What Exactly Is Canned Brown Bread — And How New Englanders Eat It

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Is there anything they can't can? If you're from New England or watch "SpongeBob SquarePants," you know about canned bread. If not, you're likely in the dark on how and why they can bread, who actually eats this, and whether it tastes good. We're here to answer all your round brown bread questions.

Canned bread has a surprisingly long history. It's a New England delicacy not only because that's where the main company associated with canned bread is located, but also because of traditions stretching back centuries. It begins with the brown bread of the region, which came about because early settlers realized rye grew better than wheat in the area. These settlers more likely steamed their bread than baked it, too, because there was more access to open fires than ovens. When they wanted to sweeten their bread, they turned to molasses, which had come to New England via trade routes at the time. So steamed brown bread with molasses was a New England tradition for hundreds of years, and in the 20th century, it ended up in a preservation-friendly can.

This is thanks to B&M, founded in Portland, Maine, in 1867. You may know B&M today for its baked beans, another New England staple, but it has canned just about everything from meats to veggies. In 1928, the brand unveiled the locally beloved steamed brown bread in a can, both in plain and raisin-studded versions. Affordable and shelf-stable, these cans made this bread even more prevalent in New England homes.

There are plenty of clever ways to use canned brown bread, from seafood-based appetizers to apple pies. Canned bread is even a great breakfast option for an upgraded avocado toast. But if you want to enjoy it in its most traditional manner, refer to New England customs. 

Many New Englanders see it more as a cake, whether they're eating canned bread in a savory way or not. It is, after all, a steamed, dense bread with molasses. Some grew up eating B&M bread as a sweet snack or dessert. Regardless of the bread-versus-cake debate, though, there's a singular classic meal: brown bread, baked beans, and sliced hot dogs.

If you weren't sold on canned bread before, this might convince you. The molasses in the beans and bread complement each other in sweetness, balanced by savoriness and salt. It's the ultimate comfort meal. Perhaps it's no wonder there's been a resurgence in canned bread popularity in recent years — it's tasty, cheap, lasts far longer than conventional bread, and is versatile in how it's eaten. Plus, plenty of people have nostalgia for it and spread the word when they move.

By 2022, B&M had moved operations to the Midwest, which sadly takes the company out of New England but stands to broadcast canned bread goodness farther and wider. You can find B&M bread in a can on Amazon, and there are also copycat recipes if you want to make your own.