6 Canned Baked Bean Brands To Buy And 6 To Avoid

Baked beans are a staple summer side dish and many brands offer versions to try at your next cookout. You can find options in a variety of flavors. Still, brown sugar, molasses, mustard seeds, apple cider vinegar, tomato paste, and spices like onion powder and garlic powder are all ingredients frequently featured in store-bought versions to deliver high-intensity sweet and savory flavors.

Whether you are serving them as-is or transforming them into something unique by upgrading them with root beer, baked beans are guaranteed to be a fan favorite. Because they are so versatile and you can use canned baked beans in creative ways, finding the right brand for your needs is key. But not all baked beans are created equal, and different tastes and textures separate the must-try options from those you should avoid.

To compile our list, we considered brands that are well-known in the business of baked beans, as well as grocery store brands. Some of our favorites had different flavor variations in addition to a standard recipe. We also made note of the most economical brands since baked beans are the perfect side for feeding a large crowd.

Read more: 7 Must-Have Canned Foods And 7 To Avoid In Your Pantry

Buy: Bush's Baked Beans

There are plenty of flavor options from the brand Bush's to choose from, including original, sweet heat, and brown sugar hickory, plus a variety of size options. Bush's has been making baked beans since 1908 and the long history shows in its flavorful formulas. Many are sweet but some of the options have an extra kick, so there's something for everyone's preference. When testing the original recipe, the balanced flavor was exactly what I expected and what I wanted from a delicious side of baked beans. The sauce is thick enough to keep the beans together on the plate, which is one of the must-have features of baked beans in my book. Bush's is also one of the few brands to offer zero-sugar baked beans so even those who need to limit their sugar intake can still enjoy this dish. Bacon is a common addition to Bush's flavor profiles, which is not surprising given it is an ingredient that upgrades the flavor of canned beans.

One of the best things about Bush's baked beans is their availability. Practically every major grocery store chain carries them, usually in a few flavor options and sizes. If you need baked beans, Bush's are likely to be the easiest to find and they will always deliver on taste and texture. You can count on these to be consistently delicious so you never have to worry about having to take a chance on mystery beans.

Avoid: Van Camp's Baked Beans

Van Camp's has been around for more than 140 years and is one of the other longtime favorite brands of baked beans aficionados. However, compared to Bush's baked beans, which is one of its top competitors for longevity and reputation, Van Camp's sauce is much thinner and the beans don't stay together well. The flavoring is also heavy on salty pork and acidic tomato flavors, and not as sweet as many other brands' baked beans, which is something I've come to expect. Overall, the flavor is not as balanced as a can of delicious baked beans should be.

The brand's original and best-known product is its pork and beans in tomato sauce but it also offers original baked beans and hickory baked beans. Van Camp's cans of beans are available in multiple sizes, but they tend to be smaller than the family-sized options from other brands. The brand also sells single-serving microwavable cups and beenie weenies, which feature sliced-up hot dogs.

There's a good chance that the pork and beans version will be easier to find in-store than any of the company's other offerings. And while it is one of the tastiest options that features pork, if you're looking for simple baked beans, you're better off sticking with a different brand.

Buy: B&M Baked Beans

B&M original baked beans have a strong flavor of molasses with salt, sugar, and added spices in a rich tomato sauce that isn't too acidic. The balance of flavors in these beans puts them near the top of the list. These are some of the sweeter beans out there thanks to the sugar and molasses in the original recipe. But the beans also have a distinct flavor of bacon from the pork fat on the ingredient list. The sweet and salty combination works really well and is exactly what many people expect traditional baked beans to taste like. When I opened the can and spied the thick texture, I knew these beans would work for me. B&M baked beans are also some of the most economical you can buy. You get a lot of bang for your buck, especially given the thick, rich texture.

B&M baked beans are available in homestyle, country style, vegetarian, Boston's best, bacon and onion, and maple flavors. And while they aren't carried as widely as some of the most popular brands, you can count on them to be thick, sweet, savory, and delicious when you do find them. If you like traditional baked beans, any of the options from B&M will work for you, but the original baked beans are the easiest to find and available in multiple sizes. These are a top favorite among those who like really sweet baked beans.

Avoid: Heinz Baked Beans

Even though Heinz is an American company and its beans are prepared in Canada, they have become a staple in British cuisine, especially a full English breakfast. As such, they are very different from American-style baked beans. They have a strong tomato flavor rather than the sweet or salty flavor Americans are accustomed to. Even though they include sugar on the ingredient list, they are more acidic than sweet and have a very bright taste overall. They may be in the same category as baked beans but they are distinctly different in a taste comparison, putting them in the avoid category for lovers of traditional American-style baked beans.

