Best Sardines for Beginners

Beginners should start skinless and boneless, in olive oil, ideally flavoured. Season and King Oscar skinless & boneless are the gateway; Fishwife's lemon tin is the upgrade.

The brands behind this list

• Fishwife — best for beginners, premium tier
• King Oscar — best for beginners, mid tier
• Wild Planet — best for health optimizers, mid tier
• Nuri (Conservas Pinhais) — best for collectors, premium tier
• Bela — best for beginners stepping up, mid-premium tier

Tasting scores publish as each tin is tasted; until then this list ranks on packing style, sourcing, availability and tier value - the criteria are stated so you can disagree usefully.

Get the free Sardine Starter Kit: the 6 tins to buy first, by budget.