Bulk-Bin Beans and Rice
Instant refried beans, instant rice, and a handful of corn chips. Cheapest hot dinner you can carry.
- calories
- 720
- weight
- 5.3 oz
- cal / oz
- 136
- protein
- 18 g
- serves
- 1, scales
- prep
- 2 min
- cook
- 8 min
- total time
- 10 min
- water
- 450 ml boiled
- cost
- $
Calorie and protein figures are my own estimates, good enough for planning a food bag and not meant as precise nutrition data.
- Dinner
- Canister stove
- Alcohol / Esbit
- Backpacking
- Thru-hike
- Bikepacking
- Basecamp
- Vegetarian
- Vegan
- Gluten free
- Dairy free
- Nut free
- One pot
- Pre-mix at home
- Shelf stable
- Dump and stir
Ingredients
| Instant refried bean flakes | 1/2 cup | bulk bin or a torn-open box, same thing |
|---|---|---|
| Instant rice | 1/2 cup | must be instant, regular rice will not rehydrate |
| Taco or chili seasoning | 1 tbsp | mix your own from cumin, chili powder, garlic, salt |
| Corn chips | 1 oz | crushed on purpose or crushed by your pack |
| Olive oil | 1 tbsp | dropper bottle |
| Dried onion flakes | 1 tbsp |
Method
- Boil 450 ml of water. Dump in the rice and onion flakes, stir once, cover, and kill the heat.
- Wait five minutes. The rice will drink most of the water.
- Stir in the bean flakes and seasoning a spoonful at a time. Add water if it seizes up.
- Pour the oil over the top and stir it through.
- Crush the corn chips in on top and eat straight from the pot.
The source page was a list of grocery-budget tips rather than a dish, so this is built the way that page argues food should be bought: bulk staples, no packaging, nothing that costs money for the convenience. Instant refried beans and instant rice are two of the cheapest dry calories per ounce you can find, and both rehydrate on residual heat.
Order matters. Rice first, because it needs several minutes of soak and a lot of water. Beans second, because the flakes thicken fast and will lock the whole pot into a paste if the rice is still thirsty underneath them. The oil is not optional at these prices; without added fat this is a large volume of starch and not much of a dinner.
Packing
Rice, beans, onion, and seasoning premix into one quart freezer bag at home. Chips ride in their own bag near the top of the pack so they stay chips and not dust.
Variations
- A foil packet of tuna or a scoop of TVP takes it past 30 g of protein.
- Hot sauce packets weigh nothing and fix a bland seasoning mix.
- Swap the chips for crushed tortillas if you want fewer crumbs in the pot.
https://dontwastethecrumbs.com/eating-real-food-on-a-budget