Why And How We All Need To Store Lots Of Beans
I store lots of beans because I love beans, just about any kind of bean suits me. The price of food continues to rise every day and I think beans may go up in price because most people can’t afford meat as their source of protein. I actually stopped eating meat about a year ago because I read what animals are fed before the meat reaches our tables. I wish meat tasted more like it did when I was younger without all the hormones and antibiotics added.
I’m updating this post from 2017 with more information and better images. It brings me so much joy when people send me pictures of the cows they are raising without hormones or antibiotics. They are raising their own beef, what joy those images give me. My whole life I wanted a small mini-farm, but it never worked out. Congratulations to all of you who have learned or are learning to raise not only your vegetables and fruits but your animals to feed your family.
We All Need To Store Lots Of Beans
GMO Corn
The added pressure from Monsanto to force farmers to use GMO corn in animal feed or get arrested really goes against my grain, no pun intended. I love to hear that people are raising their own beef, goats, chickens, or rabbits.
I applaud them for trying to feed their animals without GMO (genetically modified organisms) feed. I’ve said before, I couldn’t kill an animal and then eat it. Yes, if I was starving I would, maybe.
Grass-fed beef tastes a lot like the old days with real flavor. Oh, and fresh chicken without the hormones, is so much better. But, here again, I have made the decision to no longer eat meat, that’s how I roll these days.
Years ago, I can still remember the deer Mark so proudly brought home after hunting the poor thing and hanging it up in the garage. Wow, then we dragged that baby into our kitchen. I have never looked at a deer quite the same out in the fields ever since that day. We cleaned it, cut it, and wrapped up all those red chunks of meat.
For some reason, I never could cook it so I could eat it. Yes, everyone told me to let it age for a few days, marinate it, or cook it with this or that spice and it would taste just like regular beef. Nope, none of it worked for me. But, I know a lot of awesome hunters who love hunting and eating wild game, any kind is great for them!
How To Cook Beans
I also fill food-grade 5-gallon buckets with all sorts of beans. Pinto, white, and black beans are my favorite varieties.
I’m talking about bags of dried beans right now and cooking them on the stove. A small batch is one cup of beans to 3 cups of water. You can make larger batches by increasing the cups of dry beans and the cups of water in the same proportions.
Open the bags and spread the beans out to check for rocks and small chunks of dirt.
Rinse the beans.
You then start soaking the beans overnight covered with water at least 3 inches above the beans. I’ve found this works best for my style of cooking beans rather than trying a quick soak. Some people will try a hot soak, but having them covered in water all night seems to do the trick.
Then drain the beans the next morning and cover them with fresh water at least 3 inches above the beans, adding water as needed.
Bring the beans to a boil and then let them simmer all day or until tender. The older the beans, the longer they will take to be tender.
Add your favorite items as flavorings and simmer for about an hour with your favorite add-ons. I like to add chopped onions, chili peppers, cumin, chopped cloves of garlic, and chopped cilantro.
Lots of Beans
You can buy beans in little bags sitting on the grocery store shelves, and you can grow beans in your garden if you live in the right ‘zone”. You can even buy 50 or 100-pound bags of beans, just about any bean you prefer. You can buy #10 cans of beans and #10 cans of instant beans. For the instant beans, you just add water and cook for about 20-30 minutes, depending on the brand you buy and the amount of moisture needed to cook them and make them tender.
Nowadays I usually buy cases of vegetarian refried beans. I also buy kidney beans, black beans, garbanzo beans, navy beans (white beans), and chili beans. All you need is a can opener to open the cans if we have a disaster and we lose power.
The ones that are ready to eat I can eat right out of the can if need be, no heat required. Regular Size Can Opener or Large Can Opener, and my Electric Can Opener (great for my arthritic hands)
Beans Are a Versatile Food
Sometimes I think people think beans are only for chili or soups. They are great for that, but they can be used in so many dishes, or on salads. Can’t you just picture the salad bar with the kidney beans right now? I also love beans in my Mexican recipes. Hardly a week goes by that we don’t have tacos, burritos, tostadas, or enchiladas with some Spanish rice.
Remember, if you don’t use up all the canned beans before they expire you can donate them to your local food bank, trust me they will love them! If you’ve already cooked them, store them in your refrigerator or freezer until you need them. Once out of your pantry, having some in the fridge makes for easy future meal planning.
1. Pinto beans
They are great for refried beans.
2. Kidney beans
These are great (after cooking) with veggies from the garden or to make chili.
3. Red chili beans
Chili is one of our favorite meals, especially on a cold winter day. We use these to make chili. Homemade Vegetarian Chili
4. White Northern beans
I save the ham bone to make a pot of soup by adding chicken broth, chopped celery, onions, etc. Ham And Bean Soup
5. Blackeye peas
When you add these to salsa or a salad they are great for a side dish or to make hummus.
