Long-term food storage is a great way to become more self-reliant or ensure you have food security for emergencies. But it’s not all about how much food you store! The food you store must be nutritious, so your family has enough energy to thrive and navigate the emergency.
Beans are one of the most common items people store for emergencies, but there are a plethora of different types of beans that you should add to your DIY long-term food storage plan. We recommend trying and storing different types of beans to add healthy variety to your diet.
Expert preppers have worked together to come up with a list of the 8 best beans to add to your long-term food storage plan, and in this blog post we will be breaking down all of them. So, let’s dive into it!
Kidney Beans
One of the most versatile beans, kidney beans must be a part of your long-term food storage plan. As the name suggests, these beans resemble the human kidney in shape and are full of nutrients.
Kidney beans can be used in different recipes. For example, you can make a simple white rice and beans with them, or a delicious chili. With 225 calories in one serving, kidney beans provide a lot of energy to your body.
Adzuki Beans
Adzuki beans are an underappreciated prep that we are so excited to share with you!
With 294 calories in one cup, adzuki beans are a great source of energy for your body. They also contain more than 17 grams of protein, which is essential to providing muscular strength to your body.
So, if you tried adzuki beans and find that you like eating them, then they must be a part of your emergency food supply. Adzuki beans come in different varieties. You can find a variety of adzuki beans in red, black, grey, and white. However, the most popular variety is red adzuki beans, which you may find quite easily.
Soybean
Soybeans are another excellent type of bean to have stored in your prepper pantry. They provide a lot of nutrition, such as 298 calories along with 29 grams of protein, and they have a long shelf-life if they are stored properly.
Dehydrated soybeans stored in Mylar bags with oxygen absorbers have a shelf-life of 20 to 30 years! But our experts want to emphasize that this is only if they are stored properly.
To maximize the shelf life of dried soybeans, protect them from exposure to oxygen and light. Oxygen can cause the natural fats that dried soybeans contain to go rancid. Direct sunlight can cause their color to fade, as well as their flavor profile and nutritional value to deteriorate more quickly.
This is why we advise you store your soybeans in Mylar bags with oxygen absorbers— the Mylar bags will protect the beans from moisture and light, and the oxygen absorber will remove the oxygen from the bag.
Pinto Bean
Pinto beans are very easily found in the Southeastern United States and Northern Mexico. So, they can easily be found in your local grocery store, and stocking up on them is an excellent choice— here’s why!
Pinto beans are used in different foods, such as chili, dips, soups, and burritos. They can stay fresh for up to 30 years in Mylar bags with oxygen absorbers, and they are great source of energy, protein, and fiber. So, be sure to add pinto beans to your long-term food storage plan.
Garbanzo Bean
If you have previously bought chickpeas, you have bought garbanzo beans. What some people don’t know is that chickpeas and garbanzo beans are the same thing. So, if you head to the store to stock up on chickpeas, don’t be confused if you only find garbanzo beans!
Garbanzo beans are used in different recipes such as salads, curries, stews, and soups. They stay fresh for up to 30 years, and a single serving offers 269 calories along with 15 grams of protein.
Split Pea
Split peas are another highly versatile bean to store long-term. They can be used for a variety of different recipes. Apart from split pea soup, you can use this bean to make dips and curry. Split peas can also be a part of salads, rice bowls, meatloaf, and even burgers!
One serving of split peas has 231 calories along with 16 grams of protein. So, the versatility and nutritional value make split peas one of the best choices on this list.
Cranberry Bean
You might think you aren’t familiar with cranberry beans, but there is a chance you have already tried this delicious bean.
Have you seen tan-colored beans with magenta and red spots? Those are known as cranberry beans! They can be used as a component of several nutritious meals such as risotto, salads, soups, and pasta.
You need to try cranberry beans if it turns out you haven’t actually tried them yet! Not only are they delicious, but they are nutrient packed. They are 241 calories per serving, and you can count on them to stay fresh and nutrient-dense for 25 years.
Black bean
We really saved the best for last here! Black beans, also known as “turtle beans,” are known for being a complete protein when combined with grains.
Black beans stay fresh for 30 years in Mylar bags, and they are very nutritious! They have 227 calories and 15 grams of protein per serving. They are rich in resistant starch, soluble fiber, prebiotics, flavonoids, and other essential vitamins and minerals. Just one serving provides 46 mg of calcium, 3.61 mg of iron, 120 mg of magnesium, 241 mg of phosphorus, 611 mg of potassium, 256 mcg of folate, 5.7 mcg of vitamin K.
Their nutrition isn’t the only reason why they are so popular! Black beans have a meaty texture, and they are commonly used as a meat substitute for vegans. An example of a popular black bean based option amongst vegetarians and vegans is black bean burgers, but there are many ways that you can enjoy black beans.
Although black beans are a prepper staple, they are such a great option that we needed to add them to our list of the top 8 best types of beans for long-term storage.
Bottom Line
Emergency preparedness means storing nutritious, shelf-stable food items that provide all the essential nutrients you need to thrive.
Beans are at the top of our list when it comes to healthy preps, and you can easily store them in Mylar bags with oxygen absorbers! You can find tried and true Wallaby Mylar bags on our website.
And for more long-term food storage tips, check out our blog or contact our expert staff!
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