Beans: The Magical Legume

This month, it's easy to stock up on food for your emergency supplies. As part of the "1 person for 3 months" plan, all you need is 15 pounds of legumes—this cost me about $20, which is very affordable. The key is to choose the legumes you prefer and adjust the amounts accordingly. Personally, I don’t cook with lima or soybeans, so I opted to store Great Northern Beans.

For storage, I’m using the PackFreshUSA Mylar Bags and Oxygen Absorbers Box Set – Versatile Food Storage Solution, which includes pint, quart, and gallon-sized bags. These bags come with oxygen absorbers and are 7 mil thick. Plus, they include labels—very convenient!

How Many Legumes Should You Store?

The best advice for food storage is to store what you eat. This way, you’ll know exactly how to cook it, and you’ll have a variety of foods you enjoy. 

TIP: I include the label from the beans and tape it to the Mylar bag. But below are some general cooking directions.

Tips for Softening Hard Beans:

If you find your beans are too hard, a mixture of baking soda and salt can help soften them. This combo works better than either ingredient alone and helps achieve the ideal texture.

Easy Storage Solutions:

A simple and efficient way to store legumes is by using gallon Mylar bags inside 5-gallon buckets. This method protects the beans and helps save space, making it easy to store them in a closet or another out-of-the-way spot.

To check out a video on storing gallon Mylar bags in 5-gallon buckets. I like to take the label from the bean bags and tape it onto the Mylar bag, so I know exactly what’s inside. Below are some basic cooking directions for beans.

Other blogs on the 1 person for 3 months

Why having a 3-month food storage is important Why Storing a 3-Month Supply of Food is Important: A Guide to Preparedness Based on FDA Recommendations - PackFreshUSA

January 1 PERSON 3 MONTHS - GRAINS - PackFreshUSA

February When Every Drop Counts: Emergency Water Purification Techniques - PackFreshUSA

Quick Soak Method:

1. Sort the beans to remove any debris, such as stones or broken beans.
   
   
2. Rinse beans in cool water.
   
   
3. Soak: Place beans in a large pot and cover with water, making sure the water is about 3 inches above the beans.
   
   
4. Boil: Bring the water to a boil, then let it boil for 1 minute. Rinse the beans and return them to the pot.
   
   
5. Add fresh water (about 2 inches above the beans), along with onion and bay leaves.
   
   
6. Cook: Bring to a boil again, then lower the temperature to medium to medium-high. Skim off any foam and stir occasionally. Cook for 1 to 1.5 hours.
   
   
7. Finish: Remove the onion and bay leaves. You can drain the beans or leave them in their cooking liquid. Add salt and pepper to taste.
   
   

Regular Cooking Method:

1. Sort and rinse beans as described above.
   
   
2. Soak: Place beans in a pot and cover with water, making sure it's about 3 inches above the beans. Let them soak overnight, or for at least 8 hours.
   
   
3. Rinse the beans again after soaking.
   
   
4. Cook: Transfer the beans to a pot, add fresh water (2 inches above the beans), and include bay leaves and onion.
   
   
5. Boil: Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium or medium-low. Cover the pot and stir occasionally, skimming off foam. Cook for 1 to 1.5 hours.
   
   
6. Finish: Remove the bay leaves and onion. You can choose to drain the beans or leave them in their broth. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
   
   

Remember, including a variety of beans in your food storage plan is essential. When paired with grains, legumes provide a complete protein, which is important for maintaining a balanced diet

Happy Prepping!

Ola D Griffin

Long-term Food Storage Expert

Customer Service, Safeguard Brands, Inc. dba PackFreshUSA

YouTuberPandemic Prepsters - YouTube 

Instagram -Ola Dee Griffin (@Preparedness101) • Instagram Photos And Videos 

Tiktok -Oladeegriffin (@Oladeegriffin) | TikTok