Who is this for?

Cottage hosts comparing salt

If you are planning simple breakfasts or lunches for guests, the per-100g salt figure lets you compare tins of different sizes. Check the amount in the portion you intend to serve as well.

Solo guests and small parties

A smaller tin may better match one meal. If you choose a larger tin, plan how you will store and use anything left after opening.

Hosts serving guests with food allergies

Check the ingredient and allergen information on the exact tin before cooking. A vegetarian or vegan description is not a substitute for that check; Marks & Spencer states that its No Added Sugar Baked Beans are not suitable for people with milk or egg allergy.

What should you compare?

Start with comparable salt figures, then choose a tin size and check the label for the people staying.

Priority What to check Your needs
Salt per portion Compare grams of salt per 100g across tins, then check the stated serving size against the portion you will use. Tesco Groceries and Sainsbury's each list 0.29g per 100g for their named reduced sugar and salt products. I want to compare tins on the same basis, but I also need to know how much will go into each meal.
Sugar wording Read the salt figure separately from any reduced-sugar or no-added-sugar claim. ASDA Groceries lists 0.34g salt per 100g for its Reduced Salt & No Added Sugar beans; Waitrose & Partners lists 0.40g for Heinz Beanz No Added Sugar. A no-added-sugar recipe might suit my shopping preference, but I do not want its name to make the salt decision for me.
Tin size Match the tin or multipack size to the number of diners. For opened beans, check the exact pack's container, refrigeration and use-by instructions. For one or two guests, I would rather plan portions than leave an opened tin behind at the end of the stay.
Allergens Read the current ingredient and allergen declaration on the exact tin. Marks & Spencer says its No Added Sugar Baked Beans are not suitable for people with milk or egg allergy. If I am cooking for someone with an allergy, I need to check their tin before serving, even if the product is described as vegan or vegetarian.

What is easy to overlook?

  • Assuming no added sugar means less salt

    The claims describe different things. ASDA Groceries lists 0.34g salt per 100g for its no-added-sugar beans, while Waitrose & Partners lists 0.40g for Heinz Beanz No Added Sugar.

    For a salt-led choice, compare the per-100g salt lines first; consider the sugar wording separately.

  • Choosing a tin without planning portions

    A larger tin may cover more diners, but unfinished beans need storage after opening. A smaller tin may fit a single meal more closely.

    Estimate how many people will eat the beans and choose a pack you can finish or store according to its label.

  • Using an online listing as the final allergy check

    Allergen suitability depends on the exact product. Marks & Spencer says its No Added Sugar Baked Beans are not suitable for people with milk or egg allergy.

    Read the physical tin's ingredient and allergen declaration before cooking for a guest with an allergy.

  • Leaving beans in an opened tin

    The checked Tesco, Sainsbury's and Waitrose product instructions call for refrigerated storage after opening and use within two days.

    Check the tin you buy and have a suitable covered container available if you expect leftovers.

Relevant brand options

These figures describe the named products, not every baked-bean recipe sold by each brand.

Tesco

Tesco Reduced Sugar And Salt Baked Beans are a 420g own-label tin.

  • Tesco Groceries lists 0.29g salt per 100g and describes this recipe as having 25% less salt than its standard baked beans.
  • Check the current tin label for its nutrition, ingredients and allergens.

Sainsbury's

Sainsbury's Reduced Sugar & Salt Baked Beans include a 4 x 400g multipack.

  • Sainsbury's lists 0.29g salt per 100g and describes the product as having 30% less salt than its standard baked beans.
  • Consider whether a multipack fits the length of the stay and the number of diners.

Waitrose

Essential Waitrose Reduced Salt & Sugar Baked Beans include a 220g tin for a smaller planned portion.

  • Waitrose & Partners lists 0.30g salt per 100g and describes the recipe as having 30% less salt than regular Essential Waitrose baked beans.
  • Check whether one tin covers the number of guests eating.

Asda

Asda Reduced Salt & No Added Sugar Baked Beans come in a 410g tin.

  • ASDA Groceries lists 0.34g salt per 100g for this named product.
  • Its no-added-sugar wording does not replace a check of the salt figure.

Heinz

Heinz Beanz No Added Sugar is an option for guests who specifically prefer that recipe.

  • Waitrose & Partners lists 0.40g salt per 100g and describes it as having 25% less salt than standard Heinz Beanz.
  • For a salt-led choice, compare its per-100g figure with the other tins under consideration.

M&S

M&S No Added Sugar Baked Beans are a separate recipe to assess by their own label.

  • Marks & Spencer lists 0.43g salt per 100g for this product.
  • Marks & Spencer states that it is not suitable for people with milk or egg allergy.

Joybuy product options

For stocking a cottage cupboard with reduced sugar and salt baked beans, this Joybuy option is a multipack. Compare its current tin label and pack size with the portions you plan to serve.

Branston Reduced Sugar & Salt Baked Beans, 4 x 410g

Branston Reduced Sugar & Salt Baked Beans, 4 x 410g

The 4 x 410g format gives cottage guests several tins to use across a stay. Check the current label's salt per 100g, serving information, allergens and instructions for any opened tin before serving.

View on Joybuy

Questions about choosing and storing beans

Does “reduced salt” tell me how much salt is in a serving?

No. It compares a recipe with another recipe, while the amount in your serving depends on the tin's stated salt figure and how much you serve. Read grams per 100g for a like-for-like product comparison, then check the portion.

Which of the named tins list the lowest salt per 100g?

Tesco Groceries and Sainsbury's each list 0.29g salt per 100g for their named reduced sugar and salt baked beans. Waitrose & Partners lists 0.30g for Essential Reduced Salt & Sugar Baked Beans. Check the current pack when buying, as this comparison concerns those specific recipes.

How should I store beans left over in the cottage?

Follow the instructions on the tin you bought. The checked Tesco, Sainsbury's and Waitrose product instructions call for refrigerated storage after opening and use within two days; the Tesco and Waitrose instructions also specify a non-metallic container.

Is a vegan or vegetarian description enough for a guest with an allergy?

No. Check the allergen declaration on the exact tin before serving it. Marks & Spencer states that its No Added Sugar Baked Beans are not suitable for people with milk or egg allergy.