Beans on toast is a staple. Quick, cheap and easy - and filling, too. But Beanz Meanz Heinz, a slogan used for nearly 60 years, isn't necessarily true these days after the price rocketed.
Earlier this week a Nottinghamshire MP told struggling families to ditch the well-known brand, which now costs around £1.40 a can, in favour of supermarkets' cheaper own labels. Bassetlaw MP Brendan Clarke-Smith made the comments on LBC's Cross Question after the inflation for food and drink prices hit 19.2% in the year to March - almost double the overall rate of 10.1%.
Wading in on a panel discussion about whether supermarkets had been profiteering by hiking prices he said: "Heinz Baked Beans, say the price has shot up on that and people say, 'oh this tin has gone up by 50% or whatever'. Well, buy the Tesco Value one."
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I'm not getting into politics here but I did decide to put six major brands to the test along with help from my husband Gregg (the lucky chap) to see how they compare when it comes to cost, taste and nutrition. And before you ask, no I did not count how many beans there were per can - life's too short.
Tesco 50p
Rich and warming is the description on the can along with the "best quality haricot beans carefully cooked in a delicately seasoned sauce." It sounds a delight but sadly the taste doesn't live up to expectations.
The sauce seems pale and watery compared to the others and I'm finding them pretty insipid. Not a good start. Neither of us are impressed.
Half a 420g can: 183 calories, fat 1.2g, sugars 9.8g, salt 1.1g
Score: 2/5
Heinz £1.40 (or two for £2.50)
The brand has been going since 1869 and everyone knows the famous catchphrase. They're the only beans I've eaten all my life and I'm a strong believer that it's best to stick to the big brands for core foods such as HP Sauce, Walkers cheese and onion crisps and Kellogg's Corn Flakes.
But I'm sure Heinz beans have changed over the years. The beans seem smaller compared to the other brands and there's a lot of juice when you open the can.
'Unmistakably Heinz," says Gregg. There's nothing wrong with the taste but for me there's nothing standout that screams Heinz. It just shows how palates vary.
They may have fewer calories than the other brands but is it worth it for the price? And the salt content is the highest.
Half a 415g can: 168 calories, fat 0.7g, sugars 8.9g, salt 1.3g
Score: 3/5
Aldi 47p
The discount supermarket's own brand is Bramwells. When I open the can it's one of the few where you can actually see evidence of baked beans rather than just sauce.
They're tasty (probably due to all the sugar) and the sauce looks a good deep orange. Definitely a cut above the rest and for only 47p they're a bargain. I'd definitely buy these again.
Half a 410g can: 187 calories, fat 1.1g, sugars 9.8g, salt 1.09g
Score: 4/5
Branston 90p
The only Branston product I've eaten in the past has been pickle, so I'm interested to see how the beans fare, at a mid-range price. Opening the can, it's positively bursting with beans rather than a pool of sauce, so we're off to a good start.
The sauce is rich, thick and there's a silkiness to it. The taste is tangy and the texture's good. This could be a game-changer when it comes to my choice of beans in future.
Half a 410g can: 175 calories, fat 1.2g, sugars 9.6g and salt 1.2g.
Score: 5/5
Asda 50p
I didn't have high hopes after trying Tesco's beans but I was pleasantly surprised. The beans are firm and the sauce has a good depth of flavour.
There's a fair balance of sweet and savoury, even though it's lower in both sugar and salt compared to some of the others. I'd happily buy again to top off a jacket spud or for beans on toast.
Half a 410g can: Calories 187, fat 1g, sugars 8.6g, salt 0.96g
Score: 3/5
Lidl 49p
Newgate is the name of Lidl's beans. A colleague described them to me as having a "meaty" taste and I can see where she's coming from as the texture seems quite dense. They're on the sweeter side too.
But you can't argue with 49p, almost a third of the price of Heinz. They're really good value for money and don't taste cheap.
Half a 420g can: Calories 197, fat 1.5g, sugars 10.3g, salt 1.05g
Score: 4/5
The winner
The battle of the beans proved not all beans are equal and price has nothing to do with taste preference. Our favourite was Branston's beans, which at 90p is a good mid-way price.
But I wouldn't dismiss the cheaper versions from Aldi, Lidl or Asda. The test has changed my opinion. I will stick to Heinz tomato ketchup but I won't be buying their beans any more.
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