Do canned goods makers have any idea how it affects recipe developers and cooks when they reduce their can sizes?
…and I was just baking, not developing recipes.
Over the holidays I made a pumpkin bread from a favorite recipe in an older cookbook. The recipe called for one 16-ounce can. Yet cans of pumpkin are no longer 16 ounces, but 15.
The manufacturer removed 2 tablespoons instead of raising the price! I repeat: 2 tablespoons. That’s all it takes to mess up a recipe that calls for “one can.”
Worse yet, it’s not just less pumpkin puree but sweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk, canned beans and vegetables that manufacturers have reduced.
If you are a recipe blogger, this change is a pain. Your older recipes now need revision. Are you changing the can sizes in your online recipe database, or do you expect your readers to adapt because it’s such a small amount? What if you are a cookbook author writing a new edition? Do you go back and alter all your recipes calling for canned goods?
And another thing. Is it just that simple to edit recipes by reducing the can size? Does the reduction make a difference in the taste of the finished product? I added 2 tablespoons of roasted sweet potato to make up for the missing pumpkin. I’m not sure if I needed to, but it felt better to do so. Do you feel that a reduced amount can make or break a recipe? And how much would they have to reduce it to make you change your recipe?
This is a problem with a lot of non-canned items too, Dianne. I’m thinking of nuts, many of which used to come in one-pound bags. Now they tend to be sold in 12 oz. or even 8 oz. bags for the same price, at least that’s what I’m seeing at Trader Joe’s. (I’m seeing the same thing with coffee as well.) Now when I whip up some panforte for the holidays it costs almost twice what it used to. That’s an expensive item to begin with. These days I feel like I have to wave a sheaf of receipts in the faces of those who balk at the price of my panforte. It was expensive to begin with. I can hardly afford to make it any more.
Yes, right! I forgot about nuts and coffee. Coffee is routinely sold in 12 ounce bags now. I guess people are hoping you won’t notice, but if you follow recipes — or write them — it’s hard not to.
My candy recipes come from my mother in law in the 1950″ and 1960″s. With the manufacturing changes in everything it throws the recipe off. Some pkgs are getting smaller and some larger. Wish someone could print the different weights from the 50’s- 60’s and so on.
Was the 1950s and 1960 large can of Carnation Evap. Milk 15 oz.? 16 oz, ?
I have been looking on the internet to find that out I have a recipe for chocolate covered cherries and I think it was 16 .
385 ml
Finally found a picture of an old Carnation Evaporated Milk on the internet and the label shows 14.5 oz.
I have an old recipe that calls for one can of evaporated milk and one can of whole milk. I saved a washed and dried can from Swanson Chicken broth (that is 14.5 oz) and use that to measure my evaporated milk and whole milk for my old recipe. It really annoys me that I have to buy two cans (one large and one small) of evaporated milk to make one of my old and favorite recipes.
14.5 ounces is 1 2/3 cup
Thank you Penney I didn’t read far enough down – you answered my question. I’m going to try once again to make my fudge.
I would like to know the answer too. I just tried to make my fudge and it failed. It calls for one can of evaporated milk and I noticed the cans are 12 oz – I believe it was 13.5? But I’m not sure. Can anyone help.
The volume used to be 13.33 oz which is the equivalent of 1 2/3 rds cups of milk.
I just made fudge using the same recipe I’ve had for many years. It called for a 14.5 oz can of Evaporated Milk. The new cans are 12 oz! I know I only needed one can back in the day. I added 5T. from a 2nd can to make up the extra 2.5 oz. but my fudge didn’t “set” so not sure if that was the reason. Frustrating!
I recently made an icebox pie and it is from the 1940s and 50s era and it says to chill overnight and put it in the refrigerator and it fell apart in the freezer it’s perfect I’m wondering why it didn’t Stefano and if this answers my question being that the condensed milk is in a smaller cans and it used to be
I have cookie recipes from grandma and aunt calling for a jar of peanut butter, bag of miniature marshmallows, can of condensed milk , box of confectionary sugar. Recipes don’t come out the same anymore. Is there a way to find out weight/sizes from years ago?
Try finding recipes that use similar ingredients.
Try calling the King Arthur Flour 800 question line. They are great to work with.
I have been using 3 1/2 cups powdered sugar to equal 1 box of confectionary sugar and so far so good.
