How to Store Dry Beans For The Long Term

Beans are considered one of the ultimate emergency foods because they are very nutritious and non-perishable. However, beans will go bad if they aren’t stored correctly.

Here’s what you need to know about long-term storage methods for beans.

How Long Can You Store Dry Beans?

When stored in their original plastic packaging, dry beans will last about 1 year. However, dry beans can last 25+ years with specific storage methods, including DIY home storage.

Why Dry Beans Go Bad

Like all dry foods, beans are sensitive to oxygen, light, humidity, and heat. Oxygen is particularly a big concern as it will cause the natural fats in the beans to degrade, causing them to go rancid. In high-humidity areas, beans can also get moldy.

Even if the beans remain safe to eat, exposure to oxygen and light can cause them to lose their nutrients. After just 2 years, significant vitamin degradation occurs, and virtually no vitamins may be present after 5 years. However, the protein and mineral components of beans will still be intact. (source)

How to Tell if Dry Beans Have Gone Bad

  • Rancid smell: Dry beans should not have any noticeable smell
  • Visible signs of mold: It might look like fuzz or a film over the beans
  • Change in color: Discolored beans are often still safe to eat, but their vitamin content has probably been depleted

Weevils and Other Bean Pests

beans infested by weevils

Another issue with storing beans long-term is that they can become infested with weevils or moths. The weevil eggs are often inside the beans when you purchase them. Check the beans for holes; these are a sign of insect eggs.

It can take several weeks for the eggs to hatch and develop, so the eggs usually aren’t an issue if you use the beans soon after purchasing. However, if you plan to store beans for over a month, the weevils can hatch into adults, lay more eggs, and cause an infestation.

weevil hole in bean
Check the beans for damage before storage. Throw out any beans with holes, a sign that insect eggs are inside the beans. 

To prevent weevils in your bean storage:

  • Rotate through your bean stockpile or
  • Use storage methods that kill eggs

Read more about preventing and getting rid of weevils.

Best Ways to Store Dry Beans

Here are the best storage methods to store beans for 3+ months.

Option 1: Air-Tight Containers

Shelf Life: 3 years

Never store dry beans in the plastic bags they come in; it’s too easy for moisture and insects to get into those bags. Instead, transfer the beans to air-tight storage containers.

Keep the container in a cool, dark place. They should last at least 3 years this way. However, I don’t recommend storing more beans than you can rotate through in 3 months; the beans are too susceptible to damage, even in air-tight containers.

One common problem is that weevil eggs may already be in the beans when you get them. The eggs then hatch, and suddenly, you have a huge infestation. Thus, you’ll need to kill insect eggs before storing the beans, such as by freezing or microwaving them.

Some suitable air-tight containers include:

Top Tips:

  • Always rotate through your bean storage. Otherwise, they will eventually go bad or lose nutrients.
  • Write the date on a piece of tape on the storage container. This will make it easier to rotate the beans.

Option 2: Freezer

Shelf Life: Indefinitely

Storing dry beans in the freezer will protect them from heat, light, and insects. They should last years this way. To store dry beans in the freezer:

  1. Put the beans in a sealable freezer bag.
  2. Label the beans with the date so you can easily rotate them.
  3. If you need to remove them but don’t plan on using them (such as to make more space in your freezer), bring the beans to room temperature before putting them in any storage container, as condensation can form.

Option 3: Vacuum Sealing

Shelf Life: 5+ years

Vacuum sealing is a process in which a machine sucks the air out of a special pouch and then seals it. Because there is little air left in the pouch, vacuum-sealed beans can last much longer.

However, it’s important to note that vacuum sealer bags are not completely air-tight. There are tiny holes in the bags that eventually allow oxygen and moisture to get inside. They also don’t protect against insect infestation or damage from light.

If you want to use vacuum-sealing to store beans:

  • Take steps to kill any insect eggs in the beans first, such as by freezing the beans
  • Put a desiccant in with the beans to help control moisture
  • Label the pouches with the date, and be sure to rotate through them
  • Store the sealed pouches in a cool, dark place

Option 4: Containers with Oxygen Absorbers

Shelf Life: 5+ years

A straightforward way to store large amounts of beans is to put them in food-grade buckets, jars, or recycled containers, such as plastic soda bottles. The problem with this is that the containers will have a lot of air, and the oxygen will eventually cause the beans to go bad.

