Ibraheem Basir, founder and CEO of A Dozen Cousins, grew up in Brooklyn and said food was always at the center of big family gatherings. In addition to her “native Southern dishes,” Basir said his mother also picked up Latin American and Caribbean recipes from neighbors. As he got older and sought to recreate these dishes himself, he found it challenging: “I either had to cook them all from scratch or use processed options with ingredients that I was trying to avoid,” Basir said. This inspired him to start A Dozen Cousins, which offers rice, beans and sauces inspired by traditional Creole, Caribbean and Latin American flavors.

A Dozen Cousins’ Seasoned Pinto Beans are made with tomato, green chili and spices. The beans come in a bag you can pop in the microwave to warm, or you can pour the beans into a pot to heat over the stovetop. The brand says the beans have a 12 month shelf life, so you can buy them in bulk and store them in your panty.