Jamie Oliver and Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall are among a group of celebrity chefs and supermarkets leading a new campaign to double UK bean consumption by 2028. The 'Bang in Some Beans' initiative aims to encourage people to eat more legumes, which are climate-friendly, healthy, and affordable.
Oliver said: 'It’s no secret that I love beans. Not only are they delicious and affordable, they’re plant-based powerhouses that are packed with fibre, are a brilliant source of protein and live happily in your store cupboard for ages.' Supermarkets including Lidl, Sainsbury’s, M&S, Waitrose, and Ocado have pledged to increase sales and promotion of bean products.
Beans are nitrogen-fixing, improving soil health, and are a lower-carbon alternative to meat. They are also high in fibre, with only 4% of Britons meeting the recommended daily intake, and are 4.5 times cheaper than other plant-based meat alternatives. A report by the Food Foundation found that to meet the Eat-Lancet planetary health diet, UK bean consumption would need to increase sevenfold.
Fearnley-Whittingstall added: 'Beans are fantastic for your health and are packed full of fibre, protein and micro-nutrients. Put simply, we should all be eating more of them.' The campaign calls for more chefs, retailers, and restaurant chains to join the effort to market and sell more legumes.
Rebecca Tobi, head of food business transformation at the Food Foundation, said: 'Beans are a win-win-win for our health, the environment and our wallets at a time when food prices continue to rise.' She noted that two-thirds of the population eat less than a single portion of beans a week, and the campaign aims to introduce recipes beyond baked beans, such as chilis, stews, curries, dals, dips, and salads.