Good to have this workaround, Nancy.
Maybe it is now more worthwhile to just write the ingredients in exact volume / weight vs just “(quantity) of cans”?
Many recipes were developed to use one bag of something (chocolate chips) or one can of something for convenience, so when the sizes change it kind of throws that out the window. A good recipe lists both, as in “1 (16-ounce) can.”
That is an American thing….and why I appreciate European recipes so much. Using weight/volume is so much more accurate. It helps keep down the cost as well. Many times I will buy things in bulk at Costco and it helps to know the exact weights as opposed to flawed measurements.
Sure but the point is you’d have to use one 14.5oz can plus 1.5oz of another can or adjust the entire recipe.
This is all so very frustrating. I brought cans of sweetened condensed milk for cheese cakes and the cans are smaller and I realize I need to buy an extra can. It’s so frustrating that this has happened.
Indeed it is. It’s called shrinkage.
This has been a frustration for awhile. So many examples. Tuna is now sold in 5-ounce cans versus 6, and bags of pre-shredded cheese are often 6 or 7 ounces versus 8. It definitely messes with our recipes, since we try to use a whole can, bag or unit of something for convenience.
For future books and blog posts we can use the updated amounts for testing, but it is annoying since the recipes in our previous cookbooks and posts will be awkward. 🙁
Oh gosh, so many more products than I thought have downsized, Janice! And I love it when a recipe calls for the entire amount in a box, bag or can. Otherwise the rest goes bad and I hate wasting food. Perhaps this is an old-fashioned idea now, since the sizes keep changing?
Right, so I take it you are not going to go back to old posts and update them.
I would purchase from a company that preserved can sizes for the recipe writers. Cooking is quickly becoming a lost art. Microwaving prepared food is becoming the norm and is rampant in the American culture. Bakers should voice their displeasure of this practice and unite in demanding can sizes be standardized for critical items like condensed milk. Just my opinion. I hope Nestle’ reads this post.
I have a recipe for peanut butter fudge that calls for one can (13 oz ) evaporated milk. I don’t dare fool with a candy recipe, so now I have to buy 2 cans.
Yeah, that’s a pain, isn’t it!
Do u know how many ounces in small can of milk? Have lg can but need small can amount.
In the 50s and 60s when I grew up, recipes calling for a regular can of evaporated milk meant the fluid ounces of the milk, not the weight of the milk. The regular, liquid measure, amount of milk in a small can of evaporated milk used to be 5-1/3 FL. OZ. The regular, liquid measure, amount of a large can of evaporated milk used to be 13 FL. OZ. Now they are 5 FL. OZ. and 12 FL. OZ. respectively. So, the 5-1/3 FL. OZ. small can equals 5 FL. OZ. plus 2 teaspoonfuls. You can use the old mathematical proportion calculator to adjust recipe quantities respectively. That equation is: a:b=c:d. By plugging in three known quantities, you can calculate the adjustment. I hope that having the old mathematical proportion calculator at your fingertips helps you adjust your recipes.
That’s like graham cracker crumbs and Nestles chocolates chips and eagle brand – all in my recipe and all have changed their size to much smaller.
This will be pure guess work with my cookies. So angry –
I feel if enough consumers would contact manufacturers about the lesser product (smaller can, or less weight in packaged products) and being charged the same or a higher price they may reconsider the next change. It has to cost them to adjust their production lines etc.
When cake mix size went from 18.25 oz. to 16.25 oz. I must have been the only one to complain to DH, BC, and Pillsbury—they all told me “it makes the same size cake.” Well no it doesn’t and if it did, what did they “bulk” it up with to have it make the same size cake as before?? The mixes are now down to 15.25 oz. I choose not to buy them anymore, too many not so healthy ingredients in them.
Waxed paper used to come 100 feet to a roll then it went to 75 feet with no reduction in price—I was told, “consumers like the smaller size more.” What consumer would like that!!!
Even toilet tissue used to come 500 double sheets to a roll for about $.49, yes 49 cents for a four pack, now what are they? Scott tissue has been 1000 single sheets to a roll as far back as the 1980’s and maybe before that. I understand prices must go up but keep the size the same—don’t increase the price and decrease the size of the product. Enough complaining on my part but maybe we should voice our opinion or we will be buying 2 or 3 of the smaller size product to make a recipe.
Manufacturers are desperately battling inflation.
