People Have A Blast On Social Media Over Water-Filled Ocean Spray Cranberry Sauce Cans

This is a holiday meal truism for many folks: It’s not cranberry sauce unless it retains the shape of the can, ribbing and all, as it plops onto the plate.

Things didn’t work out so well for some Thanksgiving cooks this year. Anticipating a cylindrical, gelatinous mass inside the Ocean Spray cans, some instead found water, according to videos circulating on social media.

Ocean Spray told NBC News it is “aware of a few reports about cans containing water instead of cranberry sauce, and we’re looking into how this may have happened.”

“Millions of families enjoyed their cranberry sauce this holiday season, but even one can of sauce not meeting expectations matters to us,” Ocean Spray said. “We’ve reached out to the folks who shared these videos to learn more and make it right.”

A TikTok user whose video has received hundreds of thousands of interactions was surely disappointed after all the trouble involved in opening three cans, all of which contained only water.

Instead of a can opener, she used a knife, tapping it hard enough with her fist to pierce the aluminum can.

“I’m more stressed by how you’re opening these,” one user said.

This was a major theme in the conversation until someone defended the method with this, “That’s old school, baby; that’s a life skill learned from the elders, baby.”

“Y’all worried about the can opener the whole time, not realizing this is pure talent — to be able to use a knife and strategically open a can and not cut yourself,” someone else said.

“I’m more impressed by your can opening than I am appalled about the lack of cranberry sauce,” another person said.

There were plenty of appalled people to go around, though.

A Facebook video shows a cranberry sauce enthusiast opening the last of four cans that all contained water.

One person wondered, “How many other families suffered that traumatic experience?”

“I would be good and doggone mad,” someone else chimed in.

“I would’ve been hotter than fish grease!” another person added.

The problem hasn’t been unique to Ocean Spray. Social media posts also regale the disappointment of people who thought they were opening Del Monte green beans only to find beets instead. Del Monte has not publicly responded to the reports.

“People discovering Del Monte’s cans of green beans being filled with beets instead of green beans is the best metaphor for 2025,” one person said on Threads.

“Oh, no, will there be beet casserole with French fried onions?” someone asked.

‘Just cracked open our can,” another person said. “We’re safe from the Great Beetscapade of 2025.

• Related: Put These Holiday Meal Fails From Real Cooks On The ‘Don’t Do’ List