Healthy Bits · Cooking & recipes
Sneaking in nutrition: beans
Beans are one of the most affordable sources of fiber and plant protein, but not every kid will eat a bowl of them. I tell parents to start by tucking them into foods their kids already love:
- Blend a can of white beans into mac and cheese sauce or creamy soups.
- Mash black beans into taco meat or burger patties.
- Stir red lentils into pasta sauce; they melt right in.
- Bake black bean brownies, where beans stand in for the flour.
- Purée chickpeas with lemon and olive oil for a homemade hummus dip.
Rinsing canned beans well cuts some of the sodium and may make them easier to digest. Try this: add 1/4 cup of beans to one family meal this week and see if anyone notices.
- kids
- beans
- fiber
- protein
Healthy Bits are for general education and aren’t medical advice. Check with your doctor or healthcare provider before making changes, especially if you’re pregnant or nursing, take medication, or are managing a health condition.