Who is choosing a single tin?

Plant-based meal planners

Baked beans can be one protein-containing part of toast, a jacket potato or another meal. Compare the protein in the portion you will eat, especially when choosing between a small and a standard-size tin.

Shoppers comparing sugars and salt

Looking beyond protein? Read the sugars and salt figures on the same serving basis, whether you plan to eat half a tin or the whole tin.

People cooking one smaller portion

A 200–220g tin may be closer to the amount needed for one meal. Its smaller contents also mean its total protein needs comparing with a larger tin by portion, not just per 100g.

What should you compare?

Decide how much of the tin you will eat before comparing its nutrition figures with another size or recipe.

Priority What to check Your needs
Protein in your portion Compare protein per 100g and net weight. For a whole tin, multiply the per-100g figure by the tin weight in hundreds of grams; for a smaller portion, use the relevant serving amount. If I plan to eat the whole tin, I want its total protein figure—not a comparison based only on 100g.
Salt Check salt per 100g or per stated serving, then calculate it for your portion. A full tin contains twice the amount shown for half a tin. I want to account for the salt in the beans alongside the rest of my food. The NHS advises adults to have no more than 6g of salt a day in total.
Sugars and ingredients Compare sugars per 100g across recipes, then read the ingredient list if sweeteners matter to you. ASDA Groceries lists steviol glycosides in Heinz No Added Sugar beans. A no-added-sugar recipe interests me, but I still want to compare its protein, salt and ingredients with the standard version.
Tin size Compare the net weight with your planned portion. Check the stated servings and the pack’s directions for any beans left after opening. For one smaller meal, I would rather choose an amount I expect to use than compare tins as though they were all one serving.

Common buying mistakes

  • Assuming every tin supplies similar protein

    Protein per 100g and tin weight both affect the amount in your meal. ASDA Groceries lists Heinz Five Beans at 5.4g protein per 100g in a 415g tin, while Marks & Spencer lists its 220g Only 7 Ingredients tin at 4.2g per 100g.

    Use the nutrition panel to calculate protein for the amount you intend to eat, rather than comparing tin sizes or front labels alone.

  • Reading a half-tin salt figure as a whole-tin figure

    ASDA Groceries lists 1.3g salt per half tin for standard Heinz Baked Beans 415g. Eating the full tin would make that about 2.6g.

    Check the label’s serving basis and calculate salt for your portion. The NHS advises adults to have no more than 6g of salt a day in total.

  • Expecting a no-added-sugar recipe to lead on protein

    ASDA Groceries lists 4.6g protein per 100g for Heinz No Added Sugar beans, compared with 4.8g per 100g for standard Heinz. The no-added-sugar recipe also lists steviol glycosides.

    Compare protein, sugars, salt and ingredients for the particular recipes you are considering.

  • Choosing a large tin for a small meal without a plan for the rest

    A standard-size tin can leave beans unused when you want only a smaller portion. A smaller tin changes the amount of food—and therefore the total protein—you get.

    Choose a tin close to your planned portion, or check the pack’s instructions for storing any leftovers.

Brand and range references

Heinz

Heinz has standard and no-added-sugar 415g baked beans, Five Beans in a 415g tin and smaller single-serve formats listed by Waitrose.

  • ASDA Groceries lists Five Beans at 5.4g protein per 100g, equivalent to about 22.4g for the full 415g tin.
  • The No Added Sugar recipe lists 4.6g protein per 100g and steviol glycosides; compare it with the standard recipe on the measures that matter to you.

ASDA

ASDA lists standard baked beans in 410g and 210g tins, plus a 410g reduced-salt, no-added-sugar recipe.

  • ASDA Groceries declares 4.9g protein per 100g for its standard beans, or about 20.1g for a full 410g tin.
  • Its reduced-salt, no-added-sugar version lists 4.5g protein and 0.34g salt per 100g and contains steviol glycosides.

Tesco

Tesco lists its own baked beans in tomato sauce in 420g tins.

  • Tesco Groceries declares 4.4g protein per 100g, equivalent to about 18.5g for a full 420g tin.
  • The listed salt figure is 0.49g per 100g; calculate it for the portion you plan to eat.

M&S

Marks & Spencer lists a 400g Eat Well tin and a 220g Only 7 Ingredients single-serve tin.

  • The smaller format offers a way to choose a 220g portion without opening a 400g tin.
  • Marks & Spencer declares 4.2g protein per 100g for the 220g tin, or about 9.2g if you eat it all.

Sainsbury's

Sainsbury's lists standard baked beans in 400g and 215g tins.

  • The 215g tin offers a smaller pack size for a meal planned around that amount.
  • Sainsbury's declares 3.8g protein per 100g for its 400g tin, or about 15.2g for the full tin; its label describes the tin as two servings.

Waitrose

Waitrose lists Essential baked beans in 420g and 220g formats, alongside branded 200g single-serve tins.

  • The listed pack sizes give shoppers both standard and smaller-tin formats to consider.
  • Check the nutrition panel on the particular tin before comparing its protein, sugars or salt with another recipe.

Joybuy product options

The Joybuy option here is a 220g tin for shoppers considering a smaller portion.

Branston Baked Beans in Tomato Sauce 220g tin

Branston Baked Beans in Tomato Sauce 220g

The 220g tin is an option when you plan to use less than a standard-size tin. Check its nutrition panel and serving guidance against the portion you have in mind.

View on Joybuy

Questions about portions and labels

Is one tin of baked beans enough for a high-protein meal?

Do not assume one tin meets the amount of protein you want from a meal. For example, Sainsbury's declares 3.8g protein per 100g for its 400g tin, or about 15.2g for the full tin; ASDA Groceries lists 5.4g per 100g for Heinz Five Beans, or about 22.4g for its 415g tin. Compare your planned portion and the other foods in the meal.

Which of these standard-size tins provides the most protein per full tin?

Among the standard-size tins compared here, Heinz Five Beans 415g has the largest calculated whole-tin amount: ASDA Groceries lists 5.4g protein per 100g, equivalent to about 22.4g if you eat the full tin. That comparison is based on declared protein and pack weight, not taste or the meal as a whole.

Do no-added-sugar baked beans contain less protein?

Compare the particular recipes rather than relying on the name. ASDA Groceries lists 4.6g protein per 100g for Heinz No Added Sugar beans and 4.8g per 100g for standard Heinz; the no-added-sugar recipe lists steviol glycosides among its ingredients.

How do I work out the salt in a full tin?

Check whether the label gives salt per 100g or per half tin, then calculate it for the amount you will eat. ASDA Groceries lists 1.3g salt per half tin for standard Heinz Baked Beans 415g, making about 2.6g for the full tin. The NHS advises adults to have no more than 6g of salt a day in total.