Tuna Salad That Might Live Forever

StarKist Tuna Salad Sandwich-Ready

I Paid: $1.49 for a 3-ounce pouch (prices may vary by region)

Taste: 4 stars

Marketing: 2 stars

Is this tuna salad the equivalent of the Twinkie? That is, will it live for a very, very, very long time if left on the shelf? Perhaps. StarKist has created a sandwich-ready tuna salad in a little aluminum-style pouch that you open and then scrape onto bread.

If you're a cubicle slave with a need to eat tuna sandwiches, this could be a nifty invention. Not only do you not have to make your own tuna salad (granted, not very hard), but you can also cut down on the smelliness of transport, opening the packet only in a secure environment where you won't offend coworkers. It could also be a great invention for backpackers, cyclists, or other athletes who like to eat tuna but might not have access to refrigeration.

So how does it perform? The texture of StarKist's Tuna Salad is relatively fine but palatable, and there's a very assertive celery flavor that is both balancing and tasty. The mayo component is conservative—this isn't just a big smear of mayo with a bit of tuna; it's a tuna-heavy dish, albeit one that could use a bit of a pepper or Tabasco kick to it.

If it's convenient for you to have a few packets of premade tuna salad lining your pantry, by all means stock up—this is a pretty elegant realization of that particular gastronomic vision.

James Norton edits the Upper Midwestern food journal Heavy Table. He's also the coauthor of a book on Wisconsin's master cheesemakers. For his Supertaster Daily videos, he samples offerings from supermarket aisles and fast-food menus. (Click here to see all of James's previous Supertaster work.) You can follow him on Twitter and fan him on Facebook.