There will never be enough angry cooks to offset angry moms and dads at the checkout.
Food manufacturers communicate sneakiness and as a consumer I feel deceived when so many food products have shrunk, but the price has increased. It is a reminder that we must be specific in our measurements when we list ingredients in our recipes. Thank you for this obvious issue that I have not heard any one else openly talk about.
My pleasure, Lynn. I think we were using specific ingredient listings before, just focusing on using an entire bag or can, such as 1 (12-ounce) bag. For older recipes, that doesn’t work anymore.
Baker’s Chocolate reduced theirs too! Their unsweetened bars came in 8 oz packages. Now they come in 4 oz “New! Easy break bar!” Unsure if they are the same amount as the original 8oz packages or a few cents less. When companies produce smaller packages they say it’s for the “convenience” of their customers. I just don’t see the convenience of a 4lb bag of sugar or a 12 oz bag of nuts.
Yes! And the Baker’s “squares” are no longer 1 oz. . . . so if your recipe says “1 square” it is useless if you don’t “know” that 1 square used to equal 1 ounce. I think they put the conversion on the box, but at some point people aren’t going to know whether the recipe meant the old square or the new square. Very annoying.
And I happened to work at a sugar company when the size of a bag of sugar went from 5 lbs to 4 lbs. It was not about convenience, it was about making it seem like the price wasn’t going up. I pointed out that I had a storage container that was the perfect size for 5 lbs of sugar and that I would notice that it wasn’t filling up . . . but as far as I can tell, MOST people don’t notice and don’t actually pay attention to price/ounce.
Exactly. Your beloved old recipes from grandma that call for one square will flummox you now (I love a reason to use that word!). And when you write recipes, you will of course call for 1 square and include the weight.
I just wrote in the comments about my experience with a smaller bag of sugar not filling up the can, so I know exactly what you mean.
I suppose we can’t stop prices from fluctuating, and I don’t think that is what bothers us. What bothers us is the fluctuating (shrinking) sizes!
Oh yes, we do notice. There just doesn’t seem to be anything one can do about it. Can’t help but wonder if this isn’t part of the American anger being shown in the latest elections.
Well, in the case of Baker’s Chocolate, now you can call for 2 4-ounce bars but you don’t have to change your recipe, so that strikes me as a pretty good outcome.
I had this issue with sugar at the supermarket the other day. The small package looked too small for my 1930s metal can, and the large package was way too big. Whatever size used to fit no longer exists.
It’s funny that this is your topic today. I was looking at that very subject over the weekend. I have a recipe for carrot cake that calls for a can of crushed pineapple. As I was looking at the cans in the supermarket, one had 8.5 oz, the other had 8 oz.
I decided to purchase the smaller size because pineapple is a very moist product and I didn’t want to take a chance that the cake had too much product and might be soggy in the middle and overbaked on the sides.
I sort of feel that it might depend on whether you are cooking or baking. Baking is more exacting than cooking but it certainly is a big question.
I bet a lot of my readers love to bake! I sure do. Funny that you were grappling with the same issue, Lynn.
I hope the recipe stated the size of a can! Otherwise you’d have to assume it was those one of those flat ones, but they do come in bigger sizes too. I guess .5 ounce is not a big difference, and it sounds like you made a good decision.
Yogurt has just done me in. The 8-ounce containers are now history. Again, the price didn’t change, the size of the container did. An industry insider told me it was a move to save money– and keep calorie counts on yogurt where consumers wanted them to be.
Yeah, Marge. I have noticed the same thing.
Forget the calorie count. It’d always a money issue
Yeah, Marge. I have noticed the same thing.
Forget the calorie count. It’s always a money issue
Fascinating about the reason for the downsizing, eh?
I guess yogurt is a moving target for recipe writers. What if you write a recipe that calls for 8 ounces of plain yogurt. First of all, you can’t find plain yogurt in a small size anymore, as almost all are flavored. Second, the size is less than 8 ounces, so home cooks have to buy a quart. Not everyone wants 3 cups of leftover plain yogurt.
You’ve just said what I’ve been thinking for a long time. My pumpkin pie recipe came originally from my mother when a can of Libby’s pumpkin was 16 oz. The cans are now 15 oz, which I think makes a pie that looks borderline skimpy. I like a pie that looks full and sumptuous, not one that looks like you were short just a little bit of pumpkin. I have at times borrowed from another can. Of course, I had to use up the rest of that can so I made pumpkin muffins. Thank you for voicing a universal annoyance.
