Canned Food UK has launched a new consumer campaign with TV chef and author Theo Michaels, using food memories and cooking inspiration to promote the versatility and convenience of canned foods.

The campaign comprises two content series, My Life in Cans and Canned Cupboard Staples, which aim to highlight the role canned ingredients continue to play in UK kitchens.

In My Life in Cans, Michaels reflects on canned foods associated with different stages of his life, including tinned peas from his student days, fruit cocktail as a childhood treat and condensed milk on toast, which his mother used to make.

The accompanying Canned Cupboard Staples series focuses on ingredients that consumers may overlook, with Michaels selecting canned green beans, anchovies and peaches as products that can add flavour and variety to everyday meals.

“Food is about much more than what ends up on the plate. It has an incredible ability to connect us to places, people and moments in our lives,” Michaels said.

“Many of us have canned ingredients that remind us of childhood, family traditions or important life stages.

“At the same time, canned foods continue to be some of the most versatile ingredients we can keep at home. From anchovies that transform a simple pasta sauce to a tin of green beans that can elevate everything from salads to casseroles.”

The initiative forms part of Canned Food UK’s ongoing consumer campaign promoting canned foods on the grounds of convenience, affordability, shelf life and recyclability.

Canned Food UK is managed by the Metal Packaging Manufacturers Association (MPMA), which represents the UK metal packaging sector.

Jason Galley, director and chief executive of the MPMA, said: “Theo Michaels has a real talent for bringing canned ingredients to life. Whether it’s a family favourite or creating a new recipe for Canned Food UK, Theo shares our passion for helping people make the most of the ingredients they already have at home.

“Theo’s approachable style and enthusiasm for great food make him the perfect person to inspire people to think differently about what’s in their store cupboard and to celebrate the role canned foods play in everyday life.”

The My Life in Cans and Canned Cupboard Staples content will run across Canned Food UK’s digital and social media channels, featuring recipes, videos and cooking inspiration from Michaels.