No longer an old-fashioned last resort destined only for plonking on toast, tinned sardines are officially the flavour of the summer, even finding their way into happy-hour dirty “sartinis” and Bloody Mary cocktails.
A spokesman from food and drink manufacturer Princes reports that the company “has seen a significant increase in demand for sardines over the past year, with sales growing by 249 per cent year-on-year in the 52 weeks up until to July 11 2026”.
“Their combination of affordability, high protein levels and omega-3 benefits makes them particularly relevant for consumers looking to balance value and nutrition.”
They’re taking up more room than ever on supermarket shelves, with UK tinned seafood sales now topping £600m and a market that stretches from 59p value tins at Lidl to £8-plus artisanal “conservas” (traditional Portuguese and Spanish tinned delicacies conserved at the peak of their freshness) from British craft cannery Sea Sisters, or Spanish heritage brand Ortiz.
Mainstream supermarkets are upping their game too – Tesco, in particular, now stocks an extensive range, including Marine Stewardship Council-certified MSC (an eco-label verifying wild seafood comes from sustainable, environmentally friendly fisheries) Finest Cornish Sardines in a tomato, olive and caper sauce.
Naturally, social media has fuelled the trend, with TikTok accounts such as Tinned Fish Reviews boasting more than 1.1 million followers, alongside health-driven crazes like “sardine-maxxing” (an online craze where people consume excessive amounts of the tinned fish).
As Jo Lunn, health and nutrition manager at Waitrose, explains: “Tinned sardines are packed with omega-3 fatty acids for heart and brain health, high-quality protein, and a great amount of vitamin D and calcium.”
It’s not just about health credentials or hype, either – sardines are remarkably versatile, showing up in everything from sandwiches and spaghetti to shakshuka. With a little culinary creativity, you can easily turn this nostalgic ingredient into something delicious.
Dust the sardines in flour, dip in beaten egg and press firmly into the spiced panko. Shallow-fry or spritz lightly with oil and air-fry at 200C for five minutes until crisp and golden. Serve in small Japanese-style milk buns (or something similar) with shredded iceberg lettuce, thinly sliced cucumber, a squirt of Kewpie mayo and a sprinkle of chives.
Add a spoonful of rose harissa paste to a small frying pan along with the white part of some chopped spring onions, a tin of chopped tomatoes and a tin of sardines in tomato sauce. Season and simmer gently for five minutes until the sauce thickens a little.
Make two or three wells in the simmering sauce, crack in eggs, cover with a lid and cook until the whites are set but yolks remain soft. Sprinkle over the spring onion greens and serve with crusty bread.
For a weekend brunch try this sweet and tangy hash. Dice sweet potatoes and parboil for a few minutes until just tender, then drain well. Tip some oil from a tin of sardines into a frying pan and fry the sweet potatoes until beginning to caramelise.
Stir in a thinly sliced garlic clove and the sardines, breaking the fish into chunks. Fry for a few minutes until the fish is warmed through. Scatter with chopped parsley and capers and serve with a dollop of sour cream and a pinch of smoked paprika.
