Beans on toast may be one of the most polarizing meals out there, especially if you didn't grow up eating it, but it’s a classic part of British cuisine. Today, beans on toast is an average part of the quintessential English fry-up, as well as a cheap go-to snack, but the humble dish's origins might surprise you.

Not many Americans have great affection for beans on toast, but the recipe was supposedly invented by American ketchup brand Heinz. During the lean times of World War II, Heinz came up with a way to sell more canned beans, marketing beans on toast as a simple, affordable, and ration-friendly protein-packed meal.

Even though wartime rationing is long gone, beans on toast has remained popular in Britain, partly due to the nostalgia associated with it. Americans may not understand the appeal because the beans in tomato sauce sold in the U.S. are often way more sugary than British ones, making the dish taste significantly different.