Buying Bulk Beans and more.

[Sniper-T]

I'm just looking for some comparison prices for some of our mainstay staples. I know we're all over, but I for one, am interested to hear what you all are paying.

I bought about 5 pounds of each of 5 different beans at the cheapest place I could find (so far). And I based my choices on my current inventorry levels. There will be more to follow, and please feel free to add whatever else that you know. Additionally, if you can add a city and state, and the name of the store, that will be helpful too, but please don't risk opsec.

I am in the States a couple times a year, so if savings are substancial, I'll just keep adding small amounts until I make my next trip.

Since our currencies are pretty much equal right now, let's not bother with a conversion, but since I am drastically outnumbered by you guys, I'll convert to pounds.

Black beans: $1.28/#
Black eyed beans: $1.46/#
Red Kidney beans: $1.73/#
Moong Beans: $1.82/#
White Beans: $1.68/#


Plus I was thinking we could add some different rices, and...?

[Katrina]

Drat, Meijers had most dry beans on sale last week running about buck to buck and quarter a pound bag. Meijers are in Detroit area. If you get that way. We pay about 1.29-1.49 a# bag normally. Two lb bags rice runs about 2.79 for white rice . Brown runs a bit more. Not sure what Sam's prices are for 25 lb bags are If they have any. Our Sam's doesn't stock much.

[Taz Baby]

are you talking about bulk to eat or to plant? I planted some mung beans and dried black eyed pea last year. Paid 1.25 # Mung bean. BEP 2.50#.bought in Ms. While traveling.

[Sniper-T]

eating. storing.

[Taz Baby]

cheapest I found is at Dollar Tree. Dry kidney, lima, and rice $1.00 #

[rentprop1]

so if you really hate beans which bean would be the best to stock ?

[Sniper-T]

If you really hate them, why would you want to stock?

If you do, I've found the 'small white' beans to be pretty universal in application with very little flavour.

[realist]

Hay does anyone vacuum seal their beans with O2 absorbers? I like the idea of having smaller amounts than a five gallon bucket.

[rentprop1]

If you really hate them, why would you want to stock?

cause macaroni noodles will get old quick....lol

I have never been a bean fan, I need to find a few recipes and try a few varieties, but I figure what the hell why not put some away just in case , I guess if small round pieces of cardboard had nutritional value I might look to store some of those as well, almost makes me want to consider rabbit pellets as a staple, someone has to have tried that

[Sniper-T]

rabbit pellets??

do you mean the small round ones that go in... or the small round ones that come out? rofl

Do you like homemade soups? start by trying a 'soup-mix' blend of beans that you can add to any soup. might help innitiate you.

[Taz Baby]

who the hell hates BAKE BEANS? Never heard of such a thang. Some beans are plain nasty by theirself but in a soup or as a base they are good.ever make bean chips? Mash pinto or navy beans, add enough flour that you can have a dough ball. Flatten it in a cookie sheet and bake.use pizza cutter to cut chips. Baking tlme varies as to thickness of beans. Bake at 350

[Sniper-T]

^ yep baked beans.

If you don't like them, add more bacon

[Katrina]

Heck you can grind'em down and make bread outta them.

[AlphaTea]

Hay does anyone vacuum seal their beans with O2 absorbers? I like the idea of having smaller amounts than a five gallon bucket.

Yup.
When I first started out I did it that way.

Then I decided I would just throw a bunch of 1# packages in a 5gal bucket lined with a mylar bag. When the bucket got close to full, I would throw a few O2 absorbers in the bag and heat seal it shut, then put the lid on a few days later, after the mylar bag had sucked itself down. Oh yea, I poked a small hole in each of the 1# bags before putting in the bucket.

Then I started buying in bulk (50# bags). Just dump them into the mylar lined 5 gal bucket, throw in enough O2 absorbers, seal the bag and wait a couple of days before putting the lid on.

I also bought #10 cans from the LDS site and the Local LDS warehouse.

Another thing Wifey and I find to be a good idea is canned beans. We generally buy the Goya brand at WM or where ever is cheapest. Always less than a buck a can. Can has about 1 lb of precooked ready to eat beans. We try to eat an average of 5 cans of beans a week. Probably have 5 cases or so that we rotate thru. Best-by dates are usually about 4 to 5 years. canned beans are much easier that soaking over night cooking for ever etc. We do have dried beans a couple of times a month so we dont forget how to do it.

[mollypup]

Really? I didn't know that! I guess I should go and buy a grinder. Do you use the bean "flour" like regular wheat flour or do you have to alter the amount for a loaf of bread?

[Katrina]

I'm not sure on the amounts, I think they substitute a portion of the wheat flour. I'll have to look it up but if you look on "food storage made easy"by Jody and???? , can't remember the other lady's name but they talk about grinding beans for flour. Although, I think they use it to thicken things like stew or chili. Like I said will have to look it up.

[Sniper-T]

I'm interested in this as well. so,it would be more like a bullion then? If that is the case, it would be a REALLY nice addition to the Pantry.

[LUNCHBOX]

I try to buy beans and rice every time I go to the store. Usually Kroger or GFS....kidney, pinto, navy, great northean all average $1.09-$129.00 a lb. Rice is real close to the same. That's in Hamilton, Ohio. For the record, Kroger runs thier pasta 10 for $10.00 quit a bit lately.

[ladyhk13]

The only beans we eat are green and I'll eat baked. That's it. Dh and I don't like any other kind so we don't store any other kind. Never stock up on something you don't like because you won't eat it. We store rice since ya can add every kind of meat to it and season it any way you want to plus you can add gravy to totally change it all over again.

[Katrina]

Okay I found the site that talks about bean flour. It's by two ladies Jodi and Julie Food Storage Made Easy (http://foodstoragemadeeasy.net/)
They were talking about a book by Rita Bingham "Country Beans". In the recipe book Ms Bingham has a section on grinding beans for flour and making bread with it.
By the way Amazon is out of it right now.