6. Anasazi beans
Anasazi beans are great for southwestern dishes or soups.
7. Black beans
Black beans are yummy in tacos or as a side dish. I wish I had the recipe for black beans from Texas. My sister lives there and they know how to make the best salsa and black beans.
8. Chickpeas (Garbanzo)
Garbanzo beans are awesome to make hummus or add to a salad.
9. Cannellini beans
Cannellini beans are great for making various soups.
10. Lima beans
Use lima beans for soup or a side dish.
11. Pork and Beans
Don’t forget the popular Pork and Beans! Thanks to Cindy H. for reminding me about these!
How To Store Beans
I always figure, if I start with one cup of dry beans I will have three cups of cooked beans. For long-term storage, you can store beans in buckets with Gamma Lids. You can also get Gamma lids at some of your local grocery stores, but oh, how the price of these has gone up! They are so worth the price, no more sore fingers opening those 5-gallon bucket lids! 5-Gallon Buckets with GammaLids
People store beans in clean soda bottles, mylar bags, mason jars, and just about anything is safe for longer shelf life if they’re protected from rodents, insects, moisture, and direct sunlight. I like putting things in vacuum sealer bags using my Food Saver, it’s awesome! Please place your Mylar bags in buckets.
A glass jar can be used for smaller amounts, but there are some risks of breakage. You should consider using oxygen absorbers for long term storage of beans. Make sure you read the instructions since they can’t be left out too long or they lose their effectiveness.
Have you read this article: 3 Bean Chili Soup Mix In A Jar
My Favorite White Chili Recipe
- 3 15-ounce cans of small white beans (not drained)
- 2 12.5-ounce cans of canned chicken (drained) or equal amount of leftover cooked chicken
- 1/2 cup butter
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1 cup mozzarella cheese grated
- 1 4-ounce can of chopped green chilies
- 1 chopped onion
- 1 16-ounce jar of salsa
- sour cream to garnish
- Tortilla chips crushed for garnish
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Add all the ingredients in order into a slow cooker and cook on low for 5-6 hours.
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Serve with crushed tortilla chips on the soup with a dollop of sour cream.
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Add a few sprigs of Cilantro, if desired.
Anti-Gas:
I found this great product while teaching classes in a store in Salt Lake City, Utah. It is Organic Ajwain Seeds. After you soak your beans, drain off the water and cover with fresh water, and add the required amount of Ajwain seeds. You just add 1/4 teaspoon of Ajwain Seeds to 2 cups of dry beans while cooking. The spice smells so good, it’s like a Mexican seasoning. It’s organic and adds flavor to the beans, as well as the anti-gas factor! I still add my favorite spices like cumin, chili powder, cinnamon, cocoa, etc. Organic Ajwain Seeds
What are some health benefits of eating beans?
I try to get as many essential nutrients from plant-based foods as I can. Eating beans provides an awesome plant-based food addition of protein to your diet. Beans also provide fiber to your diet, needed iron, and essential vitamins. The proteins from beans are a good replacement for animal-based proteins since they come from plants that are more heart-healthy.
Beans are great as a low-calorie and low-saturated fat source of your daily protein intake. They also contain folate, a helpful nutrient for your red blood cells and to deter some defects in a fetus during pregnancy.
The polyphenols in beans provide the benefits of antioxidants which help fight off the effects of free radicals, the damaging chemicals our body tends to produce during normal metabolism. Antioxidants have been shown to help reduce the risk of certain cancers too.
The fiber derived from beans may be able to help stabilize your blood glucose levels, an important factor when trying to avoid contracting diabetes. The fiber also tends to make you feel full, thus helping to avoid eating too much.
Final Word
If we store lots of beans they will help stretch the dollar and we can share a meal with a neighbor after a disaster or at a bean burrito party! Thanks again for being prepared for the unexpected. May God Bless this world, Linda
Copyright Images: White Bean Soup Depositphotos_100567702_S, Mixed Beans with Spoon Depositphotos_63969107_S
I have a veggie recipe I would like to share:
2 cans French style green beans, drained
1 can pea’s drained
1 can corn, drained
1 jar sliced pimento’s drained
1 green pepper ,chopped
1 red onion, sliced
3 or 4 stalks celery, chopped
1 can sliced water chestnuts, drained
Mix well and make a dressing out of
1 1/4 cup sugar
2/3 cups vinegar
1/4 teaspoon paperkia
1/2 cup salad oil
1 teaspoon celery seed.
Blend and pour over veggies. Let set for 12 to 24 hours in fridge.
Hi June, oh my goodness, I need to make this recipe! I am going to make this and share it on my blog and mention your name! I can hardly wait to make this! I haven’t bought pimento’s in years! Thank you! Linda
Linda, next to the little jars of pimento are bigger jars of roasted red pepper. PU-LEEZE buy these and cut them up yourself. The flavor is incomparable to pimento. Anything that you would use pimento deserves the kicked-up taste of roasted peppers.
