You know kids should be eating lots of healthy vegetables, but what’s a busy mom or dad to do when Junior only wants to eat chicken nuggets? Beans offer a great opportunity to sneak veggies into kids’ favorite dishes in a way they’ll love. Here are just a few suggestions to get your kids saying “yum!” instead of “yuck!”:
Great Northern White Bean Hummus with Spinach
No kid can resist a tasty dip. Kids will love dunking their carrot and celery sticks into this colorful and fun hummus. Did you think hummus was only for chickpeas? No way! White beans make a fantastic, creamy dip or spread, and spinach makes this an even bigger nutrition home run. Use this as a dip with fresh veggies, or spread it on sandwiches with turkey and avocado. You can even thin it out with a little more olive oil and create a great salad dressing.
Pinto Bean and Quinoa Sloppy Joes
Sloppy Joes are sweet, messy and a huge part of childhood. But all that ground beef can be greasy and doesn’t provide much nutrition. Swap it out for pinto beans and quinoa for a dish with all of the flavor, texture and protein of the original and a fraction of the fat. Tomato sauce and bell peppers add sneaky hidden vegetable power.
Gluten-Free White Bean Cakes
Stuck for a creative after school snack? Smash together beans, carrots and a little cornmeal with chives. Chives have a slight oniony flavor that won’t turn kids off. Cook them in a little oil and serve them on top of a slice of tomato. It’s a fun, simple dish with tons of protein to get kids through a busy afternoon of playing and homework. Or, the dish is elegant enough to serve as an hors d’oeuvre.
How do you sneak veggies into your kid’s meals?
Meatless Monday is so much more appealing when incorporating this tasty dish featuring Randall Beans Pinto Beans.