A simple solution is to get oxygen absorbers and put them in the container with your beans. Oxygen absorbers are tiny packets that contain iron and absorb oxygen. The reduced oxygen also means that insect eggs in the beans cannot survive.

In theory, beans could last indefinitely stored like this. However, most containers aren’t air-tight. Buckets will eventually lose their seal, and oxygen will leak in (though buckets with gasket lids tend to do better).

Recycled plastic bottles also eventually leak. Canning jars are more reliable, and you can see they are working because the lid will look “sucked down,” but they can’t hold as much food and are susceptible to breaking.   Thus, using oxygen absorbers with Mylar bags is recommended.

Read more about oxygen absorbers for long-term food storage.


Option 5: Mylar Bags with Oxygen Absorbers

Shelf Life: 25+ years

Sealing beans in Mylar bags with oxygen absorbers is the best way to store them long-term. Mylar is impervious to moisture and gases and blocks light. Because the OAs remove oxygen from the bags, the beans are protected from virtually all spoilage.

Bones can last 25+ years with minimal nutrient loss when stored this way.

This post gives step-by-step instructions on how to store food in Mylar bags.

How do you store your dry bean stockpile? Let us know in the comments below.

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  1. I would like to have a back up emergency supply of feed for my chickens that I can put away and forget about, just as a bit of an insurance policy. Was thinking of storing dry beans in mylar bags inside sealed 5 gallon buckets and burying them in a shady location. Is there any reason that wouldn’t work? Like, would there be issues with condensation or anything? (Cold snowy climate. Could freeze in winter as they wouldn’t be buried that deep.)

    Reply
    • The Mylar bags and buckets are good ideas. I’m not so sure about burying the buckets though. The main reason is because it’s smart to check on your stockpiles every 6 months or so. You would have no idea if rodents had chewed through the buckets, for example, if they are kept underground.

      Reply
    • Yes, that can happen if they get really dried out. You can cook them in a pressure cooker to soften them. Or add baking soda to them when cooking. This breaks down the pectins so they soften easier.

      Reply
  2. I know that removing all (or most) of the moisture is why long term storage works. But does anyone “clean” the beans prior to storing? Maybe rinse and let dry for a few days?? I can’t find anywhere on the internet that mentions cleaning/rinsing the beans first then storeing. Please help

    Reply
    • Definitely do NOT clean beans before storing them. They will get wet and go bad in storage. Or you will end up with botulism if you package the wet beans with water. Just clean them when it’s time to open the bag and use them.

      Reply
  3. I think I have been grossly, and costly, misinformed. 2 yr old dry beans, stored in glass jars, with oxygen absorbers will not rehydrate after 6 hrs of slow cooking (they soaked over 24 hrs, before). I’ve cooked dry beans all my life, I’m southern, love my beans and corn bread.

    Reply
  4. Dry canning does work. I tried it with black beans that I added DE to after picking very carefully through them. I dry canned them in quart jars and after three years I just used them last week.
    I washed them well and soaked them for about 12 hours and then cook them in my instant pot. Nothing floated to the top while soaking, they plumped well and they tasted great.
    My friend has been dry canning for decades and it works. No, we do not leave the food for years, I just wanted to make sure it worked and it does!

    Reply
  5. I can’t find any info on shelf life for beans and rice in the standard clear vacuum sealer bags with oxygen absorbers. We have some also vacuum sealed / oxygen absorbers in textured mylar bags but we have a lot of the standard food saver bags hate to waste them all for short term.

    Reply
  6. Food saver vacuum sealer bags work. Put a quarter teaspoon ditatemacous earth in each bag before selaing. Store in tuff stuff 27 gal black totes. Only fifty pounds per tote. Stack five high.

    Pick out broken beans before sealing, reduces risks of punctures.

    Six cups pintos per 11×8 bag

    Lentils have to be double bagged due to sharp edges. Dont recommend storing chickpeas tgis way..pointy ends breaks bags.

    30 pounds beans, 30 pounds rice per person for one month.

