6 Heyday Canned Bean Flavors Ranked

Canned beans can very well be a convenient, healthy, and affordable plant-based protein to keep stocked in your pantry. Yet, they can be somewhat uninspiring without being spruced up. Enter Heyday Canning. This clever brand of canned beans takes legumes from ordinary to marvelous.

Each quirky-looking retro can that seems like it time traveled to the 21st century from the 1960s is filled with an internationally inspired culinary delight. These trendy travelers are vegan, non-GMO, and gluten-free. The cans are BPA-free and have a convenient pull tab that makes these beans easy to enjoy anywhere, any time. No need to drain, rinse, or cook them.

From the moment these beans arrived in our kitchen, we were smitten. We like to play with our food, and these cans screamed "good time" at us. Our taste testing included all six flavors Heyday makes, which arrived in a fun variety pack that didn't take itself too seriously. We tested these beans heated up, as the company notes they taste best that way. We then ranked them from least to most favorite based on aroma, texture, flavor, and creativity. Read on to see which of these bold beans reigned supreme.

At the bottom of our list ranks the Tomato Alla Vodka Cannellini Beans. These tender cannellini beans are combined with organic crushed tomatoes, coconut milk, onions, garlic, and vodka. The result is both flavorful and nostalgic.

From the moment we popped this can open, we couldn't get Chef Boyardee out of our heads. Their aroma transported us back to childhood homes, where we enjoyed a piping hot can of noodles. This may not sound like a glowing endorsement, but there was something comforting about these beans.

Where they differed from the childhood classic was in flavor. These beans were far less salty and had a more measured amount of tomato that allowed the cannellini and the sweetness of the vodka to shine through. Because these were the most ordinary of the bean flavors we sampled, we placed them last but certainly not least.

Each 5-ounce serving of these beans contains 200 calories, 7 grams of fat, 600 milligrams of sodium, 24 grams of carbohydrates, 6 grams of fiber, 2 grams of sugar, and 9 grams of protein. They also have 20% of the recommended daily value of iron. While their sodium level is a bit high, these beans would be a great meal paired with a Caprese salad, grilled vegetables, and a nice glass of Pinot Grigio. Overall, we give these beans a solid B grade.

We struggled with which of these bean flavors to place next to last on our list. All of them were distinct and a vacation in a can. We finally settled upon the Coconut Curry Chickpeas, not because we didn't enjoy them, but because we felt they had flavors that would push the envelope most for some palates.

These chickpeas have a Malaysian flair, with coconut milk, onions, tamari soy sauce, lemongrass, garlic, ginger, galangal, tamarind paste, Makrut lime powder, and a generous amount of turmeric and curry powders. These spices permeate your nasal passages from the first moment you take a whiff of these beans.

The texture of the beans is perfect, tender, and has a hint of pop. This gives them a luxurious mouthfeel. Where flavor is concerned, we thought these beans were significantly saltier than the others, which was not bad, just notable. The coconut and agave confer a hint of sweetness that helps to temper the prominent turmeric and curry notes.

This exotic blend contains 260 calories for a 5-ounce serving. Each serving also has 12 grams of fat, 510 milligrams of sodium, 33 grams of carbohydrates, 6 grams of fiber, 8 grams of sugar, and 8 grams of protein. These beans would shine with steamed jasmine rice, stir-fried vegetables, and spicy sambal. Aside from the slightly high sodium content, we think these beans are a great choice and give them a solid B+ grade.

Next on our ranking of Heyday varieties are the Apricot Glazed Baked Beans. In this case, we ranked this flavor where we did because the other three were exceedingly creative and hit us in our happy places. These baked beans are the perfect marriage of American and British beans with a hint of Mediterranean inspiration.

The nose of these beans is redolent of molasses and vinegar with strong tomato notes. You don't get the apricot presence until you taste these beans. These beans start with a great smokiness from the paprika, slowly mellowing into the sweetness of the agave and apricot purée. They are less salty than other baked beans and have the right acidity to balance all the flavors. This recipe is nuanced in execution, which sets it apart from any baked beans we have ever eaten at a summer barbecue.

