Parents comparing salt figures
If you are choosing beans for a child aged 1 to 3, the per-100g declaration lets you compare tins while keeping the rest of the day’s food in view.
Who is this choice for?
Families weighing sugar and ingredients
A no-added-sugar recipe, a lower salt figure and avoiding sweeteners may lead you to different tins. Check each point separately.
Households using part of a tin
Choose the child’s portion for the meal rather than treating a pack’s half-can serving as a toddler portion, and follow the can’s directions for leftovers.
What should you check?
Start with salt per 100g for a like-for-like tin comparison, then check the ingredients and how much you plan to serve.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Salt | Compare salt in grams per 100g on the current cans. Consider the portion and other foods served that day; Food Standards Scotland advises no more than 2g salt a day for children aged 1 to 3. | I want to compare tins on the same basis without treating the beans as the only source of salt in the day. |
| Pack claims | Read ‘reduced salt’ against the stated comparison product. Tesco Groceries describes its 25% reduction against standard Tesco beans; Waitrose & Partners describes its 30% reduction against regular Waitrose Essential beans. | A percentage on the front of the tin should not stand in for the actual salt figure when I compare brands. |
| Sugar and ingredients | Compare declared sugars separately from salt. Check the ingredient and allergen statements: the Branston and Heinz recipes listed by Tesco Groceries and Waitrose & Partners contain steviol glycosides, while Marks & Spencer states its No Added Sugar beans are unsuitable for people with milk or egg allergy. | If we avoid sweeteners or need to check an allergy, I need the current can’s ingredient statement, not just its front-of-pack name. |
| Portion and leftovers | Use the per-100g figure to assess the amount served. Follow the purchased can’s instructions for storing and using any remainder. | When dinner uses only part of a tin, I want a portion that fits the meal and a clear plan for the leftovers. |
Common buying mistakes
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Reading a reduction percentage as a cross-brand ranking
The reduction claims for Tesco, Waitrose and Branston beans use each brand’s own regular product as the comparison. They do not, by themselves, tell you which brand’s tin has less salt.
Compare the current cans’ declared salt per 100g instead.
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Assuming ‘no added sugar’ means less salt
Waitrose & Partners lists 0.40g salt per 100g for Heinz No Added Sugar, and Marks & Spencer lists 0.43g for its No Added Sugar beans. The Tesco and Waitrose reduced sugar-and-salt tins declare 0.29g and 0.30g respectively.
Decide whether salt, the sugar declaration or another ingredient consideration matters most for this purchase, then read the relevant figures separately.
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Skipping the ingredient and allergen statement
The Branston and Heinz variants described by Tesco Groceries and Waitrose & Partners list steviol glycosides. Marks & Spencer states that its No Added Sugar beans are not suitable for people with milk or egg allergy.
Check the statement on the can you buy, particularly if an allergy applies or your household avoids sweeteners.
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Considering only the beans’ salt
Food Standards Scotland’s guidance for children aged 1 to 3 is no more than 2g salt across the whole day, not per meal.
Consider the beans alongside the other foods in dinner and the rest of the day.
Brand and product-line references
These figures describe the named recipes, not every tin made by each brand; check the label on the product you buy.
Tesco
Tesco Reduced Sugar and Salt Baked Beans are a 420g own-label option for comparing declared salt per 100g.
- Tesco Groceries lists 0.29g salt and 3.0g sugars per 100g.
- Its 25% less-salt claim compares this recipe with Tesco standard baked beans, not with other brands.
Waitrose Essential
Essential Reduced Salt & Sugar Baked Beans are a 420g own-label alternative.
- Waitrose & Partners lists 0.30g salt and 2.0g sugars per 100g.
- Its 30% reduction claims compare the recipe with regular Waitrose Essential baked beans.
Branston
Branston Reduced Sugar and Salt beans offer a branded recipe with both sugar and salt declarations to compare.
- Tesco Groceries lists 0.39g salt and 2.8g sugars per 100g for this recipe.
- Its ingredient list includes the sweetener steviol glycosides.
Heinz
Heinz Baked Beans No Added Sugar are an option when the no-added-sugar recipe is the purchasing consideration.
- Waitrose & Partners lists 1.9g sugars per 100g for this recipe.
- It also lists 0.40g salt per 100g and steviol glycosides from stevia in the ingredients.
M&S
M&S No Added Sugar Baked Beans are another recipe to assess by its separate sugar and salt declarations.
- Marks & Spencer lists 1.2g sugars and 0.43g salt per 100g.
- Marks & Spencer states this product is not suitable for people with milk or egg allergy.
Joybuy product options
This Branston option is relevant if you want a branded reduced sugar-and-salt bean recipe; compare its salt declaration with other tins if lowering salt is your main priority.
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Branston Reduced Sugar & Salt Baked Beans, 4 × 410g
For a toddler dinner, compare this recipe’s 0.39g salt per 100g with the other foods being served and the amount you plan to use. The ingredients include steviol glycosides; check the current can if your household avoids sweeteners, and follow its directions for any leftovers.
Questions about toddler dinners
How much salt should I consider across the day for a child aged 1 to 3?
Food Standards Scotland advises no more than 2g salt a day, equivalent to 0.8g sodium, for children aged 1 to 3. That applies across the whole day, not to one serving of beans.
Do no-added-sugar beans necessarily contain less salt?
No. Waitrose & Partners lists Heinz No Added Sugar at 0.40g salt per 100g, and Marks & Spencer lists its No Added Sugar beans at 0.43g. Tesco Groceries lists Tesco Reduced Sugar and Salt beans at 0.29g, while Waitrose & Partners lists Waitrose Essential Reduced Salt & Sugar beans at 0.30g per 100g. Compare salt and sugars separately.
Is the half-can serving on a tin a toddler portion?
No: treat a listed half-can serving as a pack reference, not a set portion for a toddler. Decide how much to serve with the rest of the meal, then use the can’s per-100g salt figure to put that amount in context.
What should I do with beans left after dinner?
Follow the purchased can’s instructions for transferring, refrigerating and using opened contents. Check those directions before preparing a meal that will use only part of the tin.