Heinz baked beans also have a thinner sauce, so expect them to run on the plate unless they're contained by another part of your dish. They're often served over toast, which keeps them in place and soaks up the tomato sauce nicely. If you like this style of beans, Heinz is a reliable and delicious brand. But if you're looking for American-style baked beans that are known for being a combination of sweet, salty, and savory, this brand's beans are an option to skip.

Buy: Signature Select Original Baked Beans

The Safeway store brand's beans taste as good as many name brands and are a great way to get your baked beans fix at a budget-friendly price. Signature Select was one of my favorite store-brand baked beans thanks to their taste and texture. The original recipe gets its sweetness and saltiness from brown sugar and bacon, with a good balance of both in the recipe. These baked beans are also very thick with just enough sauce to coat the beans and keep them together without creating a runny mess on the plate. Safeway Signature Select also comes in a vegetarian option. Because this is a store brand, you can't try these beans if you don't have a Safeway near you.

Like many store brands, Signature Select is on sale more often than many name-brand options available at Safeway. If you have the store loyalty card, you can get a significant discount, making this an even more economical choice. The original baked beans are available in 15-ounce and 28-ounce cans so you can be sure that you'll be able to feed a crowd. Safeway also keeps both sizes in stock and puts them on shelves more frequently around holidays like Labor Day and Memorial Day when baked beans are in high demand.

Avoid: Giant Homestyle Baked Beans

Giant's store brand has a few options, including original, homestyle, vegetarian, and country-style baked beans, but they are heavy on the beans and not as flavorful as other brands. The country-style version has the most distinct taste thanks to the brown sugar and bacon in the recipe. But it doesn't have the same depth of flavor that some other brands do, likely due to a less intense blend of spices. They're good but don't compare to some of the most popular baked beans brands, which are also carried at Giant. The store brand can be slightly less expensive, especially if you get them on sale, but not by much. If you want the most flavorful baked beans, spend a few cents more per ounce to get the best.

Giant also doesn't have as many flavor options in its store line. Even in-store, the chain carries more Bush's baked beans varieties than any other brand. Giant's store-brand baked beans do go on sale more often than other brands and you can get extra savings with the store loyalty program, which is helpful if budget is one of your top factors. If you find a great sale, these are good to pick up for the budget-conscious, but otherwise, you'll be happier with the taste and texture of other options also available at Giant.

Buy: Wegmans Original Baked Beans

Wegmans store-brand original baked beans are full of flavor, have a super thick sauce that sticks to the beans, and don't have any artificial colors or preservatives. The ingredient list includes items that are easy to recognize in the final product, such as brown sugar, sugar, and uncured bacon. The beans tend to be on the sweet side but still feature a smokey and salty taste thanks to the addition of the bacon. The beans are also very tender and were some of the best to meld well with their sauce. The overall consistency was very creamy and you could tell that they were simmered for a long time to get a deep flavor profile and great texture.

Wegmans is one of the few brands to offer regionally-inspired flavors, including Memphis barbecue and Kansas City barbecue styles. They also have their original baked beans available in the deli section, which are paired with pulled pork. The different styles are new and take their flavor inspiration from Wegmans' line of regional barbecue sauces. These options make it easy to develop a delicious menu for your cookout that includes pulled pork, chicken, and beef, along with your side of baked beans.

Avoid: Walnut Acres Organic Baked Beans

If you're vegetarian, these baked beans from Walnut Acres allow you to enjoy this beloved side dish, but because they don't have pork or bacon, they might need some extra seasoning if you're expecting the saltiness most people love about baked beans. They're sweetened with sugar and molasses while getting a hint of spice from onion powder and ground mustard, but they lack the distinct pork or bacon flavor that makes other brands so popular. Plus, the brand doesn't have a large variety of flavors like many others. If you want something that isn't as salty as most baked beans, go with Walnut Acres. But the balance of sweet, savory, and salty is what most people love about baked beans and for that, you'll have to look at other brands.

The Walnut Acres baked beans are also a bit more expensive than most brands, which isn't surprising given the all-organic ingredient list. They can be harder to find on shelves, but are usually available in the health food or organic sections at mainstream grocery stores.