Each 5-ounce serving contains 230 calories, 4.5 grams of fat, 510 milligrams of sodium, 38 grams of sugar, 5 grams of fiber, 16 grams of sugar, and 8 grams of protein. Again, the sodium content of these beans is a touch high but not unreasonable. These beans would be perfect with grilled burgers or hot dogs, fresh summer corn, and a delightful homemade apple pie. We give these beans a solid A- grade.

In third place on our ranking of Heyday beans is the Kimchi Sesame Navy variety. Navy beans may sound as American as apple pie, but would you believe they could shine with Korean flavorings? We were skeptical at first. We love Korean food and beans, but this combination seemed far-fetched.

The primary seasonings in this recipe include vegan kimchi, vinegar, Gochujang, ginger, garlic, and toasted sesame oil. When you pop the top of this can, the aroma is aggressively that of sesame, which we love but may be an acquired taste and smell. The flavor of these beans has the nuttiness of the sesame, acidity from the vinegar, spiciness from the Gochujang, and a hint of sea salt to meld the flavors together. It is quite the umami-bomb that will awaken every one of your senses.

Each 5-ounce portion of these beans has 200 calories, 7 grams of fat, a hefty 690 milligrams of sodium, 27 grams of carbohydrates, 5 grams of fiber, 5 grams of sugar, and 8 grams of protein. This recipe also has substantial levels of potassium and iron. Try pairing these beans with fresh and pickled vegetables, steamed rice, and a Korean rice wine like Gukhwaju. Our palates exploded with all these exotic flavors, prompting us to give these beans a grade of A.

Our second-place ranking went to the Enchilada Black Beans. These were not altogether an unexpected combination. Black beans in enchiladas aren't exactly a novelty. They are pervasive across Tex-Mex and Mexican cuisines, usually bathed in a luxurious red sauce. These beans are a tribute to this legacy, laden with tomatoes, vinegar, garlic, cocoa powder, and a plethora of dried chiles for a generous dose of heat.

At first sniff, the aroma of cumin is pervasive. It has a smoky earthiness that instantly got our mouths watering. The flavor is equally bold, not shying away from embracing strong spices and heat. These beans have little to no sweetness and a salty bite. The smokiness and spiciness of the chili peppers linger long after you swallow these beans.

These beans have the fewest calories at 140 per 5-ounce serving. They also have 2 grams of fat, 620 milligrams of sodium, 24 grams of carbohydrates, 6 grams of fiber, 1 gram of sugar, and 8 grams of protein. We'd serve these beans with Spanish rice, fresh avocado, cotija cheese, chopped onions, cilantro, and homemade corn tortillas for authentic vegetarian street tacos. We are fans, so we are giving these beans an A+ grade.

Our top pick among the Heyday beans is the Harissa Lemon Chickpeas. We admit that we are slightly biased toward this combination of flavors as we spent some time traveling across Morocco. That said, we think the bright flavors and unique blend of spices will make everyone fall in love with the culinary exoticism central to the cuisines of North Africa.

These chickpeas are a triumph in complexity. They are marinated with onions, tomato paste, red peppers, garlic, date syrup, jalapeños, rose water, paprika, and lemon in myriad shapes, from juice to powder to extract. This combination of lemony ingredients mimics the flavor profile of preserved lemons. The aroma hints at the spiciness of harissa paste, which tends to be warm but not overpowering. The flavor introduces the acidity of the lemon, along with some salt and a hint of sweetness to balance everything out.

These chickpeas have 200 calories per 5-ounce serving. They also contain 7 grams of fat, 580 milligrams of sodium, 28 grams of carbohydrates, 5 grams of fiber, 6 grams of sugar, and 7 grams of protein. Try these chickpeas with a fresh tomato and cucumber salad, tzatziki, and pita. To end your meal, serve some Moroccan mint tea and almond cookies to complete your culinary vacation on a plate. We are smitten by Heyday beans, particularly this variety, and give these a fervent A++ grade.