Sardines are forever: The food trend that just did not stop riding the wave

Tinned sardines: They have been one of the biggest food trends we’ve seen this year, especially taking over the summer. In case you missed it, phrases like “Sardine girl summer” or “Sardine summer” have quickly become the catchiest and easiest lifestyle/wellness catchphrases of the last summer. Not only because they were great additions to summer meals, but also because they are affordable, and capture a summer vibe like no other.

The Mediterranean chic influence has been super easy to carry over from food to fashion, to wellness, and to our social media feeds. All over socials suddenly there was a boom in dishes and dinner nights centered completely around a few tins of sardines.

The trend grew so much so that Harper’s Bazaar published a piece on how it not only stopped at food, but continued in fashion too. The last time we have seen such a food trend was the dubai chocolate, and once a food trend goes big, we know by now that they stay for sure! (This is not a submission to have tinned labubu sardines anytime soon though.)

Why did sardines trend so high during the summer?

The Mediterranean experience: Holiday-goers experienced; tins of sardines, a baguette, grapes, wine, and other coastal snacks completing the picture of holiday bliss and of course, carrying it back to the big cities.

Affordability: Within this experience, it is safe to assume that there lies a realization; tinned sardines are not only the perfect center piece for a meal, but are also absolutely affordable. We can go ahead and label it as a recession indicator for sure, pushing the culture to more affordable trends. When you consider the financial prospects of the newer generations, especially Gen Z, it will be of no surprise that trends that are cheap are favored over any other.
Wellness: Tinned sardines are nutritionally on another level! They pack quite the acceptable amounts of protein, vitamin D, calcium, iron, omega 3, B12, and potassium.

Luxury on a budget: It’s what sticks and gets popular within the culture today! Popularity is especially easy for sardines since the tins have the most aesthetically pleasing designs possible, speaking directly to its audience who love to have the Mediterranean vibe any time.

Social media presence: We’ve seen sardines with recipes like: On bread, the viral sardine plate composition with the sardines sitting in the middle of the plate, with a smokier flavor, with different types of oil, or with sardine boards. Starting with sardines, the trend also evolved to the seacuterie board path with other colorful tins full of seafood too.
Honorable mentions are also sardine summer fashion statements like t-shirts, dresses, wallets, notebooks, socks, bags and more!

Recipes perfect for a tin of sardines

15 min

3.9k

Sardine pasta with olives and garlicky breadcrumbs

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Our most popular sardine recipe has to take the crown here! What’s better than having sardines on a board? Combining it with the all time classic that never fails of course… This recipe is one of the easiest ways to mix sardines into your weeknight dinners as well. Best of both worlds, just for sardine and pasta lovers.
In other ways, you can add sardines to some recipes where anchovies are used as well. The only thing to keep in mind is, sardines do not dissolve like anchovies do. They will be assertively present in the recipe, and a lot meatier! The taste might be milder in comparison too, but in recipes where anchovies are toppings, sardines will surely shine on. If you’re looking for the oily and assertive quality sardines bring, feel free to experiment in these recipes swap anchovies, tuna, and more with sardines:

20 min

6.5k

Ruby makes Sicilian pantry pasta

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20 min

3.8k

Juicy one-pot chicken Puttanesca

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Make sure to take the bones off the sardines and chop them first here!

35 min

4.4k

Pan bagnat (French tuna sandwich)

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Simply swap the tuna with a fresh pack of sardines.

20 min

5.6k

Make a green goddess sandwich with Hanna

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Instead of the anchovies in the sauce, layer sardines inside the sandwich, you might like it more than you think!

20 min

249

Heirloom tomato sandwich with anchovy butter and herby salad

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Skip the anchovies, finely chop sardines into the butter!

These are only the beginnings for the good old tin of sardines! What are your favorite ways to open a tin? Is it for sardine date night, or just a simple self-care seacuterie board? Let us know!