Shirl
Yes, my girlfriend now makes her pumpkin pie from the NEW recipe on the back of the reduced can of Libby’s puree, so it turns out fine. I hate the idea of borrowing two lousy tablespoons from another can, because then you have to figure out what to do with the rest of it.
Dianne, all,
I worked in a food company some time ago and in my experience, the drivers behind decisions on sizes are of completely business nature and very much focused on target client audience. As Marge indicates, if clients want the calorie counts to be at a specific point, then companies would do what it takes to match the clients’expectations.
>> “Do canned goods makers have any idea how it affects recipe developers and cooks when they reduce their can sizes?”
Personally, I do not think they reason about any implications that changes in size might have for recipe developers. I think, we should simply accept it, there is no way food companies take recipe developers as a key market force.
What about using a scale? In Franch cookbooks all amounts are listed in a way that assumes the reader has a scale (e.g. a tarte tatin recipe specifies using 8 grams of vanille: -))
Just a thought….
Have a great week!
Hmm, how interesting! Yes of course, they do not care about us. They care about consumers. We are also consumers, but in this case, we are frustrated recipe developers.
Using weights would not make a difference. For many recipe writers, a great recipe is about the convenience of using a full bag or can of something, no matter what the weight.
I think just accepting it gives manufacturers the right away to do whatever they choose. Consumers have a voice and they need to express their opinion in a polite way because the cost is increasing —they are now buying two containers in order to make a recipe—manufacturers sales go up, great bottom line for them, it costs us more, and sometimes leftover product is being thrown away. We do have a voice and yes, it’s sometimes inconvenient to take the time to express our opinion but cost of the product at some point will matter. Happy cooking/baking.
On a lighter note, imagine my relief when I saw we had gone through what a thought was a half-gallon of ice cream, only to note that it was 1.5 quarts 😉
I am so glad to read this post, as so many of my recipes are older family ones that are a mess to sort out, especially recipes that call for making a custard, such as pumpkin pie.
Hah! Yes, there is something good about those smaller amounts of ice cream. Studies have shown that the bigger the container, the more we eat.
As someone who cherishes old family recipes and loves old cookbooks, I feel your pain. Such a hassle when canned goods are no longer the same size. Sometimes in family recipes they just wrote one small can etc. without indicating the ounces, which makes it even worse. Depending on the ingredient I decide if I feel it is imperative to add the extra tiny amount or not and hope for the best and make note for the next time around.
I suppose that’s all you can do — make a note of the right size of the can and at least you will know what you’re dealing with next time around. It is a sad time for people who love to cook from older cookbooks.
Diane, do you believe that recipe developers will now begin to change the amounts called for recipes to accommodate the new cans/packages?
Sam
They should. I am a big believer in using the entire can or bag. I hate to waste stuff or figure out what to do with yet more pumpkin puree.
Have a thought for those of us that follow US recipes but don’t have the size equivalents of ounces and pounds! We are forever converting the amount of ‘one can’ or trying to guess when there is no size given at all and the size of the can is just taken as a given. I looked at a recipe last week that calls for a ‘stick of butter’ – just how much is that? Butter doesn’t come in ‘sticks’ in Australia!
Any good US recipe writer always lists more than one amount in this case, ex. 1 stick of butter (4 tablespoons). Otherwise you annoy the heck out of readers elsewhere.
Thanks for that Dianne. But did you know that a tablespoon measurement in Australia is 20ml but in the US it is 15ml? So even that advice is confusing to those outside of the US!
I didn’t know the specifics, but I know they are different. Did you know that even here in the US, if you take 5 tablespoons and weigh their amounts, they will be different? I saw a story on that once and have never forgotten it.
1 stick butter is 8 tablespoons or 1/2 cup, right? That one causes confusion here in the Philippines as most butters come in 225g bars (1 cup worth). Only a handful of brands have 115g sticks. And then, there is one European brand that is 200g a bar.
That is correct. If only the US would go metric. At least you could have comparable weights of butter!
Recipes that just say “1 large can” drive me crazy because I’ve seen them shrink at least twice in my lifetime.
On a side note, note that 2×4 piece of lumber isn’t 2″ x 4″ anymore either… The shrinkage is across industries.
