Ranking Canned Corn Brands Worst To Best

If you're looking for a way to incorporate more vegetables into your cooking, canned corn is an easy and budget-friendly option that makes this sweet, tender veggie available all year. It also makes a fantastic item to stockpile in your pantry in case you have to deal with extreme weather or other hazards that might knock out power. The best brands have multiple styles available and offer a great value, not to mention fantastic taste. Flavor is the top criteria for my taste tests but texture and variety are also key. In my opinion, canned corn should be sweet but still maintain a hint of saltiness, which actually brings out the natural taste of the corn. It should also be tender without crossing over to mushy and not have an excess amount of water in the can, which can impact the flavor and texture. I like corn that has a bit of crispiness without being tough and chewy, which can be common at the base of whole kernel corn.

Value is another important consideration since canned vegetables like corn are a great way to get nutrient-rich veggies on a budget. Organic options tend to cost more, but even tasty organic canned corn can be worth a slightly higher price if the flavor and texture are better than the standard options. Look for a balance of taste, texture, and cost to get the most from canned corn. Prices may vary based on location.

This corn tastes super sweet but it's one of the most expensive options out there at $2.79 for a small 11-ounce can. It tastes good, with just the right amount of added salt to bring out the sweetness of the corn without being too salty. Salt reduces the bitterness in foods and brings out other flavors, especially sweetness. But it's the price that puts the Green Giant steam crisp at the bottom of my list. It's hard to justify the high price, which is more than double the cost of many other options, when other brands have corn that is just as good.

Like the name suggests, the steam crisp style corn is steamed in the can, which requires less water than traditional preparation methods. This means that when you open the can, it doesn't have as much moisture as you would expect. The corn is still tender and it's particularly sweet but it works better when added to other dishes, like corn chowder or beef stew, instead of served on its own. Green Giant has a few other options, including Mexican-style corn with chiles and a whole kernel sweet corn, but the steam crisp is the style carried in most grocery stores.

The Fresh Market doesn't have a lot of canned vegetable options and the organic whole kernel corn is the only style of corn they carry. It is very sweet and has a firmer texture than some other brands of corn, which is closer to corn on the cob for those who are looking for an alternative that doesn't take as much work to prepare. There isn't a salt-free or low-sodium option so expect plenty of salty taste with this corn. But the taste was just average, which made the high cost hard to justify. At $2.99 for a 15-ounce can, this corn is very expensive, even compared to other organic alternatives, which can be as much as $1 cheaper for the same size.

The frozen corn from The Fresh Market is a better option with a similar taste and texture, especially when you prepare it with a little bit of water to steam as it heats. It comes in a 32-ounce package for around $5, which is around 5 cents cheaper per ounce than the canned option. It does require freezer space, however, which might not work for all households. Canned corn can also be easier to prepare than frozen corn, which can end up mushy or charred, so you might want to just stick with a different brand completely for the best value, taste, and convenience.

If you're looking for the most budget-friendly canned corn for a crowd, Hanover is the go-to option. It costs the same as some of the most expensive organic options but is more than twice the size. A 39-ounce can costs just $3.29, and there are even bigger options out there. The downside is that the sweet corn texture is a bit on the mushy side so texture isn't its best quality. It is also saltier in taste than some other brands without as much of the sweet corn coming through. This gives it a bland taste rather than the fresh, balanced flavor you'd get from fresh corn or other brands of canned corn. It works well if you're using it in a recipe but is a bit lackluster on its own. The biggest benefit to Hanover is that it comes in large sizes and is very economical.

There is also only one style available from Hanover so don't expect a lot of options for flavor or style. If you need to serve corn to a large group, this is a good choice. Keep in mind that once you open the can, you'll need to use it within three or four days. Unless you are serving a big group or meal prepping, these large cans might be too much. For smaller dishes or meals, pay a little bit more for better-tasting corn that is likely available on the same shelf.

The O Organics brand is a good organic option available at Safeway, although it's a bit expensive compared to other similar canned corn. The super sweet taste and firm texture are both similar to the non-organic Safeway canned corn, which is a little bit cheaper. But at $1.99 for a 15-ounce can, O Organics is a good value if sustainable practices and avoiding synthetic pesticides are important factors for you. The taste itself doesn't set this corn apart from its competitors, however. The texture is similar to Safeway's non-organic canned corn, the Signature Select brand.

It comes in a salt-free option as well as the standard option with salt added. This is helpful if you have specific dietary needs or just want to add the salt yourself to get the exact taste you want. The original recipe tastes a bit sweeter because the salt highlights the natural sweetness of the corn. But both are good and have similar firmness. If you're using the corn in a recipe, you likely won't be able to tell the difference between the standard version and the no salt added one. O Organics uses whole-kernel corn, which is great if you want to serve the corn on its own. It keeps its shape whether you heat it in the microwave or on the stove.

The price and flavor of the Aldi store brand canned corn, Happy Harvest, are just right. The base of each corn kernel is a bit tough but it's only noticeable if you are really scrutinizing each bite. Most of the time, the firm texture works to keep the corn from being overly mushy or watery. It's pretty sweet thanks to a little bit of salt added to bring out the flavor, but you won't get a strong salty taste. It comes packed in water so make sure to drain the corn for the best texture.

Unfortunately, Happy Harvest canned corn only comes in whole kernel and creamed corn so don't go looking for options with extra flavor. It's pretty easy to find in the store and is one of the items that is almost always kept stocked. The best thing that it has going for it is that it only costs $0.63 for a 15-ounce can. You can get two or three times as much corn for the same price that you would pay for a single can of a more expensive brand. Given the budget-friendly price and sweet flavor, it's hard not to put the Happy Harvest canned corn higher up on the list than the texture alone might warrant.

