They may be little, but they pack a punch — in more ways than one.

Patagonia Provisions, the eco-conscious food division of the outdoor gear company, just debuted its newest product: tinned sardines.

If you needed a reason to eat more sardines, just consider: They are a great source of omega-3s, protein, calcium and vitamin B-12. Because they feed on plankton, as opposed to other fish, they don’t have the high levels of mercury that larger fish often contain.

The sardines for Patagonia Provisions are caught by family-owned fishing boats off the coast of northern Spain, where the silvery fish are plentiful and sustainable.

I had a chance to try samples of two new varieties: Sardines packed in extra-virgin olive oil, and sardines in coconut curry.

The first thing you notice is how plump these sardines are. They are meaty and rich. For those fearing they have a strong taste, rest assured that they are fairly mild, even more so than canned tuna.

Don’t drain the delicious oil. Instead, use it drizzled atop crackers or toasted bread with the sardines. Or tossed into pasta or vegetable salads.

The coconut curry one is definitely novel. With a few diced potatoes, carrots and red bell peppers in the mix, you could even serve this on top of hot steamed rice for a quick and satisfying one-bowl meal. Or over sauteed greens or grilled eggplant. There’s gentle spiciness from cayenne, richness from a little bit of coconut milk, and a warmth from organic spices that include coriander, turmeric, fennel, fenugreek, cumin, caraway, and cinnamon.

Each 4.2-ounce tin is one serving. The coconut curry one has 140 calories, 4.5 grams saturated fat, 55 milligrams cholesterol, 420 milligrams sodium, and 13 grams protein. The extra-virgin olive oil one has 330 calories, 6 grams saturated fat, 70 milligrams cholesterol, 480 milligrams sodium, and 15 grams of protein.

The tins are $8 each and available on the Patagonia Provisions site, and soon at Whole Foods.

In the coming weeks, also look for a third variety hitting the shelves: sardines in tomato sauce with a taste inspired by Italian puttanesca.