Really, how many of us liked to eat beans when we were young? No wonder it’s hard to convince our own children to eat them when it’s a food most of us aren’t eating enough of anyway. Some want to avoid it due to their gas producing properties and some say beans have no flavor. I have found it’s really about getting creative with how you serve and prepare beans that will render you a thumbs up or thumbs down. Here are 7 ways to get your kids to eat beans:

1. Offer them right away when your baby/tot is old enough to eat them. We started at nine months with no digestive difficulty whatsoever. This was likely due to my soaking the beans for 24 hours in water with 1T apple cider vinegar before cooking them.

2. For a child toddler age or older, season them lightly with fajita seasoning, garlic or onion powder, sea kelp, butter/sea salt for a more recognizable flavor. Many beans take on the flavor of the foods they are cooked with.

3. For a toddler, plain cooked beans are a great finger food…they are soft and fun to play with and it’s a great age to introduce healthy options like beans.

4. Mash and mix them into a prepared hummus or spread for crackers or whole grain bread.

5. Add them to stews, soups and casseroles. This is easy to do with canned organic beans of many kinds. (Watch for the sodium levels in canned beans and to avoid this soak and cook them yourself for a fraction of the cost.)

6. Toss them into a whole grain pasta salad, either hot or cold.

7. Use the old standby of beans/rice. I have met very few children who don’t like this option, especially with a little melted cheese. If need be, mash the beans and stir them into the rice before melting the cheese.

Who knew beans were so full of protein…at anywhere from 14-22 grams per cup, depending upon the bean, legumes prove to be an imperative part of our diet and lifestyle. Beans are versatile, easy to prepare and even easier on the pocket book. I urge you to step outside your comfort zone and make them a part of your family’s weekly meal plan.