DIY Flavored Tuna Packets 5 Ways

These DIY Flavored Tuna Packets are even better than the store-bought version, homemade with less than 5 ingredients each! One can of tuna makes two flavors, so mix and match your favorites like lemon pepper or garlic herb!

What are the ingredients in these DIY Flavored Tuna Packets 5 Ways?

Each of these homemade flavored tuna packets has a maximum of five ingredients. Each of them needs half a can of tuna, plus a little oil, and most of them can be made with pantry ingredients or things you might already have on hand. Here are the ingredients in each of the five flavors:

Lemon Pepper Tuna

Along with the 1/2 can tuna packed in water, this flavor needs lemon juice, and fresh ground black pepper. Since the lemon juice adds moisture, we just need to add 1/2 teaspoon olive oil. I like to add a pinch of salt as well.

Sweet Heat Tuna

This flavor surprised me! To the 1/2 can tuna packed in water, add honey and Sriracha, plus the 1/2 teaspoon olive oil, and a pinch of salt to balance the sugar and spice.

Buffalo Tuna

Our most loved flavor, if you take that extra little step and add the stalk of celery. Additionally to the 1/2 can tuna packed in water, you’re adding Frank’s Red Hot buffalo sauce and black pepper, plus the olive oil.

Garlic Herb Tuna

A go-to flavor with pantry ingredients: with the 1/2 can tuna packed in water, mix garlic powder, Italian seasoning, and 1 teaspoon olive oil. The fresh parsley and salt are optional but make it even better.

Chili Lime Tuna

Another unlikely flavor, but tangy and delicious. Combine the 1/2 can tuna packed in water with lime juice and chili powder, plus a 1/2 teaspoon olive oil and an optional pinch of salt to balance the citrus.

Related: Read 16 Make-Ahead Cold Lunch Ideas now!

Equipment you’ll need to make your own DIY Flavored Tuna Packets:

There’s not much specific equipment you need to make these tuna packets, but I do have one recommendation:

You’ll need meal prep containers or some kind of food-safe ‘packet’ to keep your tuna in. Even though it’s not shaped like a packet, these 2 Compartment Glass Meal Prep Containers (affiliate link!) work wonders for keeping the tuna and crackers stored separately.

How to make DIY Flavored Tuna Packets:

The first step is to decide what two flavor options you’re going to try (or double one flavor!). Gather those ingredients and ignore the ingredients listed for the other flavors. Don’t forget your can of tuna. For more information on canned tuna, check out this Canned Tuna Guide from Martha Stewart.

The second step (and probably most important) is to evenly divide your can of tuna in half. Open the can and drain the liquid out. Give it to your cats. Then, use a scale to measure out 2 ounces of tuna into a bowl.

Use another bowl to measure out the rest of the tuna from the can, which should be close to 2 ounces. They don’t have to be *exactly* equal, but as close as possible, so your portions are the same size.

Make one flavor at a time, adding the listed ingredients for that flavor, mixing and then giving it a taste to see how it is. Remember, you can always add more, but it can be hard or impossible to remove. If you’re unsure, add less of the ingredient first, then taste and see what it needs.

You can enjoy the flavored tuna now or portion it into a food storage container. I put mine into 2 compartment meal prep containers with some Simple Mills crackers – they stayed crisp in the fridge!

Bonus flavors:

We went with the most popular ‘packet’ flavors sold at the grocery store, but that doesn’t mean I’m out of flavor ideas! Here are more ideas I tested less often, but they would still work if you love the flavor concept. To the half can of tuna, add:

hickory smoke: 1/8 teaspoon liquid smoke + 1 teaspoon olive oil + pinch of salt
bacon ranch: 1/2 teaspoon Ranch seasoning + 1 heaping tablespoon bacon bits + 1 teaspoon olive oil
dill pickle: 1 roughly diced dill pickle + 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 tablespoon pickle juice + 1/2 teaspoon olive oil + pinch of salt

Best tips for making homemade tuna packets:

Here are my best tips for making these homemade tuna packets in your own kitchen:

• Measure the ingredients. This is especially important when cooking or baking in small quantities. Adding too much of a seasoning can easily stand out. Less room for error!
• Taste and then adjust. I encourage you to give the creations a taste and see how you like it. If the flavors aren’t standing out as much as you want, try adding a pinch of salt first.
• Higher quality tuna will likely taste better. I prefer the bigger filets/chunks from one fish, so I avoid anything that says ‘chunk light’.

What to serve with DIY Flavored Tuna Packets:

Serve any of these flavored tuna packets with your favorite crackers. I recommend going with a sea salt flavored cracker so they be used for any kind of flavored tuna you make.

I love Simple Mills Sea Salt crackers. These crackers also hold up after being in the fridge for a few days, so you can pack them up together with the tuna.

How to meal prep these Flavored Tuna Packets:

This recipe is a perfect fit for meal prep. Simply make the recipe as directed and you’ll end up with two portions of flavored tuna ‘packets’ which can be stored in airtight containers in the fridge.

How to store leftover Flavored Tuna:

Add any leftovers or portions to an airtight meal prep container with lid and store in the fridge for up to 3 days.