Why You Should Never Cook Canned Food This Way

With campfire season kicking into full swing, let's prevent any major hiccups before they happen: If you want your campsite or backyard to stay spotless for s'mores, you may want to skip cooking canned food over the flame.

It's a summer tradition for many, and for good reason — the convenience of cooking a can of food just can't be beat. No stove? No problem, as long as you have a can of SPAM and a bit of patience...or at least, that's what every Boy Scout might have told you once upon a time. Dan Human shared his own can-cooking troop experience with Delishably, and it didn't exactly end with a serving of quick, fire-roasted SPAM. Instead, the sealed can exploded into a million little pieces, sending metal and meat all over like a "firecracker" went off.

According to Camping Fun Zone, this is one surefire lesson that many camp goers tend to miss out on until it happens to them. If it's sealed, don't place it over (or in) an open flame. When a can is closed, the contents don't have enough room to expand under the heat, which can cause a minor explosion (and major mess). But while you may be thinking open cans are fair game, there are some other potential hazards to be aware of.

There may be more in the metal than you think

If the physical danger of an exploding can of food is enough to ward one off from this shortcut cooking method, we have another warning that may just have you sticking to hot dogs from here on out. Cooking a closed can of food can lead to more than just an explosion — depending on the metal that the can is made of, you may be faced with some unexpected health consequences, too.

Scientific American spoke with Scott McCarty of Ball Corporation who warned that while cans are excellent storage options for keeping food fresh, they "were not made to be used as cooking containers."

Steel cans can release trace amounts of chromium and nickel, but since the amounts are so low, these cans are generally safer than aluminum. If you heat up a closed aluminum can, the outlet says you may be opening up a window to a whole slew of health problems, since large amounts of the metal have been correlated with nervous system issues.

Michigan State University's Food Domain even alerts consumers to the potential risk of botulism — aka food poisoning that can come from canned items — when heating up these convenient cans (via Our Everyday Life). Whether you're working over a campfire or from the comfort of your own kitchen, it may be wise to skip the shortcut and just grab the can opener and the pan.