Our 9-inch cake boards are actually 8.75 inches only (soarethe other sizes) ! So imagine my frustration when i make multi tier cakes…
I suppose that if you’re a professional, 1/4 inch makes a lot of difference.
Frankly I would rather pay a little more and keep the sizes the same than lessening the quality and the quantity. Yep! We’ve noticed a shift in quality also. I suppose the companies hope that we don’t notice but they are wrong. Do you think as consumers we can change their methods? Of course, now they would have to manufacture cans and bags with the original size.
Me too. I’d pay more to keep the sizes the same. I’m not sure that we can make a difference as consumers, but you never know. Someone would have to start a social media campaign.
You know what’s ironic: they keep reducing their sizes but we Americans are still obese.
The can is smaller and Americans are still obese because “they” have lied to us all these years (from the 1950’s) about fat. Fat is a healthy food and all the low-fat nonsense was purposely perpetrated to make money for the vegetable oil manufacturers who lost their market when WWII was over. (http://www.nytimes.com/2002/07/07/magazine/what-if-it-s-all-been-a-big-fat-lie.html)
It is kind of ironic that the sizes are smaller and we are still obese as a people, Christina. Whether the reason is fat I can’t say.
I feel your pain and frustration-y’all. Been there. Alas the world is changing and the only thing I can do is be smarter and more flexible by:
Using substitutes ( like the sweet potato- Loved that!)
Make sure cups, weights are included in my recipes instead of can size.
Freeze leftovers or find ways to use up excess- trying to put a positive spin by perhaps creating a new recipe.
Loved all the comments.
Loved all the comments. I feel you’all pain and frustration. Been there.
The world is ever changing so my best approach is to get a little smarter and more flexible by:
Including, cups, weight of ingredients in my recipes
Find a way to use up rest of ingredients, maybe create a new recipe or just freeze it for later use.
Rose
Just wait until 1-cup measuring cups become 6 ounces in size to save material costs! (OK, just testing comment notification, but wanted to say something.)
Hah! That will be a nightmare indeed.
(I must reply as I see Rose Mark is above — we need to meet!)
I agree package changes get us flummoxed! But in the case of the pumpkin, most likely 1 oz. will not make a difference. As for the chocolate squares, that’s different. However, it’s also possible that for your pumpkin recipe the author wrote 16oz, not realizing that a standard ‘1lb’ can could be 15-17oz. A ‘number 1’ size can (can size standard) holds appx 2 cups by volume and ranges from 15-17oz. And bottom line is we can’t beat those marketers though we can complain!
This is excellent information Rosemary! It’s good to know that a “standard” can is variable. Thanks.
So, do you feel you have to keep updating your online recipes if product sizes change? No one has addressed that.
I’m glad you wrote this, Dianne. I thought I was losing my mind. Every now and then, I think, “Didn’t beans used to come in one-pound cans? I could swear they did.” At least I know now that it’s not me.
I know! I go through that too. And people have educated me that it’s happening to just about everything in a package or can, not just beans.
I think this situation will make American (or anywhere, really) recipe developers, recipe writers and bloggers aware of the dilemma and difficulties faced by bakers and cooks overseas, in different countries. The research I have to do to understand what “one package dry yeast” represents… and I know the French do it, too, so it isn’t just Americans who do it. But now with everything gone global, blogs on the internet and cookbook accessible everywhere in the world, no one should be writing recipes for “one can”, “one packet” or “one anything” anymore at least without writing down weight/volume. Whew, I finally got that off of my chest. But I do understand the aggravation of this.
Yes, it must be very frustrating. Any good recipe writer knows not to give just one measurement for an ingredient when it’s as vague as a package or a can. They must include weight or volume. But then, you don’t always find well-written recipes from home cooks.
I have a mac and cheese recipe that was my Mom’s that I still can duplicate due to changes in jar ounces and pasta pounds. Also, it is bad enough when they changes the sizes, but it is worse when they stop making the product you need. I have a cookie recipe my kids loved but the mint chocolate wafers used to make the brown-eyed Susans is no longer made. This is a frustration for all cooks, as well as food writers. Hate it, hate it, hate it.
Oh yes, I remember those wafers. I guess you’re stuck with plain chocolate now Pat. Very frustrating indeed.
