Canned Beans

[Bkworm]

Why are canned beans with no sodium added so tasteless? Have tried a couple of brands and they are all the same, especially the 365 brand. When we had a separate upright freezer, I would cook two pounds of dried beans in the crock pot, with no seasonings at all, in just water. They tasted wonderful, not bland like the canned beans I have been purchasing. MY DH even remarked several time how tasty all the beans were just out of the crock pot. From a 2-lb package of dried beans, I usually could measured up about 8, 2-cup servings, for each variety of bean. I cooked all varieties of beans: garbanzo, black bean, white bean, red bean, great northern, black-eyed peas, navy bean. The only type I never cooked were kidney beans. They can be dangerous if not cooked correctly.

Even when the canned beans are added to salads with oil-free dressing, the beans still taste bland. The dressing does nothing to mask the blandness. Other seasonings added to soups help some, but the beans still are bland. I just watched Dr. McDougall's moment about salt. I am going back to the Bush brand of beans with low sodium and rinse them well. Won't add any additional salt but sodium-free canned beans are just bland when there is no reason for it.

Will replace my upright freezer eventually and will start cooking my own beans again.

[Hal]

It might be wrong of me to do so (maybe someone who knows can chime in...) but i have been buying the 'no salt added' black beans and do NOT drain the beans, but instead use the liquid as flavor. It's almost like gravy for the mashed potatoes. I should probably venture soon into cooking beans too.

[Mom+Me]

Yes, I agree that canned no-salt added beans are pretty tasteless. Yet, like you said, we still find it amazing just how tasty beans made in the Crock Pot or Instant Pot are, even when only cooked in water!

We really like the Organic Low Sodium aseptic packaged beans by Jack's Quality (jacksqualitybeans.com). Our favorites are the black and garbanzo. The kidney and cannellini are just too firm. Haven't tried the other varieties yet.

We've been known to open one up (no can opener or scissors required) when out and about and also on vacation; they've been a real lifesaver to help us be compliant when we were starving and compliant options weren't available. The sodium isn't too high (garbanzo are 105 mg / serving and there are 3 servings / package).

Like you Hal, we usually never throw away the liquid from the low-sodium beans as the liquid is just too flavorful (and I'd like to think nutritious).

If it's possible, cooking beans from scratch we've found to be best: most tasty and economical. Bkworm, what if you just cooked a cup or two of dried beans at a time? If you have a really large Crock Pot, maybe investing in a 1+1/2 quart slow cooker would help. I've found that size to comfortably cook over half a pound of dry beans at a time and it doesn't take up a lot of real estate on the counter. It's also a nice size to keep on low soup or stew for someone who has to eat later than everyone else. Having one with a removable crock is really nice.

[Bkworm]

Thanks for your input, Hal,

Hal, for some recipes I did not drain or rinse the beans and just used the liquid as part of the liquid in the recipe. Can't say it helped or hurt the recipes actually. Can't get away with that for beans in salads though.

Do highly recommend cooking your own beans. You will be amazed at the favor even with absolutely no seasoning added - at least most of the time. Also, it is so much more economical. All types of beans have their own texture and flavors. I have used different brands but usually use the Publix brand as that is our main grocery store. Used to cook beans in a crock pot but now use an instant pot. Spoke with a rep from Instant Pot. We have the 8-qt instant pot so was advised to cook a 2-lb bag of dried beans with 12 cups of liquid. Hurricane Irma wiped out our kitchen with a huge pine tree as well as other parts of our house. Many of our appliances, small and large, plus the freezer were victims.

Will add one comment. With dried beans, sometimes you just get a bag that has no flavor, just like the canned beans. There is no way of knowing before they are cooked. Long before I started the WFPB WOE, I had always cooked large pots of pinto beans and baby lima beans. We are native Floridians, so grew up eating lots of beans and rice plus greens of all types. Also cooked black beans with lots of seasonings. Sometimes no matter what seasonings you add or how much you add, the beans are not good but fortunately, those bags are few and far between.

As I am aware that it is possible to get the occasional bag of bland beans, took that into consideration as I have purchased unsalted brands of canned beans. But have yet to open a can of unsalted beans of any brand that has any flavor at all.

Again, thanks so much for your thoughts.

[Bkworm]

Thanks so much for your comments, Mom+Me,

Have never heard of Jack's Quality Beans. Will have to look for them. Can you purchase them in stores or only online?

Love opening a can of good beans and just eating them on the run, but that is usually the Bush low sodium brand. As you indicate, it is the only way to stay compliant to WFPB when out and about at times. Other than Sweet Tomatoes, I have yet to find a restaurant I can stay compliant except if I order a salad, which is usually so small why bother. When I plan to eat out, I usually drain a can of some type of beans and take that and a small container of oil-free dressing I prepare ahead of time. The I just add the beans and dressing to whatever salad I end up with at any restaurant.

Have been trying to come up with a work around for cooking beans until we can purchase a new freezer. We have an 8-qt instant pot so just too big really. Will think about your suggestion for the small crock pot or instant pot.

Always get complaints from DH and DS when I use unsalted canned beans. They can tell the difference. I only cook compliant in my kitchen and they usually enjoy what I fix. But they eat anything they want away from the house. Hope some day they will go 100% compliant but don't expect it anytime soon. My breakfast and lunch are always salt free but when I am cooking something for them end up using low sodium beans unless I have beans I have cooked myself.

Again, thanks so much for taking the time to respond.

[Lyndzie]

You bring up a good point. I noticed that Kroger’s NSA black beans are much tastier than other canned beans (without salt), so I have buying their beans lately. Right now the convenience and affordability are winning over homemade. Jeff seems to like the Eden brand, have you tried those?

[Bkworm]

Yes, I have used the Eden brand and while better than the 365 brand, still not all that good. Will try them again. Don't have Kroger's in our area so have not tried that brand. It is hard to even find NSA beans in the regular grocery stores here. Even at times hard to find the low sodium canned beans. Usually purchase NSA from Whole Foods. While a good price compared to what I can get at the regular store, still have no flavor.

Thanks so much for your response, Lyndzie.

[Plumerias]

Yes, I have used the Eden brand and while better than the 365 brand, still not all that good. Will try them again. Don't have Kroger's in our area so have not tried that brand. It is hard to even find NSA beans in the regular grocery stores here. Even at times hard to find the low sodium canned beans. Usually purchase NSA from Whole Foods. While a good price compared to what I can get at the regular store, still have no flavor.

Thanks so much for your response, Lyndzie.

You may have access to the Kroger product. Are you near one of the new Lucky's Market locations? They stock Kroger's Simple Truth beans. The label is white and green.

Eden is so expensive!

[Mom+Me]

Hi Bkworm (love your username, by the way ),

I was so sorry to read of your loses and upheaval of lifestyle after the hurricane. Thank God you and your family survived it, though!

It's great how you prepare your beans and dressing ahead of dining out! Yes, Sweet Tomatoes was a delightful restaurant for us...until they closed. When we travel, we've found salad bars and the baked regular and sweet potatoes to be nice at Ryan's, Old Country, Hometown, and Golden Corral Buffets.

Now that I know your situation a little more, you might be more interested in a 3qt. slow cooker. A few years ago a store had a cute red oval one on sale for $13. The same store has since had it for $9.99 many times. At first I was wondering about the shape, but love it even though we don't prepare any roasts/meats in it. The shape makes it easy to stir and ladel. I think it's a Hamilton Beach and it has High, Low, and Keep Warm--all great functions!

I've always purchased the Jack's Quality Beans in stores. Depending where, they can run from $ .99 on sale all the way to $2.49 per box. The most I ever paid was $1.33 when they weren't on sale and needed them. But I try to hold out for the $ .99 sales and buy more then.

It's nice that your husband and son eat healthy at home; that's a big improvement than most people! It's something, too, because a lot of people don't want to eat healthy when their tastebuds are corrupted by outside food. Keep up your great work in providing the good stuff for them (and you), try not to nag them about their outside food choices , and they may eventually come around, especially when the inevitable happens to those around them who eat completely SAD. You're giving them a great start!!