For an optional side on Chinese takeaway night, choose no-added-sugar baked beans if avoiding added sugar is your main concern, or compare reduced-sugar-and-salt tins if salt matters just as much. Check the sugars and salt per 100g rather than relying on the front-of-pack claim: the Ocado listing for M&S No Added Sugar declares 1.2g sugars and 0.43g salt per 100g, while Sainsbury’s lists 2.8g sugars and 0.29g salt per 100g for its reduced-sugar-and-salt beans. Ingredients, allergen wording and the amount you expect to use can also change which tin suits you.
If beans are a small side for takeaway night, a no-added-sugar recipe may suit your preference. The NHS explains that the total-sugars figure also includes naturally occurring sugars, so compare that figure per 100g as well as the claim on the tin.
If both figures matter to you, read them together on the nutrition panel. The reviewed retailer listings show that tins with different sugar claims also have different declared salt values per 100g.
Check the current tin when avoiding a particular ingredient or buying for someone with an allergy. Ocado’s M&S listing describes beans prepared to a vegan recipe but also gives a may-contain warning for egg and milk.
Start with the recipe claim, then compare the nutrition panels on the same per-100g basis before deciding which tin size works for your side dish.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Sugars and recipe | Compare “of which sugars” per 100g. Check whether the tin says “no added sugar” or states a reduction against its own standard recipe; these claims do not mean the same thing. | I would choose a no-added-sugar recipe if added sugar is the deciding factor. If I am comparing declared total sugars instead, I need the per-100g figures: Ocado lists M&S No Added Sugar at 1.2g, while Waitrose lists Essential Reduced Salt & Sugar at 2.0g. |
| Salt | Read salt per 100g alongside sugars, then check the stated serving if you expect to eat only part of a tin. A percentage reduction refers to the named standard comparator, not every other brand. | Salt matters to me as well as sugar, so I would not choose on the sugar claim alone. Sainsbury’s lists 0.29g salt per 100g for its reduced-sugar-and-salt beans; Ocado lists 0.43g for M&S No Added Sugar. |
| Ingredients and allergens | Read the current ingredient list for sweeteners or other ingredients you avoid, and check the allergen declaration on the exact tin. | I need a recipe that fits the people eating it. Waitrose lists steviol glycosides in Heinz No Added Sugar beans, while Ocado’s M&S listing warns that its beans may contain egg and milk. |
| Tin size and leftovers | Compare the tin or multipack quantity with the portion you plan to serve. Check the pack’s instructions for storing and using any leftovers. | For one small side, I may prefer a quantity I can use without opening more tins than needed. If I open a larger tin, I will need a plan for the remainder. |
No-added-sugar baked beans can still declare sugars on their nutrition panels. As the NHS explains, the total-sugars figure includes naturally occurring sugars.
Compare “of which sugars” per 100g across the tins you are considering.
The reviewed listings declare different salt values per 100g. A sugar-reduction claim does not tell you which tin has the salt figure you prefer.
Read sugars and salt together on the per-100g panel, then look at the stated serving for the amount you plan to eat.
Waitrose lists a sweetener in Heinz No Added Sugar beans. Ocado’s M&S listing includes a may-contain warning for egg and milk, despite describing a vegan recipe.
Check the ingredient and allergen wording on the current tin, particularly when buying for someone with an allergy.
A tin or multipack chosen for a small serving may leave beans to store after the meal.
Choose a quantity that fits your plans and follow the pack’s instructions for any opened tin.
Leftovers can go to waste if you cannot use them within the storage period stated on the pack.
These figures describe the named products in the cited retailer listings, not every tin sold under each brand. Check the current pack before buying.
Waitrose lists Heinz Baked Beans No Added Sugar 415g as a no-added-sugar option.
Tesco lists its Reduced Sugar And Salt Baked Beans in a 420g tin.
Sainsbury’s lists Reduced Sugar & Salt Baked Beans in a 400g tin.
Asda lists Reduced Salt & No Added Sugar Baked Beans in a 410g tin.
Ocado lists M&S No Added Sugar Baked Beans in a 390g tin.
Waitrose lists Essential Reduced Salt & Sugar Baked Beans in a 420g tin.
This Branston multipack represents the reduced-sugar-and-salt route if you want beans for takeaway night and can use four tins. Compare its per-100g figures with a no-added-sugar tin if that is the recipe you prefer.
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A four-tin option if you plan to serve beans on more than one occasion. Tesco’s listing for Branston Reduced Sugar And Salt Baked Beans 410g declares 2.8g sugars and 0.39g salt per 100g, with each reduction stated as 30% against standard Branston beans. Check that the multipack quantity suits your plans.
No. The NHS explains that naturally occurring sugars are included in the total-sugars figure on food labels. Compare “of which sugars” per 100g rather than treating “no added sugar” as a zero-sugar claim.
Pick by the lowest declared sugars per 100g only if that is your deciding measure; salt, ingredients and the amount you will serve may matter too. Ocado lists M&S No Added Sugar at 1.2g sugars and 0.43g salt per 100g, while Sainsbury’s lists its reduced-sugar-and-salt beans at 2.8g sugars and 0.29g salt per 100g.
No. Check the allergen declaration on the current tin: Ocado describes M&S No Added Sugar beans as prepared to a vegan recipe but says they may contain egg and milk.
Follow the opened-pack storage and use instructions on your tin, and plan whether you can use the remainder before opening it. A smaller quantity may be more practical when beans are only a side for one person.