Yet another good reason to use weight. I’m through with baking recipes using volume measurements. Give me weights any day, grams preferred. Once you go metric, you’ll never look back. Buy a $20 scale and baking becomes so much easier. I routinely avoid cookbooks & recipes that do not provide weight alternatives to volume measurements. I wish more publishers would force authors to include weights!
They will probably force authors to use weights as soon as the US goes metric! But meanwhile, some cookbook publishers do like metric measurements, and others are open to the cookbook author using them.
Dear Dianne,
First of all, I would like to say thank you for your blog. Every time I read it I always find something interesting and useful for myself. Your recent post is very useful for all of us. We have to pay attention to the fact that manufacturers change the product sizes. I also feel very disappointed about it. To show my gratitude and appreciation, I would like to share a very good free app with you. It is called Carde and it is at http://www.carde-app.com. I’ve discovered recently. All image content of top social networks is there, so it saves time. I will be looking forward to your feedback. Thank you again and have a magic winter time! I will be waiting impatiently for your new posts!
Thank you Iryna. I had not heard of this new app.
Very interesting article… Australian cans are often between 400-440g and I too note that some quantities of items are stealthily weighing less with time. You’ve made wonderful points… As as Aussie it is frustrating to read ‘one stick of butter’… or 125ml of ‘half and half’… and my immediate reaction is: ‘what?!!’. Of course our tablespoon measures vary too… including weights in recipes is a good thing.
I have just read all your blogs about packet sizes changing and the last comments about going metric. I am a cookbook author who is adapting recipes for people who have food intolerances and believe me it is very frustrating. I know our measurements here in Australia are different to the US and both our measurements are different to other countries so I often try to use the cup and spoon measurements as they are easier to manage. Every country has cups and spoons. I also try to convert each weight three ways but again this is difficult. At the moment I am trying to work out just how much a 30oz can of crushed pineapple is and 420ml of granulated sugar is in grams because ml is a liquid weight not a dry weight. I know all your frustrations and the big companies just don’t care. In my cookbooks, I try to keep everything as close as I can to the recipe I am adapting, to use fresh ingredients and not store bought. So a cup of fresh pumpkin puree is better, although not as quick to opening a can, and can taste even better. Australian cups hold more than US ones but to me the only difference is we get a bit more. Recently, I have noticed that our measuring cups and spoons have changed to the US measures; hence, we can’t follow recipes now because of that and scales are not very accurate either. I am adapting some 50 year old, old Australian country recipes for my latest book and that is very hard yakka as the directions are not very clear and you have to work out what some of the cooks were using. Anyway, all those who like to cook will, all those who love to cook will continued to do so with love and all those who don’t like to cook will still eat whatever is put in front of them when they are hungry. Have fun cooking and have a good day.
Good lord what a task you have! I once brought American tablespoons and teaspoons to an Australian friend as a gift. I thought maybe it was a dumb idea but she was grateful, since they are different in size than the Australian ones. Best of luck getting this all done, Joan.
When did the amount of milk in a large tin of evaporated milk decrease? I have a recipe for Creamy Fudge that asks for large , 19oz tin of evaporated milk. It made a creamy fudge but I had not made it for some years. Today I made the recipe using a recently purchased tin of milk with disappointing results. After much thought and reading the label, I saw that the tin contained less than the recipe called for. That explained the disappointing . I guess that I should have read the label and calculated. Who knew!!
Yes, this is what is happening to can and box sizes. The reduce the size and charge the same amount. Now we all have to recalibrate our recipes. Frustrating.
I have this exact issue with pumpkin bread, my mom’s old recipe from the ‘70s calling for 16 Oz, and cans being 15 Oz Or 29 Oz for the double-sized. I recently made a double batch and scaled every other ingredient (except eggs) by about 90% because the double can is about 10% short of 32 Oz, and I got 9 mini-loaves instead of 10. Otherwise I have found any of the following work to make up the missing volume: applesauce, puréed butternut squash, even mashed banana. I had thought about sweet potato as described in the post. I’ve also tried ignoring the missing pumpkin and just using the recipe as is. It comes out ok, just a little less moist.
Well that sounds like a total pain, Robert, but you got through it all to make your pumpkin bread! That’s persistence.
I have this problem with Campbell soup cans complicated because I can’t find how large they use to be. I tried contacting the Campbell’s test kitchen but it seems to be a secret, they simply answered that the cans are 10.5 – 10.75 ounces. I know what they are now, what were they in 1970!
