Why You Should Stop Buying Canned Beans If You Want To Save Money

The next trending food is always right around the corner, waiting for its time in the spotlight. But while "it girl" products, brands, and dishes cycle in and out of fashion, others hold steady as timeless staples. Few are as steadfast and reliable as the humble bean. And as affordable as they are, you can swap out the canned version for maximum savings. When you crunch the numbers and calculate the price per serving, the bagged, dry variety of just about any bean is cheaper than buying it canned.

Bean prices vary widely, depending on where you're shopping, but generally speaking, a 15-ounce can of beans will run anywhere from $1 to $3. If the average cost of canned black beans is $1.50 for 3.5 servings, that breaks down to 42 cents per serving. If the average 16-ounce bag of dry beans costs $2.50 and cooks 13 servings, it would cost about 20 cents per serving. Assuming the servings are measured equally, a 22-cent difference sounds pretty darn good for a nutrient-dense, fiber-packed serving of protein. Across the board, cooking your beans the old-fashioned way versus popping open a can will save you.

If saving money is your primary motivator, dry beans are clearly the winner. But you'll never catch us hating on a canned bean, since it's the indisputably more convenient option when you need to add some to a salad or a pot of three-bean vegetarian chili. The major drawback of cooking with dried beans is certainly the time and forethought required. If you're looking to make the switch from canned to dry, we heartily recommend cooking beans in an Instant Pot. This transforms the traditionally tedious task into a much more hands-off operation (with no need to soak beans overnight or continually stir the pot).

Aside from the savings of dried beans over canned, cooking with dried beans gives you total control over flavoring, sodium levels, and quantity. Canned beans often have extra ingredients that help them last longer, and dried beans allow you to adjust while you cook. Even Guy Fieri thinks dried beans have a better texture, as canned beans often have a mushier mouthfeel. In the kitchen, there's no comparison when it comes to the rich, savory flavor of a pot of homemade beans.