That week I tried to survive on $20 worth of dry beans and rice

Last Monday I figured I'd stretch my grocery budget by living off a huge bag of pinto beans and a 10lb sack of rice, and by Thursday I was so bloated I couldn't button my work pants. Has anyone else had a cheap meal plan backfire like this, or did I just do it wrong?

3 comments

3 Comments

thomasgonzalez11d ago

Honestly I think you're blaming the beans when the real issue is your portion sizes and lack of seasoning. I've done month long stretches on beans and rice for budget reasons and never had that problem because I didn't eat like I was at an all you can eat buffet. You gotta soak them overnight and rinse them really good before cooking or you're just asking for the gas and bloating. Also maybe throw in some cumin and a bay leaf or something instead of just eating plain beans on plain rice like some kind of punishment meal.

wendy_henderson2111d ago

Respectfully, I think good beans don't need all that extra work to taste great.

gavin_kim11d ago

Dude YES this exact thing happened to me lol. I tried that same beans and rice challenge last winter and by day three I looked like I was six months pregnant. I think the key is what that other person said about soaking and rinsing - I was just dumping dry beans straight into the pot like an idiot and wondering why my guts were rebelling. Also I learned the hard way that portion control is real. I was eating like a whole cup of beans at a meal because I thought hey its cheap food, but your body is not designed to handle that much fiber all at once if you're not used to it. Once I started doing smaller portions and actually cooking the beans properly with some garlic and onion it was way more doable. But man that first week was rough, I feel your pain.