When I was little, my mom used to take my sister and I to Costco. One thing that we always tried to keep in our pantry were cans of Kirkland Signature tuna.

Homemade tuna salad was an integral part of my childhood food memory. 

It was at a Costco sample cart that I had my first bite of tuna salad, atop a plain Carr’s cracker.

Since that momentous day, tuna has made a constant appearance in my family’s snack toolbox. It’s a go-to weapon that we reached for when the munchies attacked. It got to the point that at Subway, I craved tuna salad subs.

I know that canned tuna is thought to be the ugly weird cousin of the American protein family but I think this hearty, substantial food should become a staple in all of our culinary lives.

Since then I have fallen out of touch with tuna, opting for more “grownup” protein options like tofu, chicken and steak. I didn’t miss it much, really. It was always on the bottom of the backside of a menu. Restaurants probably made one tub a day, since so few people look to satiate their hunger with a large heaping serving of…tuna salad?!…but I am proud to be in that minority.

A toast to tuna salad for being reintroduced to my life. I don’t care if people judge me for visiting what is arguably the loneliest corner of the salad bar. Every bite reminds me of my childhood.

How do I like it best? With some mayo, lots of honey mustard, spices, and on top of Carr’s crackers.

---

Hi, I can’t stop listening to this song. I have a guy from my journalism class last quarter to thank:

And this is a fantastic remix of Sam Geillaitry: