Value Range foods compared

[Frnc]

Chickpea Masala arrived today. Nov 2025, so pretty pleased. I have about one a month. I had the Rustic Rogan Josh recently. It's nice, but you need to add some veg. I only had carrot, could have done with some cauliflower. The Chickpea is filling on it's own as it has whole chickpeas, which are about twice the diameter of normal peas (and remember, double diameter = 8 x the volume for a sphere).

[jennyjj01]

Chickpea Masala arrived today. Nov 2025, so pretty pleased. I have about one a month. I had the Rustic Rogan Josh recently. It's nice, but you need to add some veg. I only had carrot, could have done with some cauliflower. The Chickpea is filling on it's own as it has whole chickpeas, which are about twice the diameter of normal peas (and remember, double diameter = 8 x the volume for a sphere).

FRNC, You sound somewhat unfamiliar with the joys of chickpeas? They're great for much more than curries and not much like garde peas. They make an acceptable meat substitute in cottage pie or bolognese, if you break them up a bit and cook with an oxo. Cheap if you buy them dried, but they can go tough after a few years of storage. Or you can buy them canned.

https://spicestoryteller.com/chickpeas- ... y-kitchen/

https://www.uk-preppers.co.uk/forum/vie ... as#p183639

[Frnc]

Chickpea Masala arrived today. Nov 2025, so pretty pleased. I have about one a month. I had the Rustic Rogan Josh recently. It's nice, but you need to add some veg. I only had carrot, could have done with some cauliflower. The Chickpea is filling on it's own as it has whole chickpeas, which are about twice the diameter of normal peas (and remember, double diameter = 8 x the volume for a sphere).

FRNC, You sound somewhat unfamiliar with the joys of chickpeas? They're great for much more than curries and not much like garde peas. They make an acceptable meat substitute in cottage pie or bolognese, if you break them up a bit and cook with an oxo. Cheap if you buy them dried, but they can go tough after a few years of storage. Or you can buy them canned.

https://spicestoryteller.com/chickpeas- ... y-kitchen/

https://www.uk-preppers.co.uk/forum/vie ... as#p183639

Also they are a source of protein, and low oxalate. But I'm not into buying them dried. I might get some tinned ones. I think they are in the Falafel mix I bought, which I need to start using up.

[jennyjj01]

Also they are a source of protein, and low oxalate. But I'm not into buying them dried. I might get some tinned ones. I think they are in the Falafel mix I bought, which I need to start using up.

Also you can make hummus just by a bit of extra smashing.

[jennyjj01]

Today, a review of Sainsbury's Stamford Street Baked Beans, 26p
https://www.sainsburys.co.uk/gol-ui/pro ... asics-420g

today, I report on Tesco's offering at 27p

It's good news!
On opening the tin, there were beans visible in the sauce, which was a refreshing change.
The sauce: Thick and rich enough, well balanced and nicely seasoned. No overpowering onion taste.
The beans: Perfectly acceptable tender haricot beans. Good texture.

If Branston is the 10/10 benchmark, and Heinz beans are 9/10, then these were as near as dammit identical to Heinz and also score 9/10.

A Quick review and comparison of Sainsbury's 'Stamford Street' Baked Beans.

TL;DR Disappointingly cheap.


I spotted these at 26p, which undercuts my go-to Tesco Stockwell baked beans which are 29p.

Being a tightwad, I figured worth a try at 10% less cost.

Hmmmmmm. A quick check on nutritional value and ingredients revealed....
1% more beans.
7g of sugar compared to Tesco's 9.5g
160kCal compared to Tesco's 182kCal !!!! That's 12% less Calories!!!!
400g Can compared to Tesco's 420g Can (Website says 420g???)

These were not drowned in sauce and looked and smelled ok. I.e. better than ALDI's
Taste was disappointing and the sauce was not as rich. It almost tasted of artificial sweetener, though none was listed. It had a hint of garlic? as shown in ingredients.
If Tesco's were 9/10, then Sainsbury's were 7.5/10
The Sainsbury offering was 10% cheaper than Tesco's, but you literally get worse that 10% less nutrients.
The only upside in this comparison is that there are plenty on the shelves, whereas Tesco's are almost always out of stock.

Will I be buying more at 26p, for the extended pantry? : Not if I can get Stockwell up to 30p.

