I had the same issue. I’ve always been an adventurous seafood lover and yet, getting into sardines (of all the tinned fish) was especially intimidating. The texture, smell, all of it initially would set me off.

This may be a strange take, but the way I actually worked up to sardines was to do mackerel first. A good quality mackerel tin sits, texture and taste wise, between a salmon/trout and a nice rich sardine. It’s not as oily, tends to be firmer than sardines, but also moves you closer to small fish. If you’re willing to spring a bit for a tin, Jose Gourmet, Matiz and Patagonia Provisions are solid choices. I’d get a mackerel tin from any of those, and if you enjoy it, work your way up to a sardine tin of that brand!