    Grow your spices. Indoors/outdoors. Dont waste storage space.

    Grow your greens, carrots,onions, potatoes in containers to add to your beans n rice. On driveways, porches,patios,flower boxes. Grow kale for the calcium.dry it, powder it and sneak it into everything.

    Store kosher salt (seasoning,canning,fermenting) sugar and tea and powdered milk.

    You can make rice flour pqnkcakes. Rice puddings for breakfast. Puffed rice cereal.

    Walmart pintos are $15/20 pounds 5/2022 price. Rice is $8/20.

    We are talking survival, not eat what you like peeps. Do it now. Get a year put back then put back things u like to eat and crave.

    Reply
  7. Hi–I’m totally new to this. Trying to help my elderly parents.
    Do I have to buy a “Food Grade Bucket” to store beans and pasta? Is that just a gimmick to charge more? Any suggestions on what type or brand? Thanks for sharing your thoughts.

    Reply
    • No, it’s not a gimmick. Many plastics release chemicals into whatever is in them. This isn’t too big of a deal if you are putting the food in Mylar bags first. But you definitely don’t want to put food directly into a bucket if it isn’t food grade. Would I still eat it in the apocalypse? Yes. 🙂 But I rotate through my food supply, so I’m not going to set myself up to eat toxic chemicals.

      Especially don’t use free buckets which may have held questionable things like cleaning chemicals.

      You can get free buckets from bakeries often.

      Reply
  8. I put smaller 1 and 2 pound bags of beans into larger gallon glass and plastic containers with bay leaves to deter bugs. No oxygen absorbers. I watched a video on YouTube that showed Homestead Heart putting bay leaves in the bottom of a regular 5 gallon bucket, adding navy beans, more bay leaves, more beans. Layering. Added bay leaves on tip then hammered the lid down. She didn’t freeze the beans first or use oxygen absorbers. I have my beans in a cool, dark place as I intend to get a bag out to cook from time to time. No mylar bags. I put my instant white and regular rice in either canning jars or thick bottles to store them with bay leaves. Small bottles that will make a few meals only at a time. But what I’m concerned about is my 35 pounds of flour in a gamma sealed bucket. That is for ling term. I put bay leaves in it but no oxygen absorbers. I was told that the gamma sealed bucket will keep it for a long time. So many opinions on here are driving me nuts. I have 200cc oxygen absorbers but mostly I’ve been buying canned beans and meat, vegetables and fruits. I’d like an answer please. Thank you

    Reply
    • Bay leaves do keep insects away. However, I personally don’t like to rely on them for long-term food storage. There’s simply no reliable info on how well they work long-term — especially in cases where insect eggs are already in the food. The most reliable method is to: put food in Mylar bag with OAs, seal, then put in bucket to protect Mylar bag from puncture.

      You could put the beans into a bucket with OAs. Gamma lids are pretty awesome and do provide an airtight seal. However, the plastic ring on the lid (which is what provides the seal) can dry out over time and become brittle. When this happens, air would leak into the bucket. That’s why Mylar wins every time.

      *You are right to store canned foods too. Most emergencies are short-term. You wouldn’t want to open a massive bag of beans and waste tons of fuel cooking them during a 3-day power outage! It’s much more practical to open a can of beans 🙂

      Reply
  9. If I use Mylar bags with OA and put in a 5 gallon air tight bucket do I need to do anything before packaging to prevent insect infestation?

    Reply
    • No. The oxygen absorbers create an oxygen-free environment so insects won’t survive and their eggs won’t be able to hatch. You’ll still want to put the sealed Mylar bags in a bucket though. I’ve never had insects chew through my Mylar bags but rodents definitely could!

      Reply
  10. I’ve read in several places that dry canning is not safe because it can result in botulism poisoning. Botulinum being an anaerobic pathogen. How is dry canning dangerous and using oxygen absorbers is not safe? It seems to me that the result is the same.

    Reply
  11. I dry canned my beans. Filled sterilized mason jars with beans, placed mason jars on a tray, in hot oven – 200 degrees for 20 minutes. Remove from oven and place lids and rings on tightly immediately wait for “ping”. Now sealed and shelf stable. Label with contents and date. Check products every few weeks .

