This month we are exploring all things BEANS! Learn how you can explore, cook and enjoy beans with your kids. 

Beans are a versatile plant based protein source packs a load of nutrition and is an easy addition to just about any meal or snack. My kids love hummus for dipping just about anything. Another favorite is black beans, or as my son has calls them “chocolate beans”, in tacos or as an easy side with a meal or snack.

Fun Facts About Beans

1. Beans are part of the legume family! Legumes include beans, lentils, peas, and even peanuts.
2. Legumes are plants that grow fruit in pods. (Yes, Beans are technically a fruit!)
3. There are over 400 varieties of beans. Here are a few you may recognize: Black Beans, Kidney Beans, Pinto Beans, Navy Beans, Chickpeas, Adzuki Beans, Black-eyed peas, Soybeans, Mung, Lima, Fava, Cannellii , and Great Northern Beans. 
4. Great source of protein and fiber
5. Beans are versatile and easy to cook.
6. Beans can be purchased dried, canned and even frozen.
7. Beans appear in almost every cultural cuisine.

Fun Bean Activities to do with Kids

1. 👀  Read Books about Beans
   • One Bean by Anne Rockwell
   • One Bean Read Aloud
   • Bean Thirteen
   • Bean Thirteen Read Aloud
2. 👀  Watch Videos about Beans
   • Learn about what’s inside a bean
   • Learn how to grow a bean plant
3. 👀 ✋🏽 Count Beans
4. 👀 ✋🏽  Sort beans by shape, color and/or variety.
5. 👀 ✋🏽 👂🏽 Make a Bean Sensory Bin
6. 👀 ✋🏽 Bean Sprout Activity
7. 👀 ✋🏽Grow a bean plant
8. 👀 ✋🏽👂🏽👃🏽 👄 Prepare Dried Beans Together (see below)
9. 👀 ✋🏽👂🏽 👃🏽👄  Prepare and enjoy a recipe using canned beans (Here are a few from my blog!)
   • Easy Chickpea and Lentil Curry
   • Peanut Butter Chickpea Cookies with Chocolate Chunks
   • Slow Cooker Pesto Minestrone
   • Easy Slow Cooker Chicken Vegetable Chili
   • Dark Chocolate Hummus with Coconut

How to Prepare and Cook Beans with Kids

1. Dried Beans
   1. Pour dried beans in a large bowl, rinse and then drain.
   2. Cover beans with water by 2 inches. Add about 2 tablespoons salt.
   3. Let sit overnight (or at least 4 hours).
   4. Drain soaked beans.
   5. When ready to cook place soaked beans in a large pot cover again with water by 2 -4 inches.
   6. Bring pot to a simmer. Continue simmering for 30-60 minutes or until beans are tender. (Depending on the bean you cook some take longer to cook than others).
   7. Enjoy in your favorite recipes! Keeps for up to a week covered in the fridge or freeze in quart size freezer bags and use when needed.
      
2. Canned Beans
   1. Drain and rinse with water.
   2. Eat as is, or add to any cold or hot recipe.

Dried Versus Canned Beans

• Both are equally nutritious options and are great in a variety of different recipes.
• Dried Beans take more time to prepare but are a cheap source of plant based protein.
  • A one pound bag of dried beans yields about 6 cups of cooked beans and costs about $2.00
• Canned beans take little to no time to prepare but cost more than dried beans.
  • A 14.5ounce can of beans (which yields about 1.5 cups drained beans) costs about $1.00

What are you and your kids favorite ways to enjoy beans?!

Follow along with us on instagram @LaurenSharifiRD