There are many types of beans!  I just did a fun word search puzzle that had so many hidden legume words including calico beans, cannellini, fava, garbanzo, green bean, green pea, kidney bean, lima bean, mung bean, navy bean, split pea, etc.  Green beans are a favorite of many people, including me. My children learned to love the baby food version of green beans and now love them steamed, as a side dish.

You can eat canned green beans, frozen, dried or fresh. Canned green beans are convenient and ready to eat right out of the can. They can be added to soups and stews, or a delicious three bean salad.  A traditional green bean casserole with cream of mushroom soup for the holidays is a must at countless holiday tables.

Eating plenty of fruit and vegetables may help prevent chronic disease.

 

Nutrition

MyPlate encourages making ½ your plate fruit and vegetables. Green beans are a healthy vegetable from the MyPlate vegetable group, which is green in color. https://www.myplate.gov/eat-healthy/vegetables

1 cup of green beans counts as 1 cup on the vegetable group of MyPlate. The amount of vegetables you need to eat depends on your age, gender, height, weight, and physical activity level. They can be enjoyed fresh, canned, dried, frozen and/or in vegetable juice.

Green beans are low in calories. One cup of green beans contain about 31 calories.  https://snaped.fns.usda.gov/resources/nutrition-education-materials/seasonal-produce-guide/green-beans

If you are on a sodium restriction, you can purchase low sodium green beans. You can also rinse regular canned green beans (prior to using) to reduce some of the sodium content.

Need a reason to eat green beans? 

All vegetables are cholesterol free. Most are low in fat. Sauces, gravies, and seasonings may contribute sodium, fat, cholesterol and calories to vegetable dishes. Go light on the extras.

Eating a diet rich in fruits and vegetables may decrease risk of some chronic diseases. Eating a diet with plenty of fruit and vegetables may help reduce the risk of certain cancers and heart disease. These foods also contain fiber and potassium which many people do not get enough of in their regular diet. Vegetables are a great choice instead of high calorie foods like chips. You can crunch on carrots, celery and/or cucumber slices. https://www.myplate.gov/eat-healthy/vegetables

So, vary your fruit and vegetables and eat a rainbow of colors. https://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/browardco/2022/03/01/follow-the-rainbow-for-good-health-during-nutrition-month/

Want to read more about beans and the nutrients they contain? – https://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/wasnap-ed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/10/Farm-Fresh-SnapBeans.pdf

 

Growing Green Beans

Love picking, cooking and eating green beans fresh out of the garden? I have great memories of this very thing.  My grandfather had a green thumb and had a huge garden with a large variety of plants, including green beans. There are many kinds of snap beans. Some grow on bushy plants and other varieties grow on vines and need a trellis or stakes to help support them as they grow.

Bush or snap beans are a popular plant for the Florida vegetable garden. They can be easy to grow.

For more information from Extension on growing bush beans, speak to a Master Gardener by contacting your county Extension office.

Florida Vegetable Gardening Guide (EDIS) – https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/VH021

Bush Beans (EDIS)  – https://gardeningsolutions.ifas.ufl.edu/plants/edibles/vegetables/bush-beans/

Food Safety

Practicing good personal hygiene is essential to prevent foodborne illnesses, especially when eating or preparing fresh produce, such as green beans. Always wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds before and after handling food like fruit and vegetables.

Taking these precautions helps protect you and your family and keeps your fresh fruit and vegetables delicious and safe to enjoy. The holidays are coming up so remember food safety matters.

Want to read more?

Food safety matters. https://www.cdc.gov/food-safety/prevention/index.html

Handwashing is critical to good health – https://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/browardco/2024/01/25/handwashing-is-critical-to-good-health/

Washing Fruits and Vegetables Safely – https://extension.umn.edu/preserving-and-preparing/wash-fresh-fruits-and-vegetables

Steps to washing fresh produce – Colorado State Extension – https://www.nifa.usda.gov/sites/default/files/resource/Guide%20to%20Washing%20Fresh%20Produce508.pdf

Storing fresh produce – https://extension.umaine.edu/food-health/2025/05/29/storing-and-washing-fresh-fruits-and-vegetables/

 

Tasty Green Bean Recipes

MyPlate, SNAP-ed, and other sites have some great recipes containing green beans.

Green bean and rice casserole – Green Bean and Rice Casserole – SNAP-ED

Recipe ideas –   https://www.myplate.gov/myplate-kitchen/recipes?search=green%20beans&f%5B0%5D=usda_program%3A128

Garlic green beans – https://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/wasnap-ed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/10/Farm-Fresh-SnapBeans.pdf

Green Bean Trivia

Green beans, also known as snap beans or string beans, can be easy to grow in backyard gardens. They are packed with essential nutrients, low in calories, and high in fiber.

Did you know?

https://cdn.agclassroom.org/ok/resources_classroom/specialty/midhigh/greenbeans.pdf

• Green beans are the third most popular vegetable grown in backyard gardens.
• The United States produces about 800,000 tons of snap green beans each year.
• The length of time from planting to harvest is as short as 45 days.

Want to learn more? Check out my UF/IFAS Extension Family and Consumer Sciences blog series.

Brighten Your Plate with Blueberries – https://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/browardco/2025/07/07/brighten-your-plate-with-blueberries/

Pineapple- A tropical treat full of flavor and fun – https://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/browardco/2025/07/03/pineapple-a-tropical-treat-full-of-flavor-and-fun/

Terrific tomatoes-Flavor, nutrition and versatility – https://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/browardco/2025/05/27/terrific-tomatoes-flavor-nutrition-and-versatility/

Beets: Delicious Beets – https://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/browardco/2025/05/20/beets-delicious-beets/

An Apple a Day – https://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/browardco/2024/12/13/does-an-apple-a-day-really-keep-the-doctor-away/

Eggs Are a Good Source of Protein – https://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/browardco/2024/09/13/eggs-are-a-good-source-of-protein/

Onions – https://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/browardco/2024/06/27/onions-onions-onions/

Avocados – https://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/browardco/2024/05/01/delicious-avocados/

Bananas – https://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/browardco/2024/04/17/go-bananas-on-national-banana-day/

Dietary Fiber – https://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/browardco/2023/07/05/dietary-fiber/

Watermelon – https://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/browardco/2023/07/05/sweet-and-tasty-watermelon/

Strawberries – https://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/browardco/2023/03/27/enjoy-seasonal-strawberries/

Pumpkin – https://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/browardco/2022/10/26/celebrate-national-pumpkin-day/

Vitamin C – https://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/browardco/2022/05/04/orange-juice-is-one-good-source-of-vitamin-c/

Follow a rainbow for good health – https://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/browardco/2022/03/01/follow-the-rainbow-for-good-health-during-nutrition-month/

Vitamin C – https://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/browardco/2020/01/21/star-fruit-a-source-of-vitamin-c/

Pumpkins – Decoration or food? – https://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/browardco/2018/10/22/pumpkins-decoration-or-food/

Mango Season – https://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/browardco/2018/08/10/its-mango-season-in-south-florida/

 

Brenda Marty Jimenez, MHM, RDN, LDN, FAND is a Registered and Licensed Dietitian with a Master of Science in Human Resource Management. Her professional areas include disease prevention, nutrition, wellness promotion, and food safety. She is a UF