5 Easy Recipes Using StarKist Tuna and Salmon Pouches

Find five easy meals made in less than 10 minutes with these tasty StarKist tuna and salmon pouch recipes!

Disclosure:  This post was sponsored by StarKist as part of an Influencer Activation for Influence Central and all opinions expressed in my post are my own.

Ya’ll ever have those times when you forget to pack a snack or plan a meal?  And it’s been way too long since you ate?  And so you just walk into a store or a bakery and grab the most delicious looking 900 calorie cinnamon bun that you immediately see because you’re just so dang hangry?

Ummm, don’t leave me hangin’ here you guys… this isn’t just me, right? 😉

Seriously, though, sometimes we are so busy that we forget to nourish our bodies, and then it leads to situations a la above.  Which obviously is not great in terms of keeping the body healthy.

But I’m going to fill you in on a little secret that I’ve found super helpful for these situations – StarKist seafood pouches.  These pouches can be used for a standalone snack, or as the base to build your meal.

I am not joking when I say I use these all.the.time.  They are so convenient!  (In fact, if you scroll to the bottom you’ll see 5 meal ideas made in less than 10 minutes using these pouches!).

I actually just got the chance to meet with the StarKist team recently at FNCE.  If you’re not familiar with FNCE, it’s a conference where 10,000+ dietitians get together and nerd out on nutrition.  At the expo hall, I took some time to chat with Laura Ali, a fellow dietitian who works as the Senior Manager of Nutrition and Regulatory Affairs for StarKist.  Laura dished with me all about the benefits of these pouches.

Of course, we talked about our three favorite nutrition benefits:

1. Protein-packed.

It can be tough to find convenient, portable protein snacks.  There are bars and whatnot, but I also like to snack on well-rounded whole foods with protein when possible.  Yet most of those foods are easily perishable and hard to keep as a shelf-stable option in your bag.  These StarKist pouches are perfect for that though!  Throw one in your purse, gym bag, or briefcase and the next time you need a snack, it’s there for you.  And of course, we all know that protein is key for runners and triathletes when it comes to muscle repair and recovery.

2. Good source of omega-3 fatty acids.

Omega-3s – especially those in fish – are incredibly healthy for your body.  With possible benefits ranging from heart health to joint health to cognitive health, these are the fats we want to be getting more regularly in the diet.  Most Americans only eat an average of one seafood meal a week, meaning many of us are falling short on our omega-3 intake.  Ideally you want to aim for a minimum of 2 servings of seafood a week.  StarKist pouches are an easy way to build more seafood into your diet.

3.  Calorie control.

All of the StarKist Tuna Creations and Salmon Creations pouches are 110 calories or less, and the StarKist Selects E.V.O.O line all fall between 150-190 calories.  This makes any of these pouches a perfect portion controlled snack – ideal when you just need something to tide you over to your next meal.  Or they can be a great base to start building a portion controlled meal!

During our chat, I also learned a little bit more about StarKist as a brand, and their goals for developing these products.

StarKist developed these pouches to be great options for both snacking and meals.  They are passionate about increasing seafood intake and making it more accessible for consumers.   With 26 different varieties, you can be sure you’ll always have many tasty options.

I was also happy to hear that Starkist works with the Seafood Sustainability Foundation.  As Laura said, they are in the seafood business – they want to have seafood that continues to be healthy and available!

5 Easy Recipes Using StarKist Tuna and Salmon Pouches

Like I mentioned, I love using these pouches as a starter for a meal, and I’ve got 5 super simple recipes for you right here.  These are all done in a matter of minutes.

1)  Lettuce Cups with Tuna, Rice and Beans (Tuna Creations Recipe)

Grab some Boston, butter, or romaine lettuce wash it thoroughly.  Tear open the StarKist Tuna Creations® BOLD Rice & Beans in Hot Sauce and place in the lettuce cups.  Voila – done!

2)  Easiest Ever Salmon Fish Tacos (Salmon Pouch Recipe)

Place some shredded cabbage in 2-3 corn tortillas, and divide a StarKist Selects E.V.O.O. Salmon pouch between each.  Top with store bought pico de gallo (or if you have time, make your own with diced tomatoes, onion, jalapeño, and lime).  Garnish with a little fresh cilantro.  So simple!  {Note:  I like to eat these cold, but you could also heat up the salmon if you’d like}.

3)  Spicy Tuna Sushi Bowls (Tuna Creations Recipe)

Start by making some instant brown rice.  You’ll need about 2/3 cup cooked.  For the quickest option, use one of the small microwavable brown rice cups on the market.  Or you could make it the regular way on the stove top, which will only take just a few more minutes.  If I’m cooking it on the stove top, I usually do is make a full serving and save the extra to go along with another meal that week (like fried rice or stir fry). 

While the rice is cooking, chop up 1/2 cup carrots, 1/2 cup cucumber, and 1/3 to 1/2 of an avocado.  Place your vegetables in a bowl and add in the 2/3 cup rice as well as a pouch of Starkist Tuna Creations® BOLD Thai Chili or Starkist Tuna Creations® BOLD Sriracha tuna.  Mix everything together well!

I like my bowls just like this, but the hubby also loves mixing in a spoonful of wasabi mayo.  The choice is yours!

4)  Curried Tuna Salad Pita (Tuna Packet Recipe)

This is by far my favorite of all five recipes.  Grab a pouch of the StarKist Selects E.V.O.O. Yellowfin Tuna and empty it into a bowl.  Stir in 1 tbsp mayo, 1/2 tsp curry powder, 2 tsp chopped cilantro, 2 tsp finely diced red onion, and 1 tbsp golden raisins.  Serve in a whole wheat pita pocket with some leafy greens.

5)  Avo Toast with Salmon & Scrambled Eggs (Salmon Pouch Recipe)

I know, this sounds strange – but I’m diggin’ this high protein breakfast.  Toast some whole wheat bread and spread mashed avocado on top.  Meanwhile, scramble one or two eggs and when they’re close to being done, stir in the StarKist Selects E.V.O.O. Salmon pouch.  You can stop here and place this on top of your avocado toast, but I like to add in a secret ingredient first – a few tiny drops of liquid smoke.  So good!

Share with me:  What’s your favorite kind of seafood?  Have you tried any of these salmon or tuna pouches?  Which of these easy Starkist recipes do you want to try?

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Chrissy Carroll

Chrissy Carroll is a Registered Dietitian and USAT Level I Triathlon Coach. She specializes in sharing nutrition and fitness tips, as well as recipes, for runners, triathletes, and active women.Chrissy holds a Bachelor's Degree in Nutrition, a Masters Degree in Public Health, and is also an ACSM Certified Personal Trainer.

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