What Canadians Put in Their First Online Seafood Box: The Catches We Recommend Starting With

Ordering seafood online for the first time can feel like a bigger decision than it needs to be. You may be comparing species you rarely buy, wondering how much freezer space you need, and trying to choose items that will actually turn into weeknight dinners. The easiest first order starts with a simple question: what will you feel comfortable cooking in the next two weeks?

If you are searching for the best online seafood Canada has to offer, begin with a balanced mix of familiar fish, a quick-cooking shellfish option, and one catch that feels a little special. That approach gives you variety without filling your freezer with products you are unsure how to use. This guide walks through the catches we recommend starting with, how to combine them, and how to choose a box that fits your household.

Start With Seafood You Already Know How to Cook

Your first box should make meal planning easier. Start with seafood that works with cooking methods and flavors you already enjoy. If you regularly bake chicken with lemon and herbs, a mild white fish will fit naturally into the same routine. If you like sheet-pan dinners or rice bowls, salmon and shrimp give you dependable options with very little prep.

A useful first order also gives you a range of textures. One rich fish, one mild fish, and one shellfish option can cover casual dinners, lunches, and a meal you would happily serve to guests. You can build a custom box around those roles or choose a curated box if you want the selection made for you.

Choose One Rich Fish and One Mild Fish

Wild sockeye salmon is a strong anchor for a first box because it has a distinct flavor and works across familiar cooking methods. Larry’s Catch portions it as a six-ounce fillet and lists baking, grilling, and pan-searing as suitable options. Add it to a sheet pan, brush it with maple and mustard, or flake leftovers into a grain bowl. A few individually packed portions give you flexibility without committing every meal to the same fish.

Pair salmon with a mild white fish. Atlantic haddock is tender and flaky, with a flavor that welcomes the seasonings you already use. It can become fish tacos, chowder, a breadcrumb-topped bake, or a simple pan-fried dinner. Halibut is another approachable choice when you want a firmer fillet that feels suited to a weekend meal. Including one rich fish and one mild fish lets you learn what your household prefers before your next order.

For the first order, two or three portions of each fish are usually more informative than a large quantity of one species. Cook the salmon and white fish with similar seasonings, then compare what your household reaches for first. Pay attention to texture, portion size, and how well leftovers work. Those observations give you a useful shopping list for the next box.

Add Shrimp or Scallops for Fast, Flexible Meals

Shellfish gives your first box a different kind of convenience. Larry’s Catch’s coldwater shrimp is precooked, peeled, and deveined, so you can thaw only what you need and add it to pasta, salads, sandwiches, or rice bowls. It is especially useful for nights when you have little time or do not want to manage a full fillet.

Atlantic scallops bring a special-occasion option without a long ingredient list. The product is sold in an eight-ounce package with roughly five to fifteen scallops, depending on size. Scallops cook quickly in a hot pan, which makes them useful for a dinner that feels elevated but remains manageable for a new seafood cook. If you are still building confidence, choose shrimp first and save scallops for your second box.

Keep the first shellfish meal simple so you can learn the product. Thaw shrimp in the refrigerator and add it near the end of a warm dish because it is already cooked. Pat scallops dry before they reach the pan, use high heat, and give them enough room to sear. Straightforward preparation makes it easier to judge the natural flavor and texture.

Match the Box to Your Household

Quantity matters as much as variety. A first order should fit your household, freezer, and cooking frequency. Larry’s Catch offers curated boxes sized for solo customers, couples or small families, and larger households. You can also choose products individually.

- Cooking for one: prioritize individually portioned fillets and one small bag of shrimp so you can thaw a single meal at a time.

- Cooking for two: select pairs of salmon and white-fish portions, then add shrimp or scallops for a shared meal.

- Cooking for a family: increase mild white fish and quick options first, then add one premium catch for variety.

Check the current serving information on each product page while you build your order. Think in meals as well as pounds: count the weeknight dinners, lunches, and guest meals you expect the box to cover. That makes it easier to compare a custom selection with a curated box.

A curated box can be a helpful starting point when you want variety and do not have strong preferences yet. A custom box works well when allergies, dislikes, portion needs, or favorite recipes make the decision clearer. If you are unsure, choose the format that leaves you with the fewest products you would hesitate to cook. Confidence is more useful than maximum variety in a first order.

Plan for Delivery, Freezer Space, and Your First Week

Before checking out, confirm delivery for your postal code and make enough freezer space for the insulated shipment. Larry’s Catch says orders travel with dry ice and arrive frozen, and the delivery date and cost are confirmed at checkout. Keep the individual packages frozen, then move the next meal to the refrigerator the night before you plan to cook it.

Give your first box a short cooking plan as soon as it arrives. Schedule salmon for a sheet-pan dinner, haddock for tacos or chowder, shrimp for a quick lunch, and scallops for the weekend. Save two or three recipes that use pantry ingredients you already keep. A simple plan helps you use the full order while the excitement of the delivery is still fresh, and it shows you which catches deserve more space in your next box.

After your first week, note which package sizes were convenient, which fish suited your usual seasonings, and which meals you would repeat. You may discover that mild haddock disappears quickly, salmon is best saved for planned dinners, or precooked shrimp earns a permanent place in the freezer. Use that experience to adjust the balance of your next box.

Build a First Box You’ll Be Excited to Cook

A confident first seafood order does not need every species that catches your eye. Start with salmon, one mild white fish, and shrimp or scallops. Choose quantities you can picture turning into specific meals, and leave room to explore one new catch on a future order.

At Larry’s Catch, we source Canadian seafood and offer both curated and customizable ways to fill your freezer. Build your first box around the meals you already enjoy, check delivery for your postal code, and choose the catches you will be glad to cook when they reach your door.

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