    Reply
    • This method has resulted in moisture inside the jar due to condensation created by the heated air trapped inside the jar in a room temp environment outside the jar.
      Plus as soon as you take the jar from the oven it is exposed to microscopic germs in the air. Room temp jars, room temp dry goods, with oxygen absorber is considered safer.

      Reply
    • Try to keep them at room temperature or below. They can handle higher temperatures but the oils in the beans will start to go rancid. You can actually still eat rancid food, it just tastes gross. Eating lots of rancid oil supposedly can cause health problems in the long term, but that’s not really an issue if you are storing food for emergencies.

      Reply
    • You can use “dry canning” to store beans (if that’s what you mean by processing). Or just put an oxygen absorber in with the beans in a clean jar. It’s fast and easy.

      Reply
    • I wash my jars and lids. Then I heat them in oven at 225 degrees for 14 minutes. This will dry the jars as well as sterilizes it all. Then I put 1 teaspoon full of Diatomaceous Earth Food grade in bottom of jar as well as teaspoon of uncooked rice. Then fill the jar with dry beans. I repeat the Diatomaceous Earth food grade and rice on top of beans. I then put the lids with rings on. The Diatomaceous Earth Food grade will kill any potential bugs or larva inside beans when they are purchased from the stores in plastic bags and it also acts as a moisture absorbent. Then when time to cook I dump it all into the pot. The Diatomaceous Earth food grade will not cause any change in the cooking of food. Many people actually use it for medicinal purposes “ When taken by mouth, diatomaceous earth is used as a source of silica, for treating high cholesterol levels, for treating constipation, and for improving the health of skin, nails, teeth, bones, and hair.”
      I have done this for years and years. I’ve never had any issues with the beans. I also will store all my dried pasta, dried rice and any other dry food goods I have this way. So far I have not lost one jar of any dry goods and I keep them for years. I also do not have the dry food sitting in plastic bags from the store that do break down and leave the beans tasting funny and rancid. I do store them out of the light and in cabinets or a room that rarely has light in the room. I also have a room that is temperature controlled. I use quart size jars because that is an actual good serving size for my family.

      Reply
      • So you don’t put Oxygen absorbers in beans and where do to purchase the diatomaceous earth food grade and do you use White rice or brown and I’m doing my in pint size jars I’m thinking for the two of us that was enough We use the diatomaceous earth on our garden I’m new to this

        Reply
  12. I cannot seem to find a credible answer to this question. If I want to include several different types of beans in a single 5-gallon Mylar bag for long term storage, can I just poke some holes in the original plastic bags to make it easier for the 02 absorbers to do their thing? I really like the idea of keeping the original packaging, and do not relish the idea of repackaging literally hundreds of bags of beans into new bags to keep them separate. And, I am not freaked out about my beans being in contact with the plastic bags they are packaged in; should I be? If yes, specifically why?

    Reply
    • I have this question too. I’ve been thinking of filling a 5 gallon bag with an assortment of bags (ziplock?) of rice, beans, lentils, oats, and small bags of seasonings, spice, salt, sugar, etc to create my own month supply of dry goods. I’m not sure how to store them efficiently and as frugally as possible.
      Small Mylar bags inside of a huge 5 gallon Mylar inside of a thick bucket seems Like it may be overkill.
      Is it possible to use ziplock bags for the individual dry goods and put a large amount of oxygen absorbers in the 5gal Mylar bag?
      Or should I have a 50cc OA inside the ziplock bags too?

      Reply
      • To make sure the air can escape, it’s best to use mesh sacks or bags for storing items. Or just don’t seal the zip-lock bags completely.

        Reply
      • You could use individual mylar bags inside of a 5gal bucket without the additional 5 gal mylar liner. The reason for the bucket is that mylar isn’t rodent proof, but 5 gal buckets are moreso, though not completely.

        Reply
        • Exactly! I’d also like to add that the buckets help protect against physical damage (think about mylar bags being blown around in hurricane wind or debris crashing down on them during an earthquake). the buckets themselves are also incredibly useful for dozens of things ranging from emergency toilets to collecting water.

          Reply
      • Not sure if this is true, but I heard that you should not use oxygen absorbers in your mylar bags in 5 gallon buckets with salt or sugar or you will end up with a brick when you go to use them after storage.

