Unpopular opinion: buying dry beans in bulk is not always worth the hassle

I tried to save money by getting a 5-pound bag of pinto beans from the bulk bin at WinCo last month. Figured I'd soak them overnight and save like a dollar compared to canned. But then I forgot to soak them one night and ended up skipping dinner because I had nothing else ready. Then another time I cooked them for almost 3 hours and they were still kinda crunchy. My electric bill probably went up from all that stove time too. Honestly, for the 80 cents extra, canned beans are just way easier on a busy Tuesday. Has anyone else had a frustrating experience trying to make dry beans work?

4 comments

4 Comments

rileyb611mo ago

Oh man, my buddy tried this exact thing with a giant bag of black beans. He soaked them for like 24 hours, boiled them for hours, and they still came out like little pebbles. He finally just threw the whole bag away and went back to canned.

lucasjackson28d ago

Yeah but that baking soda trick can backfire hard if you use too much. It breaks down the pectin in the beans which helps them soften but if you go overboard it messes with the flavor big time. Your beans might end up tasting kinda soapy or weirdly salty. Also if the beans are really old like super dusty from the bulk bin nothing is gonna fix that. I learned that the hard way after ruining a whole batch of pintos. Best bet is to just use a pinch of baking soda not a whole spoonful and keep an eye on the clock.

sam_thomas1mo ago

Oh man, soaking them with a little baking soda softened mine right up in half the time!

norab2128d ago

Did you try a pressure cooker? I got a basic instant pot last year and it changed everything for dry beans. Dump them in with some broth, hit the bean button, and they're done in about 45 minutes without any soaking. No more forgetting to prep the night before or spending hours watching a pot. Also, older beans take way longer to soften so check the date on the bulk bin bag before you buy. If they're dusty or look faded, skip those and grab the fresher ones in back.