Weetabix and beans: Why this 'criminal' combination is 2021's most unexpected food trend

The stomach-turning pairing has started a humorous debate on Twitter

Weetabix caused a Twitter storm this week after suggesting customers could pair the breakfast cereal with baked beans. Twitter / Weetabix

No, you don't need to check your calendar – it's not April Fool's Day.

But one bizarre pairing has become the year's most-talked-about dish, locking social media users in heated debate, sparking reaction from the likes of the NHS and the US Embassy, and even being discussed in UK Parliament.

The divisive dish is a meeting of two of Britain's much-loved pantry staples: Weetabix and Heinz baked beans.

The stomach-churning concept was unveiled on Tuesday, when the cereal company tweeted an image of its popular wheat breakfast blocks smothered in tomato-sauce-soaked baked beans.

Weetabix, more commonly accompanied by milk and fruit, captioned the image: "Why should bread have all the fun, when there's Weetabix? Serving up Heinz Beanz on bix for breakfast with a twist."

Garnering more than 20,000 comments within a matter of days, the controversial concept baffled fans as well as companies including Nando's, Amazon and YouTube.

"Us: Pineapple on pizza is the most controversial food ever. Weetabix: Hold my spoon," joked Domino's Pizza, while pharmaceutical corporation Pfizer replied: "Haven’t our scientists worked hard enough, without having to come up with an antidote to this?"

"That tweet should come with a health warning," added the UK's National Health Service, as West Yorkshire Police's Twitter account tweeted: “Even though this is criminal, please don’t ring us to report it.”

Even the US Embassy in the UK weighed in on the debate, tweeting that "this was not the US-UK collaboration we were hoping for”.

The matter was even briefly debated at UK Parliament, as called for by Conservative MP Philip Hollobone, who described the matter as "perhaps even more divisive than Brexit has been over the years".

Weetabix has since confirmed the now-viral post was intended as a little "light relief", in a campaign devised by Frank PR.

"The zeitgeist is, we're six weeks in [to lockdown], people are looking for some humour, some fun, a bit of light relief, you've got a topic that people always talk about in food combos – and then we just introduced that 'man bites dog' twist, which is a very debatable food combo," Frank PR managing director Alex Grier told PR Week.

While intended in jest, several social media users have tried the combination, while TV host Piers Morgan this week chowed down on the pairing during Good Morning Britain.

If you are keen on tucking in yourself (and have a hardy stomach), both items are available at many supermarkets around the UAE.

Garden on 8 in Dubai's Media One Hotel is also hosting the discordant dish between Friday, February 12 and Sunday, February 14 for Dh30.