I tried baked beans from Lidl, Sainsbury's, Tesco, Morrisons and more – 42p tin blew me away

Baked beans are one of those foods that can make a relatively nutritious lunch, crammed full of fibre and protein. But the cost of a can of beans ranges massively in the shops.

Baked beans, a staple in many British households, are not only a cheap and cheerful lunch option but also packed with fibre and protein. However, the price of this humble food can vary significantly across different stores.

A tin from famed brand Heinz could cost you as much as £1.40, while most supermarket own-brands hover around the 40p mark. This means that by simply switching to supermarket brands, you could save roughly £100 annually.

Besides being budget-friendly, half a tin of baked beans on a jacket potato or toast can provide a reasonably nutritious meal. On average, half a tin contains about 180 calories, along with 5g of fibre and 10g of sugar.

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With all these factors considered, I set out to determine which supermarket's baked beans reign supreme. Here's how it went:

Waitrose Duchy Organic Baked Beans in Tomato Sauce (£1, 420g)

Nutritional information per half can: 182 cal, 1.1g fat, 0.2g saturates, 9.2g sugar, 1.11g salt.

The Duchy Organic Baked Beans topped the price chart at supermarkets, but an essentials option was available for a modest 55p. Each purchase contributes to the Prince of Wales's charities, offering customers a morally satisfying dining experience.

The can itself, weighing in at 420g, proved to be quite substantial, especially in terms of its haricot bean contents which generously covered my thick-cut bread. Some might prefer more sauce to beans, but their quality taste suggested considerable care had been put into the product's creation. A thumbs up for me, albeit a costly thumbs up.

RATING: 8/10

Lidl’s Newgate Baked Beans in Rich Tomato Sauce (42p, 425ml)

Nutritional information per half can: 197 cal, 1.5g fat, 0.4g saturates, 10.3g sugar, 1.05g salt

At first glance, the product seemed to have a good amount of source to perfectly cover the toast.

But when I started eating them, I plenty of herbiness – possibly from the "basil extract" listed in the ingredients. It completely overpowered the dish for me and definitely didn't suit my tastebuds.

RATING: 4/10

Sainsbury’s Baked Beans (40p, 400g)

Nutritional information per half can: 168 cal, 0.9g fat, 0.2g saturates, 8.5g sugar, 1.05g salt

My first impression was that the Sainsbury's beans were quite saucy. However, when paired with my toast, it worked rather well and seemed to have a bit more kick than some of the earlier tests.

The rich sauce was enjoyable and made from tomatoes instead of puree, which appears to be a common cost-cutting measure. A quick look at the ingredients revealed the inclusion of paprika powder and extract, which was a pleasant surprise at lunchtime.

The beans felt slightly firmer than those in other cans. Overall, it was a decent choice and only 40p, so there's not much to complain about.

RATING: 6/10

Tesco Baked Beans (42p, 420g)

Nutritional information per half can: 177 cal, 0.8g fat, 0.1g saturates, 9.7g sugar, 1.03g salt

The beans had a thick, vibrant sauce that spread nicely over the toast. It was a solid can of beans, slightly heavier than some of the others, which would undoubtedly please bean counters.

A quick look at the ingredients - something I became unexpectedly passionate about during my taste test - revealed the presence of clove and capiscum extract. There was also the welcome addition of paprika, which seems to take the beans to another level.

RATING: 8/10

ASDA Baked Beans in a Rich Tomato Sauce (42p, 410g)

Nutritional information per half can: 187 cal, 1g fat, 0.2g saturates, 8.6g sugar, 0.96g salt

After developing an unexpected expertise in beans, I couldn't resist checking the label after my first taste and was happy to find that the slight kick I enjoyed came from a hint of paprika. Pouring the Asda beans onto my plate, the bright orange sauce immediately caught my eye.

My initial thought was "solid looking beans", and I wasn't disappointed; they were indeed a good can of beans, even if they weighed slightly less than others.

RATING: 9/10

Aldi Bramwells Baked Beans (41p, 410g)

Nutritional information per half can: 187 cal, 1.1g fat, 0.2g saturates, 9.8g sugar, 1.09g salt

On drenching my bread with them, they seemed like a reliable option, balancing sauce and beans effectively. It's not shocking that Aldi's offering outperformed big brands in a Which? taste test – they'd be my choice if I wanted to save some cash without sacrificing quality.

However, they could be a bit too sweet compared to the more paprika-focused beans, although their sugar content places them just marginally above some competitors.

RATING: 7/10

Morrisons Baked Beans (45p, 410g)

Nutritional information per half can: 168 cal, 0.7g fat, 0.2g saturates, 11.3g sugar, 1.07g salt

The first thing that struck me about the Morrisons beans was that they were the only tin to feature two yellow indicators on the nutritional traffic light system, with both sugar and salt exceeding the green threshold. Most cans, on the other hand, were yellow for salt and green for the remaining categories.

It was also the most expensive can of beans outside of Waitrose, albeit by a small margin. The beans boasted a vibrant red sauce as they spread across the bread. Overall, they perhaps weren't to my liking, possibly a tad too sweet.

RATING: 7/10

Verdict

After a week of testing the supermarket's top own-brand offerings, it was Asda's 42p can that emerged victorious. It wasn't overly sweet and had a robust kick from the rich tomato sauce.

While it may have been slightly more calorific than some of the other baked beans on the market, it contained less sugar, which is always a plus for those mindful of their health. And while I wouldn't necessarily recommend having beans on toast for lunch every working day, it did provide a solid mid-day meal.

What does the NHS say about baked beans?

According to the NHS website around three heaped teaspoons of baked beans constitute a portion, which equates to roughly a fifth of a tin. The British Heart Foundation, on the other hand, states that half a 400g tin or a 200g tin counts as a portion.

The BHF advises choosing a baked bean variety that is low in salt and sugar where possible.