[Frnc]

Problem with shop bought baked beans is they are sky high in oxalates. So it's a no from me. I make my own using butter beans. Not done it for a while, so it's about time for a batch. They are not quite the same, but pretty decent. Actually a bit spicier and a bit tomatoier. I did make my own pasta sauce recently. Tube of puree is the basis for both. In fact beans don't need much of that.

I see everything is getting more expensive again. And Sainsburys sometimes don't give you the advertised discount, so you have to look like a stingy person and tell them.

Whisky in particular has gone up.

[jennyjj01]

I make my own using butter beans....Tube of puree is the basis for both. In fact beans don't need much of that.

I'm going to try to grow cannellini beans this year as they are pretty taste neutral and make decent baked beans. They are fairly low in oxalates
I use puree or just tinned tomatoes in oh so many recipes. 'Our' baked beans or 'our' pasta sauce don't have to emulate shop bought, to be a perfectly nutritious meal. Here's to the 'make it up as you go' school of cooking.
If I were to only be able to buy one prepper food, it would be a tonne of tinned tomatoes.

I see everything is getting more expensive again.

And the huge Tesco Extra only had ONE dented tin of the cheap stockwell beans again. I swear they use non-stock items to pretend to price promise.

[Frnc]

I make my own using butter beans....Tube of puree is the basis for both. In fact beans don't need much of that.

I'm going to try to grow cannellini beans this year as they are pretty taste neutral and make decent baked beans. They are fairly low in oxalates
I use puree or just tinned tomatoes in oh so many recipes. 'Our' baked beans or 'our' pasta sauce don't have to emulate shop bought, to be a perfectly nutritious meal. Here's to the 'make it up as you go' school of cooking.
If I were to only be able to buy one prepper food, it would be a tonne of tinned tomatoes.

I see everything is getting more expensive again.

And the huge Tesco Extra only had ONE dented tin of the cheap stockwell beans again. I swear they use non-stock items to pretend to price promise.

I do use tinned toms in pasta sauce. But for beans I just use puree, and not too much.

Baked beans 5 portions

- [ ] 2 x 400g butter beans 100 cal/ portion 4mg oxalates/portion
- [ ] oil
- [ ] onion powder
- [ ] garlic powder
- [ ] 1/2 tube tom puree 100g 4mg oxalates/20g portion
- [ ] stock cube
- [ ] 20g cornflower or thickening granules
- [ ] 25 g sugar
- [ ] 40 ml vinegar
- [ ] worcester sauce 20ml
- [ ] salt and pepper
- [ ] paprika 1 tsp 1mg oxalates/ portion 1/4 tsp

[mcprepper]

I make my own using butter beans....Tube of puree is the basis for both. In fact beans don't need much of that.

I'm going to try to grow cannellini beans this year as they are pretty taste neutral and make decent baked beans. They are fairly low in oxalates
I use puree or just tinned tomatoes in oh so many recipes. 'Our' baked beans or 'our' pasta sauce don't have to emulate shop bought, to be a perfectly nutritious meal. Here's to the 'make it up as you go' school of cooking.
If I were to only be able to buy one prepper food, it would be a tonne of tinned tomatoes.

I see everything is getting more expensive again.

And the huge Tesco Extra only had ONE dented tin of the cheap stockwell beans again. I swear they use non-stock items to pretend to price promise.

As I shop in Tesco I decided to look for the Stockwell baked beans … I found a lot of them at 26p and (mostly) un-dented. I’m going to try them but Mr Mcprepper is notoriously snobby when it comes to baked beans - only Heinz will do so I’ll have to try the taste test on him! Thankfully his snobbery only applies to beans … if they’re a go I’ll go and stock up - great price!!

[jennyjj01]

I’m going to try them but Mr Mcprepper is notoriously snobby when it comes to baked beans - only Heinz will do so I’ll have to try the taste test on him! Thankfully his snobbery only applies to beans … if they’re a go I’ll go and stock up - great price!!

We used to be Branston fans and were never impressed by Heinz. Doing comparisons and taste tests, we both concluded that the Stockwell ones were much closer to Heinz than to branston, or indeed anything else we tried.
Earlier stockwell samples were less runny.

If Branston is my 10/10 then Heinz and Stockwell are both 8.5/10. Most other cheapies are 6/10.... before considering VFM, at which point Stockwell are 15/10 !!!

Oh, and in case you missed the review, Lidl Freshona mushy peas are better and far cheaper than Batchelors'