Braxton TaylorI have done the math to determine how much rice and beans a person would need for survival per day, month, or year and why rice and beans, with their high protein and carbohydrate content, are a perfect ‘staple’ survival food combination.
Rice is rich in starch and an excellent source of energy. Beans are rich in protein and contain other minerals.
Consuming the two together provides ALL the essential amino acids, and it is no wonder that this combination is a staple of many diets worldwide.
Here’s why they are a good combination for long-term survival food storage… Their calories per pound, corresponding survival days, and nutrition.
First, I will give you the approximate calories for each. Then, I will provide you with a “what if” (if that’s all you had) for a daily, monthly, and per-year combination of rice and beans in their standard ratio.
(Jump down to Rice&Beans per Day/Month/Year)
WHITE RICE
1,648 calories per pound (uncooked/dry)
660 calories per cup (uncooked/dry)
5-gallon bucket of White Rice (~ 30 lbs)
50,000 calories
25 survival days
(Nutrition data listed below)
TIP: For very long-term food storage, I would not use brown rice because it might begin to go rancid from its oil content after awhile (~ 1+ years).
BEANS
1,568 calories per pound (uncooked/dry)
630 calories per cup (uncooked/dry)
5-gallon bucket of Beans (~ 30 lbs)
47,000 calories
24 survival days
(Nutrition data listed below)
Note: The calories per pound for different bean varieties vary slightly. The numbers listed above are average and mostly similar.
Note: After many years, beans lose their ability to soften while rehydrating in water. Using and rotating your storage is always a good idea, thus minimizing issues like this.
TIP! For old beans. We use a pressure cooker to cook older dry beans because ordinary boiling would take too long (it works great!). We have this one.
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How Many Pounds Of Rice and Beans per Day, Month, Year
First, logically, long-term food storage should be diversified among many food groups and preservation methods. I don’t recommend relying on ‘just’ this! You should diversify with lots of other foods, too!
But if that’s all you had, here’s how much you would need strictly for survival.
Also, the ratio of rice versus beans. Some might like it half and half or more rice than beans. Typically, a combination might be a (dry) ratio of 2:1. The dry rice, after cooking, will also expand, doubling or tippling in volume.
A 2:1 ratio of (dry) rice and beans will result (after cooking) in an approximate 3:1 ratio (beans stay about the same after cooking while the rice will fluff and expand).
I’m planning to give you an idea of the general storage quantity.
Let’s get 2,000 calories daily from these two ingredients by using a 2:1 ratio.
Coincidentally, two cups of uncooked rice and one cup of uncooked dried beans are almost 2,000 calories.
(2) cups of dry white rice (about 1,320 calories)
(1) cup of dry beans (about 630 calories)
After cooking, depending on your preferences, you might end up with ~4 cups of rice and 1 cup of beans. You can also choose 1.5 cups of uncooked rice with 1.5 cups of beans instead, which will also give you about 2,000 calories.
If all you ate for survival was rice and beans, here are the approximate numbers assuming a 2:1 ratio to provide 2,000 calories daily.
How Much Rice & Beans Per Person Per Day
0.8 lbs Rice
0.4 lbs Beans
2,000 calories
1,300 calories from rice
700 calories from beans
How Much Rice & Beans Per Person Per Month
25 lbs Rice
13 lbs Beans
2,000 calories daily for 30 days = 60,000 calories
40,000 calories from rice
20,000 calories from beans
How Much Rice & Beans Per Person Per Year
295 lbs Rice
155 lbs Beans
2,000 calories daily for 365 days = 730,000 calories
486,000 calories from rice
243,000 calories from beans
(10) 5-gallon buckets of rice
(5) 5-gallon buckets of dry beans
Of course, you could buy your rice and beans at Walmart or any other store. But if you’re thinking about long-term storage, you’ll need to get food-grade buckets and lids, Mylar bags, and oxygen absorbers. It might sound complicated, but it’s pretty simple but a bit time-consuming. I’ll provide links to guide you through it (at the end). You can also find a lot of related information by searching this blog.
However, if you would simply like to purchase ready-made packaged food for long-term storage, I do like Augason Farms. Anyway, here are rice and beans to consider, ready for your long-term storage.
The following happen to be available in 10-pound bags (or other sizes), they’re organic, and products of the USA.
(view on amazon)
Diversify Your Food Storage Beyond Just Rice and Beans!
While you won’t want to eat this daily and every meal (!!), the combination is a cost-effective food storage ‘staple’ and part of overall food storage diversity. The quantities I’ve shown will give you an idea and help you decide how much you want to get.
TIP: If you’re concerned about possible long term effects from arsenic in rice, here’s how to mitigate that, and which rice has the least amount of it:
[ Read: Best Way To Remove Up To 80% of Arsenic in Rice ]
[ Read: How To Seal A Mylar Bag In A 5 Gallon Bucket ]
Rice, White, Long Grain – Nutrition Per Cup, Cooked
Fat (0.44 grams)
Carbohydrates (44 grams)
Fiber (0.6 grams)
Protein (4.25 grams)
Very low in saturated fat, sodium, and no cholesterol
Beans, Pinto – Nutrition Per Cup, Cooked
Fat (1.1 grams)
Carbohydrates (44.8 grams)
Fiber (15.4 grams)
Protein (15.4 grams)
Very low in saturated fat, sodium, and no cholesterol
Very high in dietary fiber and protein
Rice and beans are bland by themselves. However, you can add countless spices and other ingredients to increase their nutrition and make them more palatable. If you buy lots of these dry staples, remember this aspect of long-term food storage.
[ Read: Decade-Old Beans — Okay to Eat? ]
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