Canned tuna is an excellent food to keep in your pantry. It's packaged in an air-tight container that keeps the food inside shelf-stable. Canned tuna will stay fresh for years. It's also an inexpensive source of protein, perfect for anyone striving to eat a high protein diet with minimal carbohydrates. Here are four delicious ways to prepare and enjoy canned tuna:

1. Tuna Melt

Tuna sandwiches are a lunchtime classic. To prepare your tuna sandwich, you first need to make tuna salad using your favorite brand of mayonnaise. Shred tuna with a fork and combine it with your mayo, then season to taste. You can add chopped pickles, onions, or garlic to your tuna salad for an extra kick of flavor. Turn an ordinary tuna salad sandwich into a tuna melt by laying a slice of cheddar cheese over a mound of tuna on bread. Toast both sides of your sandwich in the oven, then combine them before eating.

2. Creamed Tuna

When you need a quick, hot dinner during the week, make yourself a pot of creamed tuna. Creamed tuna requires only a few simple ingredients. Heat a can of cream of mushroom soup on the stove with an equal amount of water or milk. Add in the frozen vegetables of your choice and a can of tuna. Stir thoroughly and heat the pot of creamed tuna until it's bubbling. Creamed tuna is delicious over white or brown rice. If you have any leftovers, serve it over buttered toast for breakfast the next day.

3. Tuna Cakes

Crab cakes are a delectable treat, but crab meat can be too expensive to eat on a regular basis. Make a budget-friendly version of crab cakes using canned tuna. Shred tuna in a bowl along with flour and seasoning. Crack a raw egg into the mixture and stir it in to serve as a binder. Shape your tuna batter into patties using your hands, then fry each individual patty in a hot pan greased with the oil of your choice. Fry lightly on each side until your tuna cakes are cooked through.

4. Protein Box

You can also use tuna for your own protein box. Protein boxes can be made with the high protein foods of your choice. You may want to include drained tuna, cubes of cheese, and cured meat. Some crackers will add a little variety. These boxes will keep for several days in the refrigerator, so whenever you need a quick burst of energy, you can reach for a convenient, premade protein box.

Try out these tuna recipes today!