Use canned beans for convenience with no compromise

Canned beans are already cooked and ready in seconds. Drain, rinse (removes 40% of the sodium), and add directly to salads, soups, tacos, or any recipe. For mashed applications, heat in a pan with seasonings and mash with a fork.

Why It Works

Canned beans are nutritionally equivalent to home-cooked dried beans. Rinsing removes excess sodium and the metallic taste some people notice. For most recipes, the convenience trade-off is worth the slightly higher cost.

Tips

• One 15-oz can equals about 1.5 cups cooked beans or 1/2 cup dried
• Store brands are significantly cheaper and nutritionally identical to name brands
• Stock 4-5 cans of different beans (black, chickpeas, kidney, cannellini) for instant meal flexibility
• For the best of both worlds, batch-cook dried beans on the weekend and freeze in can-sized portions