Baked Beans on Toast so Typically British and Perfect for Any Meal

Baked Beans in the UK are a part of our staple diet and have been for many years.

I am not sure when and where the idea of serving Baked Beans On Toast originated, I have a feeling that it dates back to the Second World War and the food rationing days, but it could date back further than that.

The origin of Baked Beans is with Heinz in the USA, and it was not until 1901 that the first can of Heinz Bakeed Beans was sold in the UK, and four years later the first factory opened in London (England's Obsession With Heinz Baked Beans).

For us British, Baked Beans are something that you can eat for any meal of the day, whether it's Breakfast, Lunch or Dinner.

Baked Beans in the UK almost always consists of Haricot Beans served in a thick Tomato Sauce. It's very similar to the American "Pork And Beans", except the pieces of fatty salt pork are missing and it is actually a vegetarian dish.

The other difference is that in the USA, most brands of Baked Bean use brown sugar in the recipe, whereas in the UK it's white sugar. The American version contains 14g of sugar per tin, and the British only 7g.

The most popular brand in the UK is still Heinz, and the UK version is now available in the USA as well, however it's unlikely that you will find the Low Salt and Low Sugar versions over there. We are very health conscious these days in the UK.

No "Full English Breakfast" would be complete without Baked Beans, a "Full English Breakfast" consisting of Sausage (usually thick Pork ones), Bacon (thick rashers, not crispy bacon), Fried Egg, Grilled Tomatoes, and of course Baked Beans.

Optionally you will see Black Pudding, otherwise known as "Blood Sausage", virtually identical to the Hispanic "Morcilla", and it's so good.

Very common when I was growing up was "Fried Bread", slices of bread left to cook in a skillet with 1/2 inch of fat (lard) in it, but this is not eaten too much nowadays for health reasons.

Our fried eggs are different in the UK too, being cooked in the skillet with a lot of fat, which is spooned or flicked over the top of the egg to cook the top, rather than griddling the egg and flipping it over. Our eggs are always "sunny side up".

But I digress onto the subject of a Full English Breakfast and away from that of Baked Beans, but rarely would you see breakfast advertised in the UK without Beans on the menu.

Baked Beans are also served as a side dish, with meals like Fish Fingers and Chips (Fries), or Burgers and Chips (yes fries again), and sometimes on a Baked Potato (really good), but the most common way to eat Baked Beans by far is on toast.

Baked Beans on Toast is so easy to make, and it's cheap and nutritious too. It's no wonder us British eat it a lot, and it is good for any meal of the day.

The unfortunate side effect of eating too many Baked Beans of course is Flatulence, but that does help add a touch of Humor to a meal, unless you have guests over. For visual images, think Blazing Saddles or The Nutty Professor (Eddie Murphy version).

To make Beans on Toast, just open a can of Baked Beans (preferrably Heinz Baked Beans), heat gently in a saucepan, making sure they don't boil and get too sticky. Meanwhile, stick some slices of bread under the grill, and let it toast. When the toast is done, lightly butter, pour the Baked Beans over the top, and voila! You have a nice quick, simple and cheap meal.

This is perfect for filling you up first thing in the morning, it makes a great lunchtime snack, or a light evening meal. Either way, Baked Beans on Toast does the trick.

If you want to try something a bit more special, melt some Cheese on Toast, and then pour the Baked Beans over the top. This is often referred to as "Cheese And Beans On Toast", and was my staple lunchtime food at University.

I had better stop here, as I am getting hungry, and guess what I fancy for dinner tonight?

Previously Published On:

Fortitude

Sources:

Personal experience

Wikipedia

England's Obsession With Heinz Baked Beans by Sabah Karimi