember several fatty fish that provide the long-chain omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA.
How often should I eat SMASH fish?
A practical goal is approximately three servings of SMASH fish per week. One manageable routine is to eat tinned fish for lunch twice a week and salmon or another fatty fish for dinner once a week. Your individual needs may differ, particularly during pregnancy or if you have specific medical or dietary considerations.
Are sardines and mackerel low in mercury?
Sardines, salmon, herring, anchovies, and Atlantic mackerel are generally considered lower-mercury seafood choices. King mackerel is an important exception: it is a larger predatory fish and should not be confused with lower-mercury Atlantic mackerel.
Are the omega-3s in fish different from those in chia seeds and walnuts?
Yes. Chia seeds, flaxseeds, and walnuts primarily provide ALA, while fatty fish provide EPA and DHA directly. The body can convert some ALA into EPA and DHA, but the conversion is limited. Both plant and seafood sources can be part of a nutrient-dense diet.
Are canned sardines with bones safe to eat?
Yes. The small bones in canned sardines are softened during processing and are typically easy to eat. They are also one reason sardines can be a useful source of calcium.
What is the easiest tinned fish for beginners?
Canned salmon and milder varieties of smoked trout or mackerel are often approachable starting points. If you want to try sardines, combine them with familiar flavors such as lemon, Dijon, avocado, pickled onions, herbs, good bread, or crackers rather than eating them plain.
Should I take fish oil instead of eating fish?
Fish oil can be useful when we recommend a specific amount of EPA or DHA. Whole fish, however, provides omega-3 fats alongside protein, vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients that aren’t found in a typical fish-oil capsule. The right approach depends on your individual needs.
Do I need to buy expensive tinned fish?
No. Premium tins can be delicious, but they aren’t required. Look for a lower-mercury species, a packing liquid or sauce you enjoy, and—most importantly—a product you will actually eat again.
About Kate Daugherty, MS, CNS: Kate is a certified nutrition specialist and functional nutritionist at The Facility Functional Medicine Clinic in Denver, Colorado.
I embarked on my career journey in neuroscience, which seamlessly transitioned into further education in human nutrition. Utilizing food as medicine to treat the mind-body connection is truly remarkable. I believe our eating habits nourish our soul just as profoundly as they do our body.
Comments