The only way I can think of to answer that is to look at 1970s cookbooks that used Campbell’s Soup.
My problem is a 10.5 oz can of American soup would be 297 grams, but Australian cans are 410 grams. Do I waste a quarter Of the can, or increase all the other ingredients?
Hmmm. That’s a good one! I’d waste a quarter of the can. I’m too lazy to do all the math required.
My Mom made a tomato soup cake back in the 30’s and 40’s and it called for one can of Campbells Tomato Soup. Now I am wondering if the can was bigger then and I need to buy an extra can for maybe an extra ounce or so. What do you think?
Sue Hughes
No, Campbells soups still the same size. 10.5 to 10.75
I have a old fudge recipe calling for 1 can of canned milk Since the recipe doesn’t have ounces I would like to know what size where cans of evaporated milk in 1990 ? Thank you
Sorry I have no idea, other than there was probably more in the can than now.
In the 1980’s a can of evaporated milk was 14oz. I have my mom’s hand written recipe from that time period.
Also stumbled upon an advertisement from 1909 selling a 1pt @ 10 cents.
16oz cans in 1909
A quick Google search revealed this:
“Can sizes change over time, important if you are adapting an older recipe. Prior to 1980’s), #303 was the popular size for most fruits and vegetables. Sweetened condensed milk cans now (2004) hold 14 ounces av. (formerly 15); cans of evaporated milk 5 or 12 fluid ounces (formerly 6 or 14�).” This was found on http://www.ellenskitchen.com/pantry/cansize.html
Not only have canned and packaged ingredients changed in size; I believe garlic and shallots are now much larger than when I first started cooking back in the 60s. I prefer a recipe to state a measurement for diced garlic or shallots rather than a “large shallot or garlic clove.” It is hard to find a garlic clove other than large.
Hi I have a receipt that calls for 2/3 cup of evaporated milk, the small can was just the right size, now they no longer sell that size so I have buy the big one and end up throwing the rest out
Why throw out the rest? Use the extra for coffee, hot chocolate or beat in an egg, a bit of cream, if you have it, and some sugar and steam/bake in bain marie for a nice creme brulee or flan. Can also use in sauces and stews.
Yep, that is what happens! It’s frustrating.
Can’t be helped. It’s economics. Can’t raise prices, so, they make smaller portions. Which is technically the same, just not so obvious to undiscerning consumers.
One of the chilled margarines here used to be 220g a bar. I noticed they have maintained the same price when competitors have raised prices. Looking closer, it is now smaller at 200g. But most households on a strict budget will still choose this for basic toast requirements.
I don’t know in US, but here in the Philippines, McDonald’s apple pie have shrunk by at least 40%.
Yes it is the way of the world! It’s just that old recipes don’t adapt.
I just need to vent. I’m making double chocolate brownies that call for a 12-oz package of chocolate chips divided into two cups. One cup gets melted with the butter and the other gets stirred in. Wouldn’t you know that packages are now 10 oz in the Girardelli brand. So frustrating! This was my go-to recipe to send to my college aged kids on their birthdays.
Measure 6oz to be melted. If you have any other chocolate on hand, chop up 2 oz to add into the stir in (or nuts or quartered Reese cups). Or switch it around. I like blending two different kinds of chocolate in my brownies. Tastes more interesting.
Yes, thank you Ilene for some great suggestions. For added festivity I mixed in some peanut m&m’s with the rest of the chips. All is well, but I was rather put out last night with having to improvise! I wish we could put a stop to this nonsense. Cheers!
Argh! I don’t blame you for being frustrated. It looks like Irene has a good solution.
I, personally, think they do it to sell more product. If you need 16oz, you need 2 cans. That leads to waste as well. I find it incredibly frustrating. So, yes, I adjust my recipe down, to avoid the extra purchase and the waste.
Possibly. I think they do it to charge the same price for a smaller container of product!
It’s everything anymore. Who has just 3 ppl to dinner? I know it must happen and what I’m referring to is, pre-packaged meat. Specifically beef steaks. 3 Rib-eye, 3 T-Bone, 3 New York. To buy 6 steaks for one’s dinner guest for a total of 4 is not only expensive but that’s a lot of beef. The shellfish industry is in on it also. 3 lobster tails per package. Now, I wouldn’t mind doing the 6 tails if I had a money tree though.
