Save Money On Groceries! Each week I share one simple tip that you can implement to start saving on your grocery bill right away.
Many of the tips will be familiar, but if you take the Save Money on Groceries Challenge with us, you will actually take the steps each week instead of just filing them in the “I should do that” file. [To join in, just leave a comment saying that you already use the tip of the week, or that you will start this week.]
[Click here to see all the tips in this series.]
Todays Tip
Add beans to your menu at least once a week.
Why it works
Dry beans are one of the cheapest, most filling foods available. They are high in fiber, and when combined in the proper proportions with grains, they form a complete protein (a food that contains all nine of the essential amino acids necessary for the dietary needs of humans).
Make It Convenient
One of the difficulties with using dry beans is the time it takes to soak and cook them. You can purchase canned beans, but they are much more expensive than cooking your own beans, and they have added chemicals and ingredients which make them much less healthy.
In my kitchen, I make beans a convenience food by cooking large batches at one time and storing them in the freezer to use later. Read here how I prepare and freeze beans.
Make It Tasty
The key to making good beans is to add some flavor. Ham bones, a little pork fat or a tasty green sauce (recipe here) make all the difference in creating a delicious bean-based meal.
Here are a few of our favorite bean recipes (Some of our recipes contain meat, but you can use far less meat when you add beans to the meal.):
BBQ Chicken and Black Bean Tostadas
Spicy Chicken and Black Bean Soup
Easy Make Ahead Green Sauce–great to add to beans!
You can also find some tasty and creative bean recipes on my Bean Recipes Pinterest Board (Not your Granny’s Beans!).
What’s your favorite bean recipe? Leave a link in the comments. 🙂
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Photo Credit: Naypong, Free Digital Photos
I know lentils aren’t exactly beans, but I’ve made a variation of this lentil sloppy joes twice and it’s a hit! “Little Dude” will eat multiple sloppy lentil sandwiches and it makes me so happy because it’s full of veggies!
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchens/lentil-sloppy-joes-recipe/index.html
Thanks so much for the recipe Katy. I’ll have to try that.
I’m in! We are doing bean burritos one night next week. I’m gonna cook and freeze the beans tomorrow!
Woohoo! Welcome Brandy. 🙂
I forgot to add that I use the cheapest beans I can find which are pinto beans.
I add beans to my tacos instead of meat. I just cook then mash the beans and add taco seasoning to them. I then fix tacos as usual. They taste SUPER yummy AND they are super cheap…Love IT!!!
My DH is the only one who eats beans. So I’ll skip skip this one, however I commit to doing a better job meal planning.
Do what works for you. 🙂
I need to start using this idea. I am going to try having a bean day in my menu planning.
Quinoa, Black Bean & Corn Tacos!! Yum!
http://www.cookingclassy.com/2013/04/quinoa-black-bean-and-corn-tacos/
I also have made homemade hummus with chickpeas.
http://foodblogandthedog.wordpress.com/2012/05/09/a-really-good-hummus-recipe/
I’ve started shopping at Aldi. I can’t believe how quickly I am in and out of there! Must be because there are not so many choices of each product, just one brand. I also scored a great price on chicken breasts today- half off because the “use by” dates were coming up.
It is much quicker to shop at a smaller store. My problem has been that they don’t sell some of the items that I need to purchase so I have to go to another store. Woohoo for half-priced chicken! 🙂
I’m going to try the bean idea.
Red Beans and Rice on Mondays 🙂 I add a lil pork and my carnivorous husband gobbles it up!