Baked beans are a British staple, which is why most households will typically have a tin or two tucked away in their kitchen cupboards. Normally, I’ll stick with what I’ve relied on my entire life and choose a tin of classic Heinz. I adore a straightforward meal like beans on toast when I simply can’t face cooking a proper dinner. It’s quick, affordable and ready within minutes. However, with food costs rising, I wanted to find out whether cheaper alternatives were as good as branded
options. I tried two tins available from Aldi and Lidl (both 40p for 410g) and put them up against Heinz (roughly £1.40 for a 415g tin). I don’t usually switch it up from the major brand, but since the supermarket alternatives were identical in price and size, it came down to flavour to truly test them. One tin could take over from Heinz for me, and I wouldn’t notice the difference if I hadn’t prepared the beans myself. I was genuinely impressed by Lidl’s baked
beans. Despite their ‘cheap’ price point, they offered a pleasant, well-rounded flavour without seeming excessively loaded with added sugars and salt, reports the Express. I would choose them over Heinz as a cheaper option that still tastes as good. It could be the richer colour or consistency of the sauce that had me persuaded they would deliver a fuller taste – and that was essentially what happened. These would complement toast beautifully, sit nicely alongside some chips or work perfectly on their own. Aldi’s beans,
on the other hand, were rather watery, with a runny sauce that left minimal coating on the cooked beans. They didn’t taste dreadful, particularly given I paid just 40p for them, but they weren’t going to persuade me to abandon Heinz on the supermarket shelves anytime soon. By themselves, these beans were no match for the big names – or Lidl’s identically-priced option. However, they could be rescued with a handful of additions, such as extra salt or spices, and perhaps some cheese. Customers might
be taken aback by how much they can save without sacrificing flavour. If choices were restricted, I’d happily say that Lidl beans are a reasonable substitute for the reliable Heinz tin. Customers who go for Lidl over Heinz could save upwards of £1 per tin, which rapidly adds up if you consume beans that often. Lidl and Aldi consistently rank as the most affordable choices overall when doing the weekly shop at UK supermarkets. When cost is no longer the main consideration in who ‘wins’
at the checkout, customers looking to trim a few quid from their weekly shopping might be interested to try something from a less familiar brand or label. It might surprise you.
baked beans, Heinz, Lidl, Aldi, 40p, UK supermarkets, food prices, beans on toast
Beans on toast supremacy honestly.
So basically Lidl is better than Heinz now? I saw something about this on TikTok and everyone was acting like it’s life changing. 40p beans??? That’s wild. I don’t even buy beans that cheap.
Wait why are we comparing British tins when I can get Bush’s baked beans here? Also the article says they’re identical in price?? Like 40p vs £1.40 is not identical lol. But I guess if the Lidl ones aren’t watery then sure. Aldi being watery doesn’t surprise me, that stuff always tastes watered down.
The ‘reports the Express’ part makes me side-eye it. I mean, it’s one person trying two tins and deciding Lidl wins, ok? Maybe they just used it with chips or toast, not sure how that changes things. Also “less sugar and salt” is always the marketing thing, but beans still taste like beans. If you add cheese either way it’s fine, just saying. I wouldn’t notice a difference if I was hungry enough.