Product review: John West ready to eat salmon fillets
John West ready to eat salmon fillets are convenient to-go protein alternatives to canned salmon. They come in 4 flavours and can be found in supermarkets.
John West ready to eat salmon fillets
These products are available in the canned fish aisle of supermarkets. They come in cardboard boxes containing a plastic pouch with the salmon inside. The pouch has indentations for easy tear. The torn pouch can be placed in a container (otherwise it’ll leak) and microwaved for 30 seconds, but you can also enjoy the product cold, depending on what you are eating it with.
John West ready to eat salmon fillets currently come in 4 flavours: Lemon & Cracked Pepper, Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Soy & Ginger, Chilli and Hint of Zesty Lemon.
Ingredients
I decided to give these products a go because they contain minimal and very simple ingredients. The one with extra virgin olive oil actually contains extra virgin olive oil and no other filler oils. 3 out of the 4 contain zero added sugar, and the one that contains sugar (soy & ginger) has very little.
- John West Salmon Fillet with Lemon & Cracked Pepper: Salmon (fish) (83%), water, lemon (7%), salt, pepper (0.5%).
- John West Salmon Fillet with Extra Virgin Olive Oil: Salmon (fish) (86%), water, extra virgin olive oil (5%), salt.
- John West Salmon Fillet with Soy & Ginger: Salmon (fish) (90%), soy & ginger (10%) [soy sauce (wheat, milk, egg), ginger, water, sugar].
- John West Salmon Fillet Chilli With Hint Of Zesty Lemon: Salmon (fish) (82%), water, lemon (7%), chilli (1.4%), salt.
Nutrition information
The tables below show the nutrient content per serving, which is 77g for the Lemon & Cracked Pepper flavour and 100g for the others.
Note the protein content for these products is 15-21 grams so I recommend adding extra protein in the form of egg(s), legumes, cheese, or consider having 2 fillets as the protein component of your meal.
| Nutrient per serving | Lemon & Cracked Pepper | Extra Virgin Olive Oil | Soy & Ginger | Chilli With Hint Of Zesty Lemon |
| Energy (kJ) | 327 | 533 | 463 | 325 |
| Protein (g) | 15.4 | 21.1 | 20.1 | 15.2 |
| Fat, total (g) | 1.8 | 4.7 | 2.4 | 1.8 |
| – Saturated (g) | 0.5 | 1.1 | 0.7 | 0.5 |
| – Trans (g) | <1.0 | <1.0 | <1.0 | <1.0 |
| – Polyunsaturated (g) | 0.8 | 1.1 | 1 | 0.8 |
| – Omega-3 (mg) | 647 | 630 | 760 | 647 |
| – Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) (mg) | 154 | 170 | 250 | 154 |
| – Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) (mg) | 493 | 460 | 510 | 493 |
| – Monounsaturated (g) | 0.5 | 2.5 | 0.7 | 0.5 |
| Carbohydrate (g) | <1.0 | <1.0 | 1.9 | <1.0 |
| – Sugars (g) | <1.0 | <1.0 | 1.8 | <1.0 |
| Sodium (mg) | 308 | 400 | 400 | 308 |
Taste test
The key to enjoying these salmon fillets is to taste them with the correct expectations. They won’t be as good as fresh, properly cooked salmon, but I believe they taste better than canned salmon.
As most shelf-stable pre-cooked fish products, these are on the dry, overcooked side. Taste-wise I found the flavourings very mild but pleasant. What they lack in culinary quality, they have in convenience.
Another advantage over flavoured canned salmon is the ingredients, as mentioned above.
One disadvantage of these fillets compared to some canned salmon is that they are skineless and boneless, which means they have less of some nutrients such as omega-3 fatty acids and calcium.
More information
For more information about John West salmon ready to eat check their website.
This website is for educational and informational purposes only. Click here if you need personalised nutrition advice.
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