Why Buy Dry

Canned Beans Vs. Bagged (Dry) Beans

Canned beans are convenient. They are already cooked and waiting to be used. However, they also are quite a bit more expensive and having soaring levels of sodium. You can cut down on the sodium by rinsing the canned beans, but why go through this effort when you can buy cheaper beans that have no added sodium.

Dry beans are between $1-$2/pound at a typical grocery store, and can be as low as $0.55 when buying in bulk at a store like Sam's Club. While the grocery store cost might seem more expensive than the $0.70/can you can spend for ready to eat beans, but the quantities are hugely different. 1 can of beans gives you less than two cups of beans. One pound of dried beans gives you about 6 cups cooked. That means by buying dried beans you could be saving a minimum of $0.50/bag compared to buying cans. Depending on the type of bean, lentil, etc. you are buying this amount can increase quite a bit. It may not seem like much, but things like this really add up once you start counting your grocery bills.

Dried beans are also not as inconvenient as many people assume. If you have a crockpot, pour in the beans and leave it to cook during the day. By the time you get home they will definitely be cooked. You can also cook extra and freeze them until your next use. This is almost the same as having cans of beans in the cupboard. I often make crockpot chili or cook the beans while I'm cleaning on the weekends. If you're home anyway, they don't need much watching.

Maybe you’re thinking “I have to buy chili beans for chili to get the right flavor.” What is so special about chili beans? Growing up I always thought chili beans were actually a type of bean. It was in recent years that I realized chili beans are actually pinto beans with a whole lot of chili powder and preservatives. No reason to pay extra for that. Chili powder can be purchased in bulk (equals really cheap) and pinto beans are one of the cheapest beans you can buy (at least at the stores I shop at). By flavoring my own pinto beans for chili I avoid preservatives and a lot of sodium. There is so much sodium in everything prepackaged that any way to cut down on it is good.

Overall, dried beans are the cheaper, healthier option to buying canned beans. While cans can provide some convenience, dried beans can be cooked in large quantities and be frozen for future use (thus removing the inconvenience). We tend to cook in bulk at our house anyway in order to make our weekdays more streamlined (less time cooking, worrying about what lunch to bring, etc.) They also can be used more easily for gluten free recipe because they can be ground directly into flour or overcooked to make blending easier and more thorough. So for all your future bean purchases: happy health, wealth, and great eats!