Tesco Baked Beans Reduced Salt & Sugar

...reach for the blue stripe Tesco brand which were runny and not that nice. We have now found one that we both like which is reasonably priced and just as tasty, Tesco beans in tomato sauce.


Cheap
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The Tesco beans are reasonably priced but they don`t taste cheap. They are 31p per 420g can or 98p for a pack of 4 cans. I tend to buy the multipacks as they last longer and are more economical. They ...
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These Tesco beans have a large tick to indicate great taste, now with 25% less salt. I am not going to go into all of the ingredients, the main being haricot beans, but I will point out that each serving has 140kcal. They contain 11.8g of sugar, 13% of your recommended daily amount and 1.9g of salt which is apparantly 31% of your recommended daily amount. Even with the reductions, there is still added sugar and salt, but at least ... more

I don`t eat beans very often, but they are always in my cupboard ready for when I need them. I like them, , my husband likes them, even my little boy likes them (he is very fussy) and they go well with a lot of things. I always used to buy Heinz (no point in paying less and compromising on taste I thought) while my husband used to reach for the blue stripe Tesco brand which were runny and not that nice. We have now found one that we both like which is reasonably priced and just as tasty, Tesco beans in tomato sauce.

Cheap
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The Tesco beans are reasonably priced but they don`t taste cheap. They are 31p per 420g can or 98p for a pack of 4 cans. I tend to buy the multipacks as they last longer and are more economical. They are not as cheap as the blue stripe Tesco beans, but significantly better in my opinion. They are however, cheaper than other brands eg. Heinz that are £1.79 for a pack of 4 415g cans, making really worthwhile savings if bought regularly.

Nutrition
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These Tesco beans have a large tick to indicate great taste, now with 25% less salt. I am not going to go into all of the ingredients, the main being haricot beans, but I will point out that each serving has 140kcal. They contain 11.8g of sugar, 13% of your recommended daily amount and 1.9g of salt which is apparantly 31% of your recommended daily amount. Even with the reductions, there is still added sugar and salt, but at least Tesco are trying to reduce it and make the consumer aware as it is clearly dispalyed on the tin. Beans are a great source of fibre which is important for the gut to function correctly (and it certainly does with beans). The beans are suitable for vegetarians. The thing which interests me the most, is that they are low GI which is also marked on the can. I try to stick to the GI diet, a lot of the time, though I allow myself treats, too many! Foods with a low GI, keep you more full for longer, they help keep the blood sugar level stable therefore helping to eliminate the need to snack on high sugar foods. All in all, I consider Tesco beans in tomato sauce to be a fairly healthy option, but do they pass the taste test?

Taste
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As I always used to eat Heinz and I didn`t like the other Tesco cheap beans, I was at first reluctant to try these, but I was pleasantly suprised. My husband likes them, but he will eat anything. It is more of an achievement for my fussy son to consistently eat them, they must be nice! Firstly the sauce is quite thick. This is important to me as I don`t like it when it is runny. It also has a nice tomatoey taste. The beans are quite soft, not too soft, but I have tried some cheap beans and they have been quite hard and unpleasant. To be perfectly honest, I can`t really taste the difference between these and Heinz, I bet someone out there can though. I love them on my soya and linseed bread which is also low GI. Beans on toast that is, not just bread and I love white pepper on it. This provides me with a filling, tasty mealy that keeps me going, I don`t feel hungry or that I have not eaten well. It is also great that I have eaten a whole meal that is low GI. I enjoy white pepper on a lot of food, it is not a criticism of the taste. My husband eats them with anything. My son likes them on toast, or with chicken grills or bacon or anything really. They are versatile enough to be enjoyed with a variety of savoury foods, so are great to keep in the cupboard to bulk out meals, provide carbohydrates or as an emergency when you have forgotten to go shopping and only have bread in the freezer and beans in the cupboard.

Quick and easy.
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The Tesco beans come with a ring pull, making them really easy, as if it is too much trouble to use a tin opener. I must admit, I like this though, it is a lot less effort. The beans can be microwaved, the required time is recommended on the back, but I prefer them thoroughly warmed in the pan which is the other way that they recommend. It doesn`t take long for them to cook, which ever method you use.

For those of you who eat beans, I would give these a try if you haven`t already. They may be cheaper than other brands, but they don`t taste cheap and nasty. They are not like the unbelievably cheap supermarket brands, that make you wonder how they have made it so cheap, until you taste them. They are good value for money with a good taste.  

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