Hi Glenda, thanks for the great tip on roasted peppers versus pimento!! I love it! Thank you so much! Linda
yum
i meant YUM.
Hi, Maggi, I think beans are yummy, too! Linda
Black Beans and pork is the national dish in brazil
Hi, Gene, I did not know that! Good people eat beans! I love hearing this, thank you! Linda
i just tried to make my signature boston beans….soaked the beans overnight and everything. well……they were old and no amount of time in the slow cooker would make them soft enough to eat. i will have to find a better supplier:)
Hi Maggi, sometimes if you use a pressure cooker they will be okay! If they are old beans, those suckers are hard to cook! Linda
Thank you for another great article. I would like to say that when I cook my beans ,I do them in a pressure cooker. They turn out great no matter how old they are. We eat beans a couple times a week. I especially love black beans with ham. (the rest of the family prefers pinto beans LOL). I have almost all the beans you have listed above. My mom introduced me to cranberry beans and cannellini beans this past year. I must say,I did not like lentils as a child, but Costco had a demo one day and my then 7 year old grand daughter tried them and loved them. So I tried them again, and now I do like them. Beans a very versatile. and a must to keep on hand. I have many cases of home canned beans , including a white chicken chili recipe that I just add sour cream to when reheating. I have stored several different dried beans in 5 gallon buckets with gamma seals. They great thing about storing dried beans is, you can grow more from the dried beans, so you never have to run out of them.
Judy, I did not know that you could grow beans from beans! Duh, it makes sense, they are seeds (beans)! I have never heard of the cranberry beans, I need to check those out! I learned to use lentils when I was teaching some classes at a few different kitchen stores. I used to store beans in large containers, but I’m the only one that eats beans in the house now. Thanks for the tip about growing the beans! As long as Monsanto stays out of the game we’ll be okay. Linda
I love beans! They are cheap and so good for you too. They contain soluable fiber that is good for your heart and helps lower cholesterol. Science is also supporting that plant proteins are better used by the human body as well. Its a win-win situation!
Hi, JoEllen, I totally agree, beans are a win-win! I love eating only plants or plant proteins like you said. Linda
Linda,
Right On,
Store three times as many beans as you do rice.
Don’t think you can live on mostly rice.
Black eye peas will handle dry summer weather and the are easier to digest for some people.
Hi Old Bull, you are so right about storing more beans than rice! I eat beans every day on a tortilla, it’s a habit I have! LOL! Thanks for the tip on the black eye peas! I love it! Linda
Since beans are seeds, in that category with nuts and grains, beans need to soak overnight in water with a little acid such as vinegar or lemon juice.
This soak dispels the seeds’ natural pesticide called phytic acid. Phytates are on seeds to protect against fungus and bacteria.
Of course, with everything we now know about grains, nobody should ingest grains. The grain family includes rice, oats, hops, barley, and the worst offenders == wheat and corn. Consuming grains instantly results in inflammation, leading to inflammatory disease such as arthritis and joint destruction. Inflammation leads to water retention, medically known as ‘edema’. The overwhelming percent of modern disease is directly traceable to grains.
Cholesterol is manufactured naturally in the human body as a result of inflammation. To lower cholesterol, eliminate grains. Eliminating injurious activities also reduces cholesterol. Without injury from a Standard American Diet (SAD), most people can eliminate the so-called “cholesterol reducing” drugs.
Healthcare comes from your garden. Fresh local seasonal organic.
Hi Large Marge, wow, thanks for the information about soaking beans with vinegar or lemon juice. I’ve been researching a lot about statins for cholesterol. I decided about two months ago to stop taking them after some deep research and more research. I rarely go to the doctor and I’ve since learned that doctors really are not taught in school about nutrition healing the body. That makes sense to me because they are there to learn skills for surgery or diseases. I have decided to heal my body with a plant based diet as you said: “health care comes from your garden”. If we eat fresh organic local fresh vegetables and fruits. Awesome comment, thank you! Linda
I can’t eat deer. Hubby went hunting and a friend cooked it for us since that was my husband’s first deer hunt. I almost threw up, I could not tolerate the meat but I’m not use to eating wild meat. I don’t think I could eat an animal that I killed but starving I guess I would change my mind. I grow our beans, pintos, limas. I also pressure can dry beans, yes it can be done. I make my own refried beans, so easy. A friend of mine told me that you could add 1T. or 1t. of baking soda to old beans and they would cook well, I never got around doing it.