Buy: Dakota's Pride Original Baked Beans

Dakota's Pride baked beans are carried at Aldi, a grocery store chain known for its low prices. They come in original, homestyle, country style, or maple and cured bacon. All of the brand's baked beans are delicious but the original gets special recognition for its traditional and smokey flavor. These beans have an extra thick sauce, which makes them stick to your ribs and the rest of your dishes without running on your plate. Like other Aldi store brand products, these baked beans are made without synthetic food dyes.

These are also some of the most budget-friendly beans out there and they come in a large 28-ounce can. They strike a great balance of value and taste so you'll be happy to serve them to a crowd and be relieved that you're not breaking your budget at the same time. Aldi can occasionally run out of some products but their baked beans are typically in stock, although the availability of the different flavors can vary. But all are delicious and priced the same, so you can feel confident buying whatever is on the shelves. If you want good quality baked beans for a budget-friendly price, these are a top choice. Unfortunately, Aldi doesn't have a shopper loyalty program but they do get consistent recognition for having some of the best prices out there.

Avoid: Campbell's Pork & Beans

The texture of Campbell's pork & beans is a bit runnier, mostly due to water being the first ingredient. Most baked beans include prepared beans first, but Campbell's starts with a high water content, which is obvious when you dish them out and the beans start to run all over your plate. These baked beans can work well if you're mixing them with heartier pork, hot dogs, or other meat, but they will end up all over the rest of your food if you're serving them without doctoring them up. While the sweet and savory flavor hits the right note, the texture is hard to get over if you're eating the beans on their own.

The Campbell's brand has been around since 1869 so there's a good chance that many people grew up eating the brand's offerings, which makes it have a nostalgia factor going for it. If you're used to Campbell's pork & beans, the runnier texture might work for you. If you're like me and prefer something heartier, stick with a different brand that has a thicker sauce.

Buy: Amy's Vegetarian Organic Baked Beans

Amy's organic baked beans are some of the best that work with vegetarian, vegan, or gluten-free diets. Amy's uses maple syrup in its recipe to add the sweetness needed for great baked beans and only includes plant-based ingredients. The traditional baked beans are made with tomato sauce and apple cider vinegar for a hint of twang, which is what sets them apart from other vegetarian options. The slow simmering process that the brand uses means that these beans are super tender and full of flavor. While you can't expect the same saltiness that you'd get with pork and beans or a bacon-flavored option, you can enjoy a tasty side dish with a surprising depth of flavor thanks to the brightness of the tomatoes paired with the sweet syrup.

If you want organic baked beans, these are a top choice that features a sweet flavor and thick sauce that you'd expect from some of the standard brands. Just be ready for a higher cost at check-out.

Avoid: 365 Organic Baked Beans

365 organic baked beans are good and available at Whole Foods in three different styles: original, campfire, and maple and onion. But the sauce in these baked beans is thinner than other options, which makes them seem less hearty and is the main drawback that landed these on our avoid list. The beans are made with all organic ingredients and are vegan-friendly, which might make it a good choice for those on special diets. But if are looking for traditional savory baked beans with sweet and spicy flavors, you'll probably find these a bit underwhelming. Plus, they tend to run into other food on your plate, which can make a picnic plate that is piled high with other delicious items a bit challenging to navigate.

These beans are on the pricier side for a store brand and are only available at Whole Foods, a store known for its high quality and high prices. Still, the 365 brand offers a decent value for organic baked beans; it's mainly the texture that has issues. The campfire flavor is a personal favorite with its smokey intensity and if the sauce was a bit thicker, it would be a must-buy side.

Methodology

Taste and texture were two big considerations in our testing. The beans had to taste good, with the right balance of sweet, savory, and salty flavors. Runny baked beans went to the bottom of the list since this side is often paired with other dishes at a barbecue or cookout on the same plate and we didn't like it when all of our food took on the same flavor unintentionally. We also looked at spices and made note of special ingredients (or the lack of) that made the baked beans work with various dietary needs. Brands that had multiple flavor or size options also went to the top of the list since we like having options when shopping.

Price and availability were also important factors since the last thing anyone wants to do is drive all around town to find baked beans or spend a fortune on what should be a simple side. Cans ranged from $1.19 to $4.49 on average, with organic and name brands costing the most. Fortunately, there were plenty of brands carried in multiple stores and almost always options on the shelves.

We also considered how ready the baked beans were to eat. It was helpful to know if they worked well as a base for other additions, such as brats or bacon, but wouldn't be as impressive on their own, or if they were ready for prime time immediately after heating.

Read the original article on Chowhound.