Review of Meijer Country Style Baked Beans

Labor day weekend is a red flag sign that one needs to get out and grill. Grilling meats often involves the desire for a little corn on the cob and baked beans. Normally I pick my name brand standby of Bush’s baked beans. While I enjoy the lovable golden retriever, Duke as their marketing shtick, I would probably still buy these beans due to their exceptional flavor. Labor Day sales at Meijer tempted me to try a new option from the Meijer brands. I decided to go for the larger 28 ounce size can of Meijer Country Style Baked Beans with Bacon and Brown sugar. There were numerous options within the Meijer bean family, though bacon and brown sugar sounds most to my liking.

My option to select the larger can of beans was out of necessity to feed five as we served cheddar bratwurst, hot dogs, and needed some beans to go with it. The smaller sixteen ounce can was not going to cut it. The large can of these high fiber beans by Meijer was only $1.69 and approximately thirty cents cheaper than the Bushes counterpart.

As I opened the can I noticed a runny or thinner consistency than Bush’s baked beans. However that all seemed to change as the beans warmed up in the saucepan and I served them in a more thickened state.  The beans surprisingly also measured up in flavor and aroma. I was pleased with the decent sweet taste of the Meijer beans. The hint of brown sugar was recognized though the chunks of bacon were slight. I am pretty sure there are no commercially made baked beans that provide ample amounts of bacon in a can, probably more reason to add a few chopped slices of your own.

My conclusion of these beans was mixed. I like them but will most likely stick to my Bush’s option and splurge on the extra thirty cents. While I liked the taste of the Meijer beans, I was slightly put off by the pale color of the beans as they did not have the darker tones of other brands I have tried. I also found the sweet and smoky flavors of the Bush brand to also have an edge over Meijer. Overall, I would still consider Meijer baked beans an average buy.