Warning signs Mold, pests, or a musty smell; beans that stay rock-hard after soaking and cooking.
How to check Inspect for mold and pests. Soak and cook a small sample to test for hardness or off-flavors.
Free download
Get the one-page food shopping list
What to store, how much of it for one person for one month, and how long it keeps. One page with checkboxes, built from the Survival Foods field guide. Print it, multiply by your people and months, and take it to the store.
The PDF comes by email, with my newsletter now and then. Already on the list? You still get it. Read the full page.
Questions this answers
Tap a question for the short answer.
How do I tell if dried beans & legumes has gone bad?
Look for mold, pests or a musty smell. Then soak and cook a small sample to test it. Beans that stay rock-hard after soaking and cooking, or that have off-flavors, are past their usable life.
Every recipe and resource from the Prepper's Chemical Survival Guide, all nine field guides to read here and download, the full audit and logbook, all twelve reference charts, and no ads.
My Manual · included
Build your own field manual
The most useful thing a membership gives you. Save any page on this site, recipes, charts, and whole field guides included. Arrange them in the order you want, name it, and print one manual with a cover and contents, or keep it as a PDF that opens with no signal.