How can I repurpose dried out grains and beans?

Question

I like to store dried grains and beans in my pantry. However, most of the times I forget about the package of grains or beans that I have in store. And they dry out to the point where no matter how long I soak or boil them, they remain dried. For instance, I now have a 2.2 lb. (1kg) bag of rye berries languishing in my larder. I hate to throw food away! How can I repurpose such items?

Answer 1

A way to use them when they are without hope for use as food, baking beans to blind bake pastry.

blind baking with special beans, normal dry beans works as well.
Picture from the page linked to above. Full attribution on this page.

On one site I once read, the person kept the beans in a bag in the freezer between use as blind baking beans and got a second use as cold pack out of them.

Answer 2

You could maybe try making a Japanese pillow from it, if there's sufficient. [I can't actually visualise how 'big' a kilo of dried beans would be.]

Alternatively, bean-bag dolls*, or simpler to make, throw & catch toys.

*item from Amazon just as an example

Answer 3

At first, if you have 2.2lb of rye berries, then I suggest you first find methods to store it without decay. Pointing out some rule of thumb for the same:

• Whole Intact Grains: The shelf life of whole intact grains, like wheat berries or brown rice, is a bit longer than flours. If stored properly in airtight containers, intact grains will keep for up to 6 months on a cool, dry pantry shelf or up to a year in the freezer.
• Whole Grain Flours and Meals: In general, whole grain flours spoil more quickly than intact grains, because their protective bran layer has been broken up and oxygen can reach all parts of the grain. If stored properly in airtight containers, most whole grain flours and meals will keep for 1 to 3 months on a cool, dry pantry shelf or 2 to 6 months in the freezer.

You could surely try out one of these containers.Now if you have a lot of grains and beans that could not be re-used, then you can resort for the following:

• Depending upon its period of decay, you can decide upon whether it can be used for pet food production. Even though there are methods for this, I suggest you go behind this only after a thorough analysis about grain period.
• You could use it as kitchen waste for Gobar-gas plant if you have any. Advantage is that you get manure from it as by product.
• You can also use it for fertilizer production. But a serious of the process needs to be passed to transform it into fertilizer. Anyway, there are certain home based methods for it too. One such method is Vermicompost from kitchen waste.