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Beans are being promoted as a smarter, healthier choice for meals — and a way to cut food bills. A campaign led by celebrity chefs like Jamie Oliver and Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall urges more people to eat beans regularly.
Why Beans?
Beans are rich in protein, fibre, and nutrients. They contain no cholesterol and are naturally low in fat.
According to Ali Honour, a chef and author, beans offer a simple way to make meals that are both nutritious and affordable. She says they are ‘quiet overachievers’ in the food world — quietly powerful, undervalued, and cost-effective.
What’s the Campaign?
The Bang in Some Beans campaign aims to double the amount of beans eaten in the UK by 2028. It includes top chefs, food experts, and major supermarkets.
Supermarkets have committed to increasing legume sales over the next three years. The campaign is backed by the Food Foundation and supported by groups like Veg Power.
How to Save Money
- A 400g can of red kidney beans costs 49p at Tesco and gives 36% of the daily protein need for women.
- One 150g sirloin steak (costing £6–£8) provides 25g of protein, while 200g of butter beans offer 14g at about 50p.
Cost-Effective Buying Tips
Tinned beans are convenient and ready to use. They are best for butter beans, chickpeas, black beans, and cannellini.
Choose brands without added salt. Dried beans are cheaper and offer better flavour and texture after cooking.
For value, buy dried beans in bulk. A rule of thumb: 100g to 125g dried beans cook into about 400g of canned beans.
After cooking, store beans in airtight jars. Freezing cooked beans in 250g portions keeps them plump and ready to use.
Recipes and Uses
Beans can be used in main courses and desserts. Examples include:
- Butter bean smash: Cook two tins of butter beans with garlic, rosemary, and thyme, served with crusty bread.
- Bean burgers: Made with UK-grown carlin peas, offering a meat-free alternative.
- Chorizo and cannellini beans: A recipe from Prue Leith, available on Veg Power’s website.
- Green lentil cottage pie: A recipe by Tom Aikens, using flageolet beans.
- Curried cottage pie: Created by fitness trainer Joe Wicks, using green lentils.
- Chocolate bean spread: A sugar-free, palm oil-free spread made with creamy beans like cannellini or butter beans.
Why It Matters
As meat prices rise, families are looking for affordable, balanced meals. Beans offer a nutritious, low-cost alternative that fits into familiar dishes.
Adding beans to recipes like spaghetti bolognese, shepherd’s pie, or chilli con carne can reduce meat use without sacrificing taste.
For children, Veg Power recommends starting with small amounts and gradually increasing the portion.
What to Watch Next
The campaign is growing. Supermarkets, chefs, and food experts are pushing for wider adoption of beans in homes and meals.
Source: The Guardian
For more budget-friendly meal ideas, explore Great British Summer Savings. Learn about savings accounts with high interest at Top Regular Savings Accounts.
