Love backyard barbecues? Of course you do — and everyone knows they're not complete
without a side of baked beans. But, have you ever debated between Bush's and Heinz? Have you
wondered if you can get away with the Great Value brand? Here's what you need to know.
Mama's Homestyle Baked Beans are sold in adorable
packaging that makes it look like they'd be a total win,
so why does this one come in at the bottom of our list? Alas, a technicality sunk this one.
If you're looking for something along the lines of an American or English style baked bean,
this one won't pass muster. Inspired by a traditional Macedonian dish, these beans
neither have the sweetness that we've come to know and love in some baked beans, nor do they have the
tomato base we love in others. They have a slight kick too, so if you are sensitive to spicier food
Branston sells many varieties, including regular Baked Beans, Baked Beans with Vegetarian Sausages,
and even Baked Beans with Spicy Spanish Chorizo. With that kind of variety,
you are sure to find an option that appeals to your taste buds.
Their traditional baked beans are served in a thick tomato sauce, true to classic
English baked beans. However, they are not quite as tasty as some of the other options
that come to us from the UK. And, we'll say it right now: the UK knows their baked beans.
Branston beans lack the depth of flavor that true English beans contain. These beans,
while okay, are nothing special — and if you're not a fan of tomato sauce? Skip these.
"Man alive, what's wrong with beef tomatoes?!"
B&M offers a bunch of baked beans, including Bacon and Onion, Maple, and Vegetarian. Their Original
Baked Beans include molasses, pork, and spices. Interestingly, they are 99% fat free, even though
they contain pork, making it a good option for those who are watching their fat intake.
Reviews of these baked beans note that they are a little too sweet for many people's liking,
and unfortunately, some say that B&M baked beans taste like a watered-down can of Bush's. However,
some say that Bush's baked beans are too spicy for them, so B&M baked beans are the better option.
We would have to disagree; B&M baked beans are too soupy for our liking.
“I don’t want soup!”
Clover Valley is the generic store brand of the dollar store Dollar General,
and we're not fans. One of our biggest pet peeves with canned baked beans is that they
can be too sweet — we don't want them to taste like candy, after all. Instead,
we need them to be appropriate to serve as dinner side dishes. Just a touch of sweetness
to an overall savory side is the perfect flavor balance we look for in baked beans.
While the Clover Valley Brown Sugar Baked Beans do have an unbeatable price,
the sweetness factor gives us pause. Many reviews note that this brand is beloved
for the great taste for a good value. If you are interested in saving a few coins,
this brand might be for you. Otherwise, we recommend you set your sights a little higher.
Campbell's carries just about every canned product you can imagine, including pork and beans.
According to many of the reviews we sifted through, these beans are fairly well-loved.
Many consumers have grown up enjoying and trusting Campbell's brand, so it only seems right to enjoy
their canned bean products as well. And that makes sense: Nostalgia is a powerful thing, after all.
For some, these beans are preferable as they do not contain any pieces of pork, instead
only utilizing pork fat and pork stock for flavor. However, we feel like these beans are just okay.
They have nothing special to offer, and for that reason, we have to put them near the bottom of our
rankings. Unless you're going for that olde-timey nostalgia factor, you can do much, much better.
Furmano's is a brand that carries a lot of food products, such as canned tomatoes,
canned vegetables, lentils, grains, and beans. In terms of baked beans,
Furmano's offers a nice variety, but we would say that their Bacon & Brown Sugar
baked beans are the classic flavor offered in the bunch.
While the taste is what we are looking for in a can of baked beans,
their texture is not quite right.
We found these beans to be overly hard or not quite cooked enough to be the tender beans that
we're expecting from a baked bean. Because of this, they are near the middle of our ranking.
Walnut Acres Baked Beans are organic baked beans made from tomato paste, molasses,
spices and white beans, and is one of the only baked bean brands that
does not offer a seemingly endless list of different flavor varieties.
For those that are health-minded, Walnut Acres may be the choice for you,
as reviews of these baked beans note the "clean" ingredient list and the organic label.
However, the taste is still our top concern when we set out to rank these canned baked beans.
While this option might be clean and some with fewer ingredients,
we can't say anything more than they're just kind of acceptable.
Walmart's generic store brand, Great Value,
carries many different kinds of canned baked beans, but it's the Great Value
Original Baked Beans that contain bacon and brown sugar. That's a classic combination.
Many reviews of this brand give a lot of love to the flavor, going so far as to say that it
is better than the name brand baked beans. Some others point out that the Original Baked Beans
don't have a tomato base like their Pork and Beans variety, therefore containing less sodium
than competitor brands. As far as taste, they're great in a pinch, but we would say skip 'em.
Amy's carries three different kinds of canned baked beans: Vegetarian, Chipotle Vegetarian,
and Western Vegetarian. The Chipotle Vegetarian boasts a zesty tomato sauce,
while the Western Vegetarian happens to have "a delicious smoky flavor" going for it.
The regular Vegetarian baked beans contain organic ingredients like white beans with
a tomato and maple syrup sauce. A lot of reviews note that these beans are not too
spicy or not too salty. There are many people who absolutely love these beans,
but a number have stated that there are other better vegetarian baked beans out there. We agree.
If you are anything like us, you are no stranger to generic store brand food products. Hey,
who can say no to saving a few bucks? What's more,
there are times when a generic store brand can actually be the tastier alternative.
This one gets close, but unfortunately is just slightly off in terms of taste.
Signature Select, the Safeway or Albertsons generic store brand, carries one variety of
meatless baked beans. The Vegetarian Baked Beans with Brown Sugar are made with white beans,
sugar, brown sugar, and tomato paste. We'll admit that these are very similar
in taste to Bush's vegetarian baked beans, with a slightly thinner sauce.
