Frugal Win: Beans

In an effort to save money on dinner we've been cooking with more and more beans and bean like things, like lentils and barley.

I know what you're thinking. "Lentils. Gross." And you are probably thinking that because you had an experience like mine when a child of a lentil meal run amok. Good intentions, oh my parents, but, well, not such a good product.

I've recovered from the experience (fortunately). And now I am on my own bean journey.

My goal is to make at least two vegetarian meals a week, often more. And this requires a lot of beans.

$5 Dinners is my fav site for bean recipes.

Now the thing about cooking with beans is, well, they cost money too and you go through a lot of them. While I am extremely lazy, I DO enjoy saving money, and so I decide to attempt soaking and cooking my own beans instead of buying the canned ones.

I used this tutorial and I must say that it was extremely easy. Other than my house really stinking of cooking black beans for a few hours, it was no big deal at all.

And the cost breakdown? Awesome. A 1 lbs bag of black beans was $.79 at the commissary. A can of black beans costs about $.85 (depending on the day). The bag made three cans worth of beans.

So, that makes it $2.55 for them canned or $.79 plus a little effort and a bean smelling house.

I say -- no brainer. And frugal win!