National Day- Beans: Jan 6

Because National Bean Day on January 6 falls in the middle of winter, it’s the perfect excuse to cook a favorite comfort food. Wondering why National Bean Day is held on January 6? That’s the same day as the famous geneticist, Gregor Mendel, died in 1884. Mendel used bean plants and pea plants to develop theories on genetics in plants. So the formation of National Bean Day has more to do with scientific development than how good bean recipes taste. But don’t let that deter you from enjoying eating beans on this holiday!

History of National Bean Day

The day commemorates the death of the geneticist Gregor Mendel, whose experiments with breeding pea plants formed the basis of modern genetics. From what we could find, it would appear that Paula Bowen is the creator of National Bean Day.

Her main reasons were that there aren’t many holidays to celebrate around the time that National Bean Day has typically been celebrated. Plus she thought that the world needed a day to honor Mr. Bean. Her father was a pinto bean farmer, so she’s pretty familiar with beans in general and no doubt was raised on them. Beans are also healthy and common in many cuisines throughout the world, so we’re not at all surprised that there’s a day dedicated to their celebration.

WHY WE LOVE NATIONAL BEAN DAY

1. There are so many different kinds of beans to try If you choose to celebrate National Bean Day by trying a few different kinds of beans, you’ll have a whole bunch of them to sample. Green string beans, pinto beans, navy beans, black beans, and red kidney beans are among the most popular types of beans grown in the United States.
2. Beans are an economical source of protein If you’re looking to save a bit of money on your food bill, beans are among the most cost effective foods you can eat. And if you’re looking for a source of protein that’s quite a bit cheaper than beef or chicken, beans are the answer. A cooked bean’s weight is between 6% and 11% protein.
3. Beans aren’t just for dinner Some kinds of beans are best served for dessert. Jelly beans are one of the most popular candies around. Heck, there’s even a chili flavor of Jelly Belly jelly beans. And Boston Baked Beans are great candies too. Even though jelly beans and the candy-coated peanuts that make up Boston Baked Beans aren’t the same as traditional beans, they still taste great. So go ahead and eat some candy beans on National Bean Day.

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