The Safeway store brand, Signature Select, has reliable canned corn that is made with just three ingredients: corn, water, and salt. The salt brings out the sweetness of the corn, which is firm and crisp while maintaining a tender interior. The texture is particularly good and doesn't have many tough kernels. Signature Select is my go-to canned vegetable brand when shopping at Safeway because it has a good balance of value and quality.

It is also very budget-friendly, especially if you use your Safeway store loyalty card for extra discounts. It costs $0.89 for an 8.5-ounce can, although they are available in other sizes as well. Other styles include no salt added, super sweet corn, cream-style corn, white and gold corn, white corn, and corn with red and green peppers mixed in. If you want a lot of styles to choose from, the Signature Select brand is at the top of the list of brands.

The Walmart-brand corn, Great Value, is very fresh and a great value, just like its name suggests. It's made with added salt that makes the corn's sweet flavor shine through, although there is a no salt added option as well. The taste is pretty comparable to many other brands but its the texture that moves Great Value corn higher on the list. It's made with whole kernels of golden sweet corn but there isn't as much toughness to them as some other brands. There is just enough firm texture on the exterior to help them keep their shape but overall and the texture is tender without being too soft. 

At $0.64 for a 15-ounce can, it rivals Aldi for being one of the cheapest options out there. The only reason it edges out Aldi in the comparison is the better texture. Great Value canned corn comes in a variety of styles and sizes, including a 29-ounce family size that is even more economical and a cream corn style. It doesn't have as many style options as some brands do, but is still a really great option for traditional canned corn.

Giant's whole kernel sweet corn has a little bit of added sugar so it tastes even sweeter than other brands without having a drastically different flavor. The canned corn also has a bit of salt added, although it also comes in a no-salt option. Giant's store brand costs $0.99 per 15-ounce can, which is a little bit more than the cheapest options on this list and even a bit more than other store brand canned corn. But the flavor difference is worth it if you like super sweet corn. The texture is firm but not too soft and the kernels don't have touch, chewy exteriors. This is one of a few styles of corn that I would say is worth the higher cost. If you're serving corn on its own, this is a good option because you'll be able to get more of the flavor and texture without competing with other ingredients.

You can also choose between cream corn, golden corn, Mexican-style corn, white corn, low sodium corn, and no salt added corn, also available from Giant. Not all of them have that notable super sweet flavor but are still good when it comes to taste and texture. The wide variety of options puts the Giant brand high in my book since having different styles available is key to bringing in extra flavor.

The Del Monte brand canned corn was so rich in flavor and balanced texture that I had to try two styles to make sure that it was consistent. Fortunately, both were sweet and tender even though they were produced using different methods. The traditional whole kernel corn is made with fresh corn that is packaged right away and even the no salt added recipe was still sweet and delicious. It rivaled some of the other brands that added salt to bring out the corn's flavor. The summer crisp style was a bit firmer but tasted even sweeter. It didn't have as much toughness as some other vacuum-packed options. Del Monte is my top choice when I'm shopping at most grocery stores because I know that any style will be delicious, even if it is a style that I haven't tried before.

Del Monte has numerous other options and is one of the easiest brands to find, carried at most of the grocery stores where I stopped. The fire-roasted corn is a personal favorite and what I use in many dishes, such as creamy chowders and corn dip, to bring some extra flavor. Fire-roasted canned corn is also a great substitute for recipes that call for grilled corn, like a grilled romaine and corn salad. If you want to stick with Del Monte's traditional sweet corn, golden corn, or summer crisp, you'll be happy with that flavor and texture as well.

The only canned corn that outperforms Del Monte in my book is the store brand from Wegmans. Not only is Wegmans' canned corn fresh and sweet, but it's also some of the most economical on the list. The Wegmans brand corn hits every must-have for the best canned corn in my kitchen. Even from first opening the can, it has a vibrant yellow color and minimal water for packing. This keeps the flavor in the corn, which has added salt to bring out the sweetness. Like the name suggests, it is crisp and sweet with just the right texture for canned corn. You can eat it as a side dish, mix in a little bit of butter for extra rich flavor, or serve it as part of a vegetable medley. All of Wegmans' canned vegetables use a similar method to preserve freshness as much as possible.

It comes in whole kernel, salt-free whole kernel, and creamed corn. There is also an organic option, which costs a bit more. The standard variety is $0.69 for a 15-ounce can, and the organic option costs $1.89 for the same size. Both taste great so it comes down to your personal preference of budget and ingredients.

To find the best canned corn, I sampled a variety of brands in similar styles. Flavor was the top priority, with an emphasis on naturally sweet corn that tasted close to fresh corn on the cob. Great taste and crisp texture where both important when deciding on the best overall but I also looked at price and budget, since some options that tasted good just weren't worth the higher cost. I included a few organic options but most of the best-tasting corn came from store brands, which were also economical in most cases. Some store brands also had organic lines, which were a good balance of organic ingredients and value.

I also considered the varieties available from each brand, since recipes can sometimes call for special flavors like fire-roasted corn or corn with added chiles or peppers. I like to have options when cooking to change up recipes that start to get boring and having multiple styles available made that easy to do. The best brands were also ones that were easy to find at whatever grocery store I was visiting on a given day since one of the major selling points of canned corn is the convenience of this shelf-stable veggie. The last thing that I want to do is drive all around town to get different items on my shopping list.