Celebrating 50 Yearz of Beanz Meanz Heinz

The iconic "Beanz Meanz Heinz" slogan was first used back in 1967 and even today 50 years later, it remains one of the more recognisable and memorable advertising slogans of our times. With a can being sold every 17 seconds, Heinz Beanz are a big part of family life here in the UK.

To celebrate, Heinz is launching over 6000 limited edition cans, commemorating this momentous half century milestone. They feature some modern twists on the original slogan that reflect what Heinz Beanz mean to us today, such as "Beanz Meanz  Yummz" and "Beanz Meanz Spudz". These will go on sale exclusively at Selfridges foodhalls in London, Birmingham and Manchester priced at £2 each.

In addition to this, 50 super collectable numbered cans signed by Maurice Drake, the man who penned the "Beanz Meanz Heinz" slogan, will go on sale in the London store and online  on April 5th for £10 a can. Monies raised will be donated to The Ideas Foundation, a charity for nurturing creatively gifted young people that also works towards increasing diversity in creative industries.

Baked bean fans can also go to a pop-up bar in Selfridges London, where they can enjoy dishes such as Beanz with scrambled egg for £3. A real breakfast classic! This will be running from March 27th to April 23rd, no need to book.

On the success of his advertising slogan for Heinz, Maurice Drake says "...I still find it incredible that, over  50 years later, the seemingly timeless ‘Beanz Meanz Heinz’ slogan continues to have relevance and brand power, still appealing to different generations in an ever-changing world. This is in part due to a great product which is still as loved as it was then, but also due to the enduring love of content which places food and meal times at the heart of the home.”

Beans, Beans, Good for the Heart!

Heinz have recently added some new products to their extensive range of kitchen essentials and I've been sent some to try out!

The new Squeeze and Stir Soups offer a great alternative to the powdered cup soups available on the market.  The nation's favourite soup is now available in handy, lightweight sachets containing a concentrated soup puree.  With Cream of Tomato, Minestrone, Mediterranean Vegetable and Tomato and Basil flavours, the exciting new range is ideal for a quick, healthy snack in an instant.  All you need is a kettle, a mug and a spoon.  You just tear pack and squeeze the puree into a cup, add boiling water to cover and stir, top up cup with boiling water and stir again.  Then you can enjoy the thick, velvety texture and delicious real soup goodness.

With no artificial colours, flavours or preservatives, it is also low in fat and provides one of your five a day.  The sachets can be popped into a bag or briefcase for a healthy lunch on the go.

We tried some of the Squeeze and Stir soups.  They were quick, simple and made a good tasting cup of soup, far preferable to the powdered soups!

Available from major retailers the RRP is 59p per sachet.

The latest must have for your fridge is the Reduced Salt and Sugar Heinz Beanz Fridge Pack.  Bean lovers can now enjoy their favourite healthier baked beans with all the flexibility and advantages offered by being in a convenient re-sealable pack.

Each fridge pack holds the equivalent of two and a half cans of beans.  This is perfect for the bigger family, with a screw top lid that can be re-sealed, staying fresh in the fridge for up to five days.  You can eat as many beans as you like when you like.  A see-through measure on the side lets you keep track of how many are left.  The fridge packs ensures that no food is wasted.

Baked Beans contribute towards your five a day and now with the salt and sugar reduced, they are even better for you.  The Reduced Salt and Sugar version is the perfect comfort food for those wanting to reduce their salt and sugar intake.

The plastic jar is recyclable, which was a concern I had with the new packaging.  Environmentally however, the impact of producing and recycling plastic is not as friendly as with tin cans.  Personally, although the fridge pack is more convenient and may reduce food waste, I'll stick to my usual tin of beans!  RRP £1.93

Aldi vs Heinz Baked Beans

Baked Beans are an everyday essential that most people have in their store cupboards.  Once, they were a very cheap product but recently the price has risen to 64p a can for the brand leader Heinz.  Aldi's alternative Corale, are just 29p a can.  We taste tested the two types against each other with surprising results in our Swap And Save challenge!

Both girls failed to tell the difference between the two bowls of beans.  Aldi's beans are less than half the price of Heinz beans.  That equates to a considerable saving over the course of the week!

I'm really beginning to see that sticking slavishly to brand leaders is a surefire way of wasting our hard earned cash!  'Swap and Save' is definitely something that can save you money without compromising on quality or taste.  Check out our final taste tests on Frosted Flakes and Tea Bags!