I thought dried beans were a scam to make me feel poor, then I did the math on a $1.29 bag

Jana Murray · 2026-10-08T12:20:04.417946+00:00

I always rolled my eyes at people who talked up dried beans like they were some kind of kitchen hack, because who has 90 minutes to baby a pot of legumes on a Tuesday. Last month my grocery bill hit $212 for just me and my two kids, and I finally caved and grabbed a bag of pinto beans at the HEB on South Congress for $1.29. That bag made about 12 cups of cooked beans, which is the same as 6 cans, and those cans run $1.25 each here. So I traded 90 minutes of mostly not doing anything for about $6.20 in savings, and the beans actually tasted better because I threw in a ham hock and some cumin while they simmered. I did a whole pot on Sunday, froze half in ziplock bags flat on a sheet pan, and pulled them out for tacos on Wednesday like nothing happened. I'm not saying I'm giving up cans forever, because 7pm on a rough day is not the time for patience, but I get the hype now. Does anyone have a trick for making them cook faster without turning into mush? I tried soaking overnight and it barely helped.

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I thought dried beans were a scam to make me feel poor, then I did the math on a $1.29 bag | Budget Friendly Meals - Thought Shares