We should all be banging in some beans. Beans are a winner for the climate, our health and affordability. Beans are a real-life ‘superfood’ that delivers on so many fronts. Beans can help to stretch out meals, up our fibre and plant-based protein intake and are planet friendly. I am on board with beans, and I hope soon enough you will be too.
Look, I know what you are thinking: beans? Do you mean baked beans? Why are we talking about Beans. I hear you but beans are on to be the next big thing, and I am sure you want to be ahead of the trend.
So, let’s talk all things beans.
The Food Foundation and Veg Power launched the nationwide #BangInSomeBeans campaign on the 5th of November, which aims to double the UK’s Bean consumption by 2028. UK supermarkets, major food companies, nutritionists, and celebrity chefs such as Jamie Oliver, Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall and Tom Kerridge are backing the humble bean, and so should we. I love the simple yet positive message of the campaign, about adding to our diet rather than taking something away.
I was lucky enough to attend the campaign launch at the Bean Summit in the Barbican Centre in London, with award-winning Nutritionist Zoe, who runs ZG Nutrition. When we arrived, we stepped into the lift with none other than celebrity chef Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall. I truly could not believe my luck. We stepped into the event, starting off with delicious bean-forward food, bean-filled goodie bags and the chance to meet so many fabulous people from the food industry. Everyone was so welcoming, there was an electric atmosphere in the room and a buzz about all things beans. There were incredible talks and panel discussions all about beans. I was blown away by the inspiring pledges from Lidl, Sainsbury’s, M&S, and so many more to increase bean sales. The day was rounded off perfectly with a Tonka Bean Mocktail in the Barbican Centre Conservatory.
Here are some of my favourite Bean facts:
1. Diets low in legumes are associated with up to 9,000 premature deaths in the UK each year.
2. On average beans cost 4.5 times less than other plant-based alternatives (per 100g).
3. One portion of beans holds 100% more fibre than a chicken breast, and 2.5 times more fibre than two slices of white bread.
To find out more, check out the top ten bean facts on The Food Foundation website.
Let me spill the beans on how you could #BangInSomeBeans:
1. Try adding in beans to your favourite go-to recipe for example adding lentils into chilli or butter beans into pasta sauce.
2. Top soups, salads or even avocado toast with roasted chickpeas for an added crunch.
3. If you are feeling adventurous beans work a treat in baking. Take a look at the viral blondie recipes on TikTok which are a genius way of using chickpeas.
4. Blend beans to make deliciously creamy dips for example blending lemon juice, olive oil and chickpeas together to make hummus. Once you try this bean hack, you will never go back!
5. If you love tacos, you could try mixing beans with ground meat to make the taco filling. This will make the filling go further and lower the cost.
I hope you enjoyed chatting all things beans! My challenge to you this week is to try adding beans to one meal by making a simple swap or trying a new recipe. Beans are proof that delicious food doesn’t have to be expensive or complicated. I am so excited to see this campaign develop and for beans to get the spotlight they deserve.
Don’t forget to #BangInSomeBeans.