Don’t have the old fashioned butcher shop in our very rural county so I travel to valley where I buy beef in bulk. I then slice to my own desired thickness and vacuum seal. Costco sells many cuts in choice and prime. Which reminds me. I better get to the valley before summer bbq time. Winter best time to stock up on bulk beef. Especially Tri-Tip whole and in the bag. Much more expensive in summer.
I had no idea that these crazy sizing problems extended to beef, Donna. Thanks for letting me know.
Yes, the changes of can sizes and products is very frustrating! Also, do work with your grandkids to teach them the beauty of cooking homemade meals. During this COVID-19 I have been making dishes and taking some to a daughter and her family. I include the recipe and text or mail the grandkids other recipes to cook, too! They are enjoying learning “new” ways to prepare food. Writing letters is a great way to stay in touch with grandkids while social distancing! Mine have been learning cursive writing with Grandma’s help! I’ve enjoyed reading the comments! Thanks!
Thanks for weighing in, Anne. Sounds like you have a great relationship with the grandkids.
My mom used to make this chocolate fudge for us at Christmas time. during the 1970s. The recipe for it she left behind said to use the Carnation Evaporated Milk small can. She didn’t tell us the ounces. Can anyone confirm that the small cans were 5 OZ back then?
Thanks
In the 50s and 60s when I grew up, recipes calling for a regular can of evaporated milk meant the fluid ounces of the milk, not the weight of the milk. The regular, liquid measure, amount of milk in a small can of evaporated milk used to be 5-1/3 FL. OZ. The regular, liquid measure, amount of a large can of evaporated milk used to be 13 FL. OZ. Now they are 5 FL. OZ. and 12 FL. OZ. respectively. So, the 5-1/3 FL. OZ. small can equals 5 FL. OZ. plus 2 teaspoonfuls. You can use the old mathematical proportion calculator to adjust recipe quantities respectively. That equation is: a:b=c:d. By plugging in three known quantities, you can calculate the adjustment. I hope that having the old mathematical proportion calculator at your fingertips helps you adjust your recipes.
I just resurrected a holiday recipe from the 1960’s that calls for a 15 ounce can of sweetened condensed milk. Now the cans are 14 ounces. That’s maddening.
For pumpkin pies, I buy the larger size can and measure out 2 cups, since the old 16 ounce can became 15 ounces. It’s more expensive and it’s wasteful, but I won’t tamper with my recipe.
The worst is what they did to cake mixes! The new mixes make fewer cupcakes and shrunken cakes. I stopped buying them, and now make my cakes from scratch. They lost a customer for life (not that they care).
It is, but probably 1 ounce less won’t make a huge difference. I would try it anyway.
Re cake mixes, I’ve read that people are so used to their taste and texture that they no longer like real cakes from scratch. I hope that’s not true! Good luck.
That makes sense. My mom’s old fanny farmer fudge recipe (cut out of the newspaper in the 1970’s I think) calls for 1 can of evaporated milk approximately 15 ounces. I make my own evaporated milk on the stove. Thanks for giving me the exact amount. I will write on the recipe.
It has never occured to me to make my own evaporated milk! That’s quite an accomplishment, Kristin.
can sizes themselves have changed, I learned about the 303. #2 etc, cans are no longer standard!
I just happened upon this site while doing a Google search regarding evaporated milk can sizes…so satisfying to see how many others are as miffed as I am about manufacturers changing sizes of cans, boxes, bags, etc. I love using old recipes from my mom’s (born in 1919) and grandma’s (born in 1898) generations and I’ve had to use the internet on numerous occasions to help me figure out how to convert them for “modern” ingredients. Thanks for being here!
I’m glad you’re doing the research. I’m sure it helps.
I have a recipe that calls for 1 jar of baby jr carrots. Made it and it was half the size of the former cake. Mfr claims baby food jars did not change size. Does anyone have an 1960:era jar they can measure for ounces? Thanks.
As someone who bakes everything from scratch, including making my own evaporated and condensed milk, pumpkin puree etc. It is extremely frustrating when ounce measurements for these things are not listed. I also weigh my ingredients so I prefer having ingredients listed in grams, then I don’t have to take the time to convert the recipe.
Definitely. Thanks for the comment, Kristin.