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National Eat Your Beans Day

Food · July 3

A food day for putting beans on the plate, from a pot of black beans to a quick can of chickpeas tossed into a salad.

National Eat Your Beans Day falls on Saturday, July 3, 2027. That is 249 days away.

The instruction is right there in the name, and it is an easy one to follow. Beans turn up in nearly every kind of home cooking in the United States, from chili and baked beans to burritos, soups and three-bean salad.

Part of their charm is range. Black beans go creamy and dark in a pot with onion and cumin. Navy beans soften into a sweet, saucy side. Kidney beans hold their shape in chili, and chickpeas can be roasted until crunchy or blended into hummus. Green beans count too, though they are eaten pod and all, a different experience from the dried kind.

Canned beans are the shortcut most people reach for. A quick rinse under the tap takes off some of the thick, salty liquid, and they are ready to warm or toss into a salad. Dried beans take more patience. Many cooks soak them first, then simmer them until tender.

One practical note about kidney beans: raw or undercooked ones contain a natural toxin, so dried red kidney beans should be boiled hard for at least ten minutes and cooked fully. Slow cookers on low may not get hot enough, so boil them first. Canned kidney beans are already cooked.

A pot of beans also tends to improve overnight in the refrigerator, as the flavors settle and the liquid thickens into something close to gravy.

Ways to celebrate

• Cook a pot of chili or bean soup for dinner.
• Try a bean you have never cooked before.
• Roast a can of rinsed chickpeas for a crunchy snack.
• Share a favorite family bean recipe with a friend.
• Make a simple three-bean salad for lunch.

Dates

All national days on July 3

Also on July 3

• National Fried Clam Day
• Air Conditioning Appreciation Day
• National Chocolate Wafer Day
• National Compliment Your Mirror Day

Categories: Food days