I thought I would ask you a question. Did you know July 3rd is National Eat Beans Day #NationalEatYourBeansDay? It makes sense National Eat Beans Day takes place today with July 4th being the next day. People getting ready to BBQ for the 4th while watching Fireworks because we all know BBQ and Beans go hand in hand don’t they? If you can prepare dishes ahead of time it saves us a lot of headache.
Before you ask I had thought of making Pinto Beans ie Red Beans and Fried Taters this evening for dinner but I didn’t get to the store to get a package of Beans. But I do have Potatoes I can fry and David’s mom sent a bowl of Beans over along with a bowl of Ghoulish we can have for dinner this evening. I just wish she didn’t put so much water in her beans that makes them more like a Soup instead of the thick broth my parents and I preferred. What about you think Beans or Soup Beans and why?
National Eat Beans Day (or National Eat Your Beans Day) occurs on July 3rd each year. I guarantee National Eat Your Beans Day will be a holiday that will give you a whole new appreciation for Legumes as a food group. If not, perhaps our fun facts and riddles will have you full of beans. Including ‘I am a bean, very lean. I am not fat, I’m sure of that. Like all beans, I’m small and round — but unlike others, I don’t grow in the ground’. Giving away the answer would be too easy, but we’ll give you a hint. This may be a kid’s favorite kind of Bean.
It may also surprise you to know that Beans are not strictly classified as ‘Veggies’ either since Legumes by definition are any Seeds or Fruits that grow within pods or the edible pods themselves, which grow on Leguminous Plants which is those belonging to the Pea family. This opens up a whole world of Beans to us, which should be exciting, especially for those who grew up being forced to eat Beans as a Vegetable.
Though the exact date and reason for National Eat Your Beans Day being made a holiday are not known, we do know that the history of the Bean itself predates even the invention of the pots used to cook Beans. Did you know Bean cultivation dates back as early as 7,000 years ago, making the Bean a staple that has stood the test of time, which I’m not surprised about. Are you?
With amazing health benefits, Legumes are plant-based, protein-packed powerhouses of nutrition. This also means that Beans are for everyone, no matter the diet or lifestyle choice. It’s very rare to find a person allergic to Beans too, though some Legumes can trigger allergic reactions, such as Peanuts.
Did you know Beans are originally from wild vines which grow in Central and South America known as the common Bean, and since then, thousands of Bean varieties exist today and are cultivated all over the world. Beans are one of the most versatile crops and can be grown almost anywhere. 5,000 years ago the Lima Bean and other varieties were a popular favorite among the Incas and Aztecs, and the popularity of Beans is so much so that they are worth a mention in Homer’s “Iliad,” where he uses Beans as a metaphor.
Ancient Egyptians seem to have also been partial to Beans and Lentils, as paintings and physical evidence shows that bodies were buried with Beans, to nourish them on their journey to the afterlife. Isn’t that crazy? By the 1500s, with the advent of trade via ships, Beans began to reach all the corners of the globe and more varieties of Beans began to be cultivated.
Beans are often viewed as a poor man’s food, Beans have been an important source of nourishment for people in dire circumstances; including the soldiers who fought in the First and Second World Wars, or the Europeans who were dying out due to the spread of the Plague in Europe, during the Middle Ages. Who would have thought Beans could be such lifesavers.
NATIONAL EAT YOUR BEANS DAY ACTIVITIES
To celebrate National Eat Your Beans Day y you and your friends and family should eat Beans. To prepare the Beans you can back them boil them, , saute the Beans which I never thought of, mush the Beans creating Refried Beans, or eat them Beans raw.
One of the things people love about Beans is how affordable or cheap Beans are. Why not take the time to gather different types of Legumes, a hand-written little booklet of recipes, and give them to a family who may needs food.
RECIPES WE BET YOU NEVER THOUGHT USED BEANS
Beanie brownies– Us Black Beans are the star ingredient!
Honey-Roasted Chickpeas– Step aside, Caramel Popcorn, this snack will take over the Coffee table at your next movie night.
Navy Bean Pesto– Pureed Navy Beans with any Greens can make an amazing and hearty Pesto Sauce.
Bean Burger-All the flavor, all the protein, but no, Meat. Perfect for everyone, even those hardcore Meat lovers.
Alfredo sauce– White Beans can make the perfect, silky Alfredo Sauce, which will makes this dish finger licken good.
WHY WE LOVE NATIONAL EAT YOUR BEANS DAY
If we have not said this enough times already, we will say it again Beans are so good for you. Not only are Beans amazing sources of protein and fiber, but Beans also contain folic acid, iron, potassium, and calcium, all of which are beneficial to prevent all sorts of medical conditions.
Some say that there are as many as 4,000 varieties of Beans out there. If that doesn’t inspire you to start exploring and experimenting in the kitchen, we don’t know what will. Trying out different Beans can also bring you one step closer to exploring a whole new cuisine or culture, and variety is the spice of life, after all.
We’re glad that Beans were overlooked by the rich snobs throughout history so that we all can enjoy the delicious benefits of Beans withoutbreakig the bank.
Beans are cheap and nutritious and a package of Beans can be stretched into serval meals saving us money.
Thank you,
Genda, Charlie and David Cates