Hi Judy, I started to giggle when you said I almost threw up eating the deer. I have got to learn to grow beans, you have inspired me, thank you from the bottom of my heart! I love beans, any kind of beans! Linda
Hi Linda, another great article. One question: if storing beans in buckets do you keep them in their bags or dump them out into the bucket? What about taking them out of their bags and dumping them in a large glass jar with an airtight seal? I would think storing them in their plastic bags is not healthy in the long run.
Hi, Pam, I’m so glad you asked this question!! That’s a critical detail, thank you!!! I never keep my beans stored in their bags, I put them in jars using my FoodSaver, but I do not use an oxygen absorber. When I come home from the store I fill the beans in quart size mason jars. I’m with you about the plastic bags. Plus, we have critters here in Southern Utah. I store everything in airtight containers. When I had kids at home I bought 50-pound bags and dumped them into 5-gallon buckets. My long term storage beans are in #10 cans. I hope people realize how critical it is to store beans, they are fairly inexpensive and so nutritious. Great comment, thank you! Linda
Hi Linda, why don’t you use an oxygen absorber with your beans? Does it mess with them somehow? I put beans in mylar bags with and oxygen absorber. Is that ok? Also wondering if old beans are really hard to eat and we have no power, how will we be able to eat them and they are a huge part of our storage? Do they make pressure cookers that can be used on a campfire? Is a wonder pot the same as a pressure cooker? I really enjoy your articles.
Hi Melanie, the reason I don’t use oxygen absorbers in my beans is that I buy them commercially in cans. About 7 years ago, I went to a local church cannery and dry packed $1200.00 worth of food for my family members. After one year, we realized the volunteers had given us open non-workable oxygen absorbers to put in our cans. All of the food became rancid. It was a volunteer place and it’s my own fault, I thought they knew what they were showing us. They did not. That was a very expensive mistake on my part. When we opened all of the cans, they were all rancid. Afterwards, I took a class on how to use oxygen absorbers, the size of oxygenator we used at this cannery was not the right size. Lesson learned. A wonder pot is a pressure cooker (according to Amazon). Old beans become very hard beans, and usually, you will need a pressure cooker to cook them. I would not use a pressure cooker on a campfire. I buy #10 cans of pinto, and black beans. I also buy instant beans in #10 cans that cook in about 20 minutes. I eat beans every day. I buy vegetarian refried beans. I’m glad you like my website, that means a lot to me. Linda
thank you, i will look into the cans of beans. is it true that it’s cheaper to buy Thrive Life through a consultant than on the website or just when they have a sale? Is it better to have a local consultant or ok to find one on line? I don’t want to have a party, just buy some as we can afford to. this might be a weird question., but do the thrive life products arrive in a plain box or one that announces to the world what you have bought? I like to be selective about who knows what we have stored. All this talk about beans makes me want to make chili for supper.
Hi Melanie, I want you to check Honeyville Grain as well. Get on Thrive Life’s email list for sales and Honeyville’s email for sales. I refuse to have a party. You can buy an automatic shipment through Thrive, which I did. The boxes say Thrive on them. I just ordered two cases of freeze-dried celery from Honeyville. I always look at the product on both websites, the ounces in each #10 can and then the cost to ship it to me. I always look at the ingredients and the shelf-life as well. You can’t go wrong with either company. I love chili, I think I’ll start a pot myself! Love it! Linda
Thank you for the info that you share with everyone. I really appreciate that you actually reply to people! I plan to check out the honeyvill food today.
Hi Melanie, you are so nice to make such a sweet comment. It means a lot to me. I used to teach classes at Honeyville and I highly recommend their products. Linda
Hi Linda,
So much talk of dried beans and how to cook them. I remembered that I picked up a dried bean mix at the farmers market a few weeks ago. So I soaked them and made them in a crock pot today. Well then you know what has to go with a good pot of beans . . . cornbread made in a cast iron skillet in the oven. I am anxious to try to make a pot of beans in a dutch oven soon. Thanks for putting so many good posts out about beans. I love them and like you have flour tortillas and refried beans several times a week.
Regarding the first line of the article. Where is the reference to people getting forced to use GMO’s for their animals or face arrest? I would like to read that article if you have it. Thank you for this very helpful information.
Hi Clayton, it was a documentary I watched. This may answer some information: https://grain.org/article/entries/5142-seed-laws-that-criminalise-farmers-resistance-and-fightback
Linda
Hi Clayton, thank you for the 5 stars, my friend, Linda
I was told if you drain & rinse canned beans it helps prevent gas. I do this and don’t have any problems. Just add some water to the top of the can a few times and drain using the lid – easy. I use so few beans it is easier and worth the money (I buy on case lot sales) to use canned beans.
Note: I was raised with hunters and never could eat wild meat either. The taste was too strong.
Hi Kay, oh I love your comment, you were raised with hunters and could never eat the wild meat. LOL! I love this! Thanks for the tip on rinsing the canned beans. I buy a lot of canned beans and dry beans as well. Whatever works is what we do! Linda