That $4 bag of dried beans changed my whole approach to cheap meals

I spent months buying canned beans for my chili and soup recipes, thinking I was saving money. Then I grabbed a 2-pound bag of dried pinto beans for $3.79 at Aldi last month and made 4 meals from it. The taste is way better and the texture holds up in soups. Has anyone else switched from canned to dried and noticed a big difference in their grocery bill?

2 comments

2 Comments

mark_price1mo ago

Read a blog post last month from a chef who said dried beans soak up seasonings way better because they haven't been sitting in that salty can liquid. She recommended adding a bay leaf and some garlic powder to the soak water, which I tried and it really made a difference in my chili this week. The $4 savings per batch is nice, but honestly the better texture sold me on never going back to canned.

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mitchell.lee1mo ago

Come on, I've had plenty of great chili from a can that tasted fine.