        Reply
      • if you’re putting it in the ziploc bags just to keep it separated, find something else to use. maybe brown paper bags and place that in your 5gallon bucket. Don’t use ziplock bags because the air could get trapped in there and spoilage occur

        Reply
    • Yes, you can just poke holes in the original bags. However, you’d have to poke enough holes and make them large enough that the O2 absorbers could still do their work. Maybe you could get some cloth bags for the beans instead – ones made out of a cheesecloth-type material, netting bags, or similar. Those would accomplish your goal and should be cheap or even free to find.

      Reply
    • purchase in bulk 50lb bags from a restaurant supply wholesaler it is WAAAAY cheaper and will offset some of the cost to have to do mylar and o2 absorbers….just my .02…YMMV.

      Reply
      • Purchase in bulk – but transfer to mylar, and then store in a 5 lb bucket. I use quart bags, which will hold a pound, with an OA, because that’s how I will use them. That way, I’m not putting the rest of my stores at risk. For other things, I might use a gallon bag. In the end, not losing food due to improper storage is still “cheap”. And with mylar being both portable and the longest lasting option, my food storage is as good as it can get.

        Reply
    • I did that, I have some larger bags that I have multiple bags of beans in, and smaller bags with just 1 bag of beans. I started with the larger bags and switched to the smaller ones. For me it makes for sense, because if I’m going to open the bag, I probably won’t use 5 gallons worth of beans in a short period of time. I know it works because I put the oxygen absorbers in there and a couple hours later it’s vacuum sealed. Think of vacuum coffee bags. If they are not sealed visibly ( I give a day or 2), then I open the bag, put them in a different bag with O2 absorbers, and reseal

      Reply
    • No, you can not store your beans in a Mylar bag while the beans are still in its original package. You must take them out the package, place the beans in Mylar bag, place the oxygen inside Mylar bag and seal.

      Reply
    • I would be concerned about contact with the plastic. Plastic has a shelf life. If you look at bottle water, you see an expiration date/best buy date. It’s not the water that is the issue, it is the plastic bottle. Plastic begins to break down and leaches into the food.

      We just started the arduous process of converting all of our food stuff that is in plastic to glass. Beans and oats have been easy to do, but the spices were very time consuming. Don’t forget to get your spices out of plastic. Ditto nuts, if you make nut milk.

      Oh, btw, mylar bags are plastic lined. They were a no go for us.

      We are using Ball jars and LeParfait canning jars because they can go into the freezer. I didn’t know about the weevil issue and since we just started, everything goes in tonight.

      Hope our experience can be of help.

      Reply
    • I cut the tops off the original bags and put the bags in the mylar bags. It’s much faster and the machine can still suck out all the air. I also put oxygen absorbers in there. I don’t think the plastic will degrade at all since it is protected from light and oxygen.

      Reply
    • I did this with my ten bean soup and my oatmeal just poked holes in original bag and then popped them into vac seal bags with Oxy absorbers and then sucked the air out and sealed them

      Reply
    • I know that you can add a little dry ice to your grain bucket to keep it, so I don’t see why you couldn’t do the same for beans. The video I watched used food grade buckets with lids that screwed on. Just cover the bottom with grain/beans and add a small piece of dry ice. Fill the bucket and put the lid on. Do this outside.
      I don’t see why you can’t put all the plastic bags in a bucket and do the same. Whichever type you have that is the most, I’d just put in loose. Then layer the other bags in and around. The dry ice will kill anything in the bags if they are open but I’m sure it could penetrate the plastic bags. Don’t most of these one pound bags come with little holes in them? I’m getting ready to do all my grain and beans like this. a couple months ago I purchased lots of food buckets.

      Reply
    • No, as stated above light and air get through original packages. Mylar bags prevent both. I bought a set of 5 gallon Mylar bags and 2500mg O2 absorbers for like 20 or 30 bucks. I put Mylar bags in 5 gallon buckets, suck the oxygen out with a vacuum, and through and O2 absorber in for the rest. 2-5 year life vs a 20-30 investment for 25 years life. Seems a no brainer to me

      Reply

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