We Want To Launch One Of Bush's New Baked Bean Flavors Into Outer Space

Classic supermarket baked bean brand, Bush's, just released one of the wildest limited-time lineups I've seen in a while. It features a trio of flavors: Dill Pickle, Apple Pie, and — you're not ready for this one — Rocket Pop. 

While Dill Pickle and Apple Pie-flavored beans probably don't need further explanation, the Rocket Pop-flavored beans certainly might. They're meant to evoke those red, white, and blue popsicles (now a 4th of July staple) of our collective youths, and when I woke up in 2026, trying these wouldn't have ever ended up on my bingo card.

Before you slap on some real pants and head out to the store to get some, the Dill Pickle and Apple Pie-flavored beans will be available at Walmart stores nationwide, but that Rocket Pop flavor will only be available via Walmart's online store starting May 23, 2026. A limited time drop was available on Bush's website, priced at $5.25 for a multi-pack, but sold out quickly. Bush's was kind enough to send me a press kit for review, and I'll be honest, I was not entirely prepared for this one.

In terms of methodology, I treated these baked beans just like any other I'd normally enjoy on my own time. That means I heated up small portions in the microwave to see how they'd taste, while still piping hot. I would judge each sample based off of my prior lifetime experience with Bush's products, then assess whether or not each flavor accurately nailed its intended target. Other things I would take into consideration would include aroma, cooking liquid texture, appearance, and overall appeal. 

Most importantly, I asked myself whether or not I'd spend my own money on any of these flavors outside of work. And one last thing I kept in mind was the novelty factor, considering these are limited-time-only products. Would any of these be worth a store visit, or should they be skipped? Tastes are entirely subjective so, as always, just keep that in mind.

Some recommendations are based on firsthand impressions of promotional materials and products provided by the manufacturer.

We'll start with the most normal-sounding baked beans first, which are the Dill Pickle-flavored ones. I wasn't entirely sure what to expect, since by nature, baked beans tend to be very sweet. Fortunately, this wasn't the case. The beans here come swimming in a murky brown cooking liquid (these were pretty watery, thanks to a lack of sugar) and they don't smell like much once the can is opened. But once I heated them up, I found that they were thankfully not sweet at all, and mainly gave off strong dill notes. I also appreciated the hit of vinegar flavor in these beans, since acid helps give them some pop.

This does make me wonder why hot beans always have to be sweet at backyard barbecues. While I don't think I'd put these in my personal regular rotation, I do think they'd be a fun conversation piece worth serving once or twice. And based off the unstoppable pickle-flavor trend that still seems to be going strong, you're guaranteed to find a few pickle lovers out there that'll love this one.

The first thing I noticed about Bush's Apple Pie-flavored beans is that they gave off a strong cinnamon and clove-like scent immediately after I opened the can. But what I wasn't expecting was just how much these things actually tasted like apple pie. Yes, the beans are extremely sweet, but almost everything else about them tastes like the actual pastry (sans crust) to the point where I imagined myself actually turning them into a degenerate sort of pie filling. While there aren't any actual apples in the beans, the ingredients do list a natural apple flavoring, which is easy to detect. (For what it's worth, a Takeout team member did recently enjoy apple-flavored beer.)

Is the apple pie vibe a good thing, though? I found myself waffling on the answer to this question. It was one of those foods I kept going back to only because it was so curiously compelling. I couldn't tell if I liked or disliked them (I certainly didn't hate them), but if you served these to some unsuspecting friends, it's likely there'd be a bit of a curious commotion. I suspect a few people might find these revolting, but some people would also secretly like them. So if you've got a crew coming that loves novelty flavors, Apple Pie-flavored beans might be fun to spring on everyone as a curveball.

I suspected the Rocket Pop-flavored baked beans might be a dud, but I didn't think they'd be a full-on space-related disaster. The label says that they're an "explosion of cherry, lime, & blue raspberry flavors," and that's one way of putting it. Because the way I'm going to put it involves a very different description.

I hate to say it, but these things taste just like how a urinal cake smells. They've got that unmistakable pink hockey puck aroma, with a flavor that matches that scent completely. Except it doesn't stop even after you're done eating them, because that aftertaste sticks around. What makes it even more flabbergasting is that this flavor is paired with starchy and soft beans (of all things), so even if you convince yourself that you've accidentally ingested hand sanitizer, the beans keep you anchored to reality in the worst possible way. 

If I could build a time machine to go back in time, I'd find a way to prevent these from being made. And even though it's only May, I may have found a contender for the worst thing I'll eat in 2026. (In case you were wondering, Progresso Soup Drops were the worst things I tried in 2025.)

Despite me being puzzled, I am going to concede one thing: All these flavors are entertaining. I can tell that someone in the research and development department had a field day coming up with this stuff, because I can't imagine the opportunity to create such innovative flavors to upgrade canned baked beans comes along very often. So, absolute respect from me to whoever was shooting for the actual moon in a giant Rocket Pop-flavored (urinal cake) can of beans.

Would I say I fully enjoyed any of these? No. However, The Dill Pickle and the Apple Pie beans toe that line of being tolerably weird, to the point where they'll certainly generate morbid fascination, laughs, and potentially pick up a few genuine fans out there. I mean, people happily flock to things like ranch-flavored ice cream for a reason, just to say they tried it. 

For me, well. I will bear the troubling memory of Rocket Pop-flavored baked beans for life, and I can't recommend you do the same. But if you do take on that challenge, you'll have a heck of a story to tell. You'll also be able to tell people you know what the forbidden circle in the urinal tastes like.