UK Expats in the US: What Is Your Go-To Heinz Baked Beans Alternative?

January 22, 2025 12:07 PM

In my neck of the woods, sometimes it's hard to get Heinz Baked Beans. I recently tried Kroger Baked Beans, but found them far too sweet for me. I think Trader Joe's and Whole Foods do them, and I believe Bush's is the main US brand: what's your go-to, when you just can't get hold of some Heinz?
posted by 7 Minutes of Madness to Food & Drink (16 answers total)

UK expat in the US here.

what's your go-to, when you just can't get hold of some Heinz?

Heinz beans are easily available where I live (and from Amazon), so this has never happened to me, thank goodness.

But if it did happen then I would simply Not Eat Baked Beans. As you've found, all other US brands are either too sweet or seasoned with synthetic barbecue or bacon flavor. There is no alternative.
posted by caek at 12:21 PM on January 22 [3 favorites]

Since Heinz is so famous and ubiquitous, I would have expected AskMe to despise and abhor it. I will now try some Heinz. Watching this thread with interest for other suggestions.
posted by JimN2TAW at 12:30 PM on January 22 [1 favorite]

Not an expat, but exposure abroad gave me a taste for the UK variety of Heinz beans. Bush Vegetarian baked beans are in a slightly sweet tomato sauce and seem to be the closest US mass market equivalent.
posted by zombiedance at 12:56 PM on January 22

US baked beans are not like UK Heinz beans, as you found. US pork and beans are somewhat closer to Heinz, and Kroger used to do a vegetarian version (they still may, just that my store doesn't carry them) that was even closer.
posted by indexy at 12:58 PM on January 22

The Heinz "British Style" baked beans you can get in North America are not quite right, either. They're too watery, for one.

Clarke "Baked Beans in Tomato Sauce" are pretty good. They're from Canada. My absolute favourite ones were "Uncle Vanya" beans, but they're from Russia, so fuck that for a game of soldiers.

If your local supermarket does a generic beans in tomato sauce (this may be a Canadian thing, sorry), possibly as a saver brand, it's worth a try. It's some relief from the eyewatering prices imported Heinz beans fetch over here.

(I'm from Glasgow, and care deeply about the right beans to have with a pie)
posted by scruss at 1:22 PM on January 22

Amy's Organic Baked Beans -- the "Traditional in a hearty tomato sauce" are fairly close in my opinion, although depending on where you are, possibly not any easier to find that Heinz (and likely not cheaper).
posted by edencosmic at 2:03 PM on January 22

You didn't say where you are located old bean (sorry). Is there a World Market near you ? Otherwise it will be via a Brit expat online store.
posted by Webbster at 2:07 PM on January 22 [2 favorites]

The internet is full of copycat recipes for people who absolutely love a commercial product they can’t get where they live. Here are some answers from Reddit
posted by toodleydoodley at 2:08 PM on January 22

The Heinz "British Style" baked beans you can get in North America are not quite right, either. They're too watery, for one.

In my opinion they've gotten watery in the UK as well, so I think you might be eating the same recipe that I am.
posted by plonkee at 2:21 PM on January 22 [1 favorite]

Probably expensive, but they have the beans and a lot of other things.

https://us.britishessentials.com/
posted by freakazoid at 2:40 PM on January 22

If you are in the Northeast US, or the near south, Wegmans sometimes has a section of British specialties that includes British Heinz. The same with Publix, in the southeast.
posted by Vegiemon at 4:01 PM on January 22

If your city/town has a World Market, you may find them there.
posted by sugarbomb at 8:17 PM on January 22

If you are in the states that have Publix grocery stores, they have the Heinz beans on their "International" aisle in the "British" section
posted by TimHare at 8:17 PM on January 22

If you’re still in SLC, looks like Walmart will ship them to you: walmart
posted by toodleydoodley at 8:34 AM on January 23

→ In my opinion they've gotten watery in the UK as well, so I think you might be eating the same recipe that I am.

And they broke Irn Bru a few years ago too. Is nothing sacred? (me shakes liver-spotted fist at sky)

There are North America-made "British Style" and actual UK made (but probably not in Slough any more) beans. The latter are usually 3× the price of the former
posted by scruss at 12:34 PM on January 24

I can get Batchelors and Heinz beans in my local supermarket in the US, although they're pretty expensive relative to the cost in the UK. If you can't find them in yours, Indian/South Asian grocery stores often have them! They'll also usually have some random brands of canned beans in tomato sauce that taste much closer to UK style baked beans than to Bush's beans etc.
posted by hejrat at 11:45 AM on January 25