Food storage is very important. We need to all be prepared at all times. I always worry about having enough in my food storage, because I simply don’t have much room in my small apartment for storage. Storing bags of dried beans is pretty easy to do though, and cheap as well. You can make so many different meals out of beans. When I first started putting beans in my food storage I never thought I would use them. Basically because I had never use dried beans in my life. I would just go buy canned beans which seems easier, but not in the long run.
Advantages of dried beans:
- Cheaper then canned beans
- No added ingredients
- Soaking them releases all their nutrients
Disadvantages of canned beans:
- Cost more then dried beans
- Added preservatives and salts
- Exposed to BPA in the cans
If I remember I soak my beans overnight in cold water. In the morning I drain them, and rinse the beans. Then I boil the beans until they are completely cooked and soft. Or just add them to your dish to cook.
Most times I will forget I have a dish on my menu that needs beans, and have to do a quick soak. I place 10 cups of water for every 2 cups of beans I am soaking. Heat until they are boiling then boil for another 3-4 minutes. I drain the beans and rinse them.
When I soak a large amount of beans, I can store them in the freezer if I am not going to use them all in the dish I am making. After boiling your beans, drain and rinse and let cool. Once they are cooled you can place them in small quart size zip-lock bags. Remember to add the date of when you cooked the beans on the bag. Once you do this you have a quick access to already soaked beans. Once they are thawed they are ready to throw into any recipe you are cooking.
I hope you add dried beans to your food storage now, and put them to use. What are some recipes with beans you enjoy?