Runner Beans
Runner beans grow well here, so make the most of them! Simply boil for a few mins and serve with a little butter or oil as a simple side dish, or make a delicious warm salad by stirring through cooked grains, a little bacon or chickpeas, some dressing and any other veg you like to add to salads. They are lovely with pesto, in stews or other winter one-pots, or even added to stir fries.
Nutrition
They are a fantastic source of fibre as well as vitamins C and K which support healthy cell development and wound healing.
Shopping Guide
There is an abundance of them during mid-late summer and early autumn. Look for runner beans where the pods snap easily, the beans inside should be a pale pink or purple colour.
Storage
Fresh runner beans will keep in the fridge for roughly 5 days, store them in a plastic ziplock bag or container with a paper towel to soak up any excess moisture. If they go a bit limp place them in cold water to help them firm up. Frozen runner beans can be stored in an airtight freezer bag or container to be eaten within 3-6 months.
Serving Suggestions
Simply boil for a few mins and serve with a little butter or oil as a simple side dish, or make a delicious warm salad by stirring through cooked grains, a little bacon or chickpeas, some dressing and any other veg you like to add to salads. They are lovely with pesto, in stews or other winter one-pots, or even added to stir fries.
Seasonality
Buying veg in season is not only great for the planet, it can be good for your wallet, too! Seasonal veg are often cheaper and frequently taste better, so can be a better time to try with a child as the often sweeter, riper taste is more enjoyable.
Coming In:
June
At Its Best:
July - October
Engage
Here are some of our favourite ways to engage kids with runner beans:
Arts & Crafts
Start simple with some non-food based engagement. This is especially helpful for a fussier child or those with sensitivities around food.
For runner beans, why not try making letters using runner beans? Can they spell out their name with them?
Sensory
Sensory exploration can be a wonderful introduction to physically interacting with veg. Turn it into a positive, pressure-free experience by starting off with the golden rules of “You don’t need to try and you don’t need to like.” Reassuring a child that, while they have a chance to taste a veg, they don’t have to, and are not expected to like it if they do, can make them more happy to engage with it.
Why not explore runner beans through hearing? Grab a handful and have fun snapping them next to ears or biting down and describing the sound they make. To take it further, get some green beans and mangetout or sugar snap peas as well and compare the noise and crunch levels from different kinds of beans and peas.
Kids in the Kitchen
Children who help to prep and cook veg are more likely to eat it. If you feel your child is ready to help and could benefit from it, keep the stress and mess to a minimum by choosing one simple task for them to do as part of the prep, meaning they can be involved and feel like the recipe is in part ‘theirs’, but also not make the process too much longer or more complicated.
For a younger child, why not give them the job of prepping fresh runner beans. Get them to wash their hands and the beans, then sit them down with the beans and 2 bowls: one for the ends that they snap off and any stringy bits they pull off, and one for the prepped beans.
For an older child, it could be a great opportunity to master some essential knife skills. Get some prepped runner beans and teach them how to use the bridge and/or claw technique to slice them up. They could even learn about cooking over heat by frying the sliced beans in some butter or oil in a frying pan and stirring for a few mins until softened.
DOWNLOADS:
Use our Kitchen Ninja chart and videos to find simple ways for kids to help in the kitchen.
Your Food
Find your go-to meals in our family favourites section and see what veggies work best with them.
Find out how to add more veg to your suppers here.
Recipes
If You Like Runner Beans…Try
Does your child enjoy runner beans? That’s great! Runner beans are usually savoury and slightly crunchy, so why not try a similar texture and/or taste…
Serving
The moments before food is offered can be a perfect opportunity for engagement that can help make it more likely a child will eat it!
The first thing to do is remove the pressure. If the veg doesn’t get eaten, it’s not the end of the world. There will be other days, other dinners, other chances. Fun is key here – try not to worry about mess, perfect table manners, or playing with food. Instead, focus on making the process of getting the food to the plates, readying the table, and the actual eating relaxed.
The best principles for success here are the Three Rs (role modelling, rewarding, re-offering) which you can read about here.
But there is one more way you can serve for success, and that is giving your child a role. You don’t have to do this every time, just encourage them in their strengths through it when you can.
Here are some of our favourite ideas:
Design a menu
Come up with a silly name or story for a dish
Help with making a meal plan and choosing veg for dinners or snacks
Help to serve up the meal on dishes, lay the table or create a centrepiece to be involved in the physical ‘serving up’ process.
The Wonderful World of Veg
Check out our vegepedia. When to buy in-season. How to store them to keep for longer. How to engage children with each veg, and simple ideas of how to prepare and cook them for maximum taste and minimum waste. Select a veg…