In addition, there is something a little odd tasting about these beans,
likely due to the addition of mustard seed in the ingredients.
Signature Select baked beans are fine, but are nothing to write home about.
Depending on where you're located, you may or may not have heard of Batchelors canned baked beans.
The Batchelors Beans are similar to English baked beans in that they are
swimming in a tomato-based sauce instead of a sweeter barbecue-flavored sauce.
While these baked beans do contain sugar, they are less sweet than many American style baked beans.
Reviews of these baked beans note that these are lighter than many other brands,
mentioning that these have a great traditional taste,
similar to Heinz, and recommend serving with the traditional Irish breakfasts.
We, however, are not fans of this tomato-forward sauce,
as it's lacking the crucial sweetness we love in baked beans — but hey,
it's all a matter of what you're hoping for when you crack open a can of baked beans.
Van Camp's is known for its large variety of canned bean products, including chili,
baked beans, and kidney beans. When it comes to their baked beans selection alone,
they offer original, bacon, and hickory-flavored options. Upon evaluating their baked beans lineup,
it seems that their Original Baked Beans are the real star.
Interestingly, the original baked beans are 100% vegetarian.
According to reviews on Amazon, these beans have a strong fan base.
While many people love the brand and place them at the top of their list,
this brand is just a bit too watery and a touch too sweet for our liking.
365 Organic, the Whole Foods generic store brand, carries one type of canned baked beans. These
beans are organic and vegan, two qualities you may not be surprised to see on a Whole Foods product.
Interestingly, they are made with both molasses and sugar, proving to be rather heavy on sugar.
After tasting the 365 Organic Baked Beans, we think these are a great
option for those who prefer to avoid pork. Many reviews mention the subtle sweetness
and medium thick sauce of the canned product. We think this one is pretty darn delicious.
Mr. Organic is a brand that is known for their tomato farm and factory in Rome.
Name a better place to grow tomatoes, we dare you. These European beans are sold at
many retailers you can find in the United States, including Whole Foods and Amazon.
Mr. Organic carries a few different flavor variations of canned baked beans,
and their original baked beans are more true to the English variety with a heavy tomato-forward
sauce with a hint of sweetness. We love that this brand contains minimal ingredients and has a focus
on health, without sacrificing taste. If you are looking for a traditional can of American baked
beans, we would recommend the BBQ baked beans variety as opposed to the original Baked Beans.
Heinz — yes, the same company that you trust for ketchup — also sells baked
beans. While these beans got their start in the US near the end of the 19th century,
they made their way across the pond and became a staple in British cuisine.
Suffice to say, the brand is a bit of a juggernaut when it comes to English
beans on toast. If you haven't tried these beans,
Heinz Baked Beans contain a very tomato-forward sauce like most other English baked beans.
But we would like to point out that Heinz understands the world of tomatoes,
with a strong presence in the ketchup industry; a true tomato flavor that you can trust. Reviews
note that Heinz Baked Beanz are more ketchup-y than barbecue-y, but that is not surprising.
Most of the comments we sorted through sing nothing but praise for these baked beans,
with many customers mentioning this is the only brand they trust.
"Eat healthy, and you might grow up to be a giant."
"Magic!”
You are likely not surprised to see Bush's Beans brand
showing up here at the top. Bush's is a trusted American bean brand,
with an incredible amount of canned baked bean options to choose from.
The line of Bush's Grillin' Beans are offered in many different flavor varieties,
including Honey Chipotle, Bourbon and Brown Sugar, and Sweet Mesquite. The Bourbon & Brown Sugar is
most true to the original baked beans recipe. Made from navy beans, brown sugar, bold spices,
and a hint of bourbon, the Bush's site promises "each spoonful has a bite of Southern goodness."
Interestingly, these are vegetarian as is; no pork will be found in these Grillin' Beans.
Many reviews reveal a lot of love for these baked beans,
noting that they are sweet but not too sweet. Just the way we like them.
You're probably surprised to see Bush's Original Baked Beans didn't claim the top
spot. After all, as the Bush's website makes quite clear, they're a classic:
"These are THE beans. The 'Roll That Beautiful Bean Footage' beans. The
beans that are met with smiles at any gathering."
Bush's offers the most variety when it comes to canned baked beans,
including flavors like Sweet Heat, Brown Sugar, and Maple and Cured Bacon.
Reviewers are, quite frankly, obsessed with these baked beans. Many customers note that
Bush's Original baked beans are not too sweet and not too salty, and they're so good that
some people just opt to simply eat them out of the can with a spoon. While the Bush's Original
baked beans are pretty darn good, they got beat out by another member of the Bush's family.
"Jay and Duke talking action figures. My idea."
"Love it! Let's see what I say!"
"Roll that beautiful bean footage!"
The number one spot in our canned baked bean ranking goes to Bush's Vegetarian Baked Beans.
Whether you're a vegetarian or not, there's no denying that these have the
superior flavor to the other canned baked bean brands — even ones with meat in them.
Reviewers love these beans because they are a great option for vegetarians,
loaded with plant-based protein.
They boast that these baked beans are full of flavor without any of the animal products.
Bush's Vegetarian Baked Beans are cooked in a tomato-based sauce that is full of flavor and
sweetness with ingredients, including navy beans, brown sugar, tomato puree, and many other spices.
These beans have the perfect balance of sweet and savory flavors with just a hint
of a little spicy kick. Spice-averse readers needn't worry, as they are hardly that spicy.
The aforementioned kick won't bother you, we swear. However,
the ever-so-slight burst of heat helps to provide a well-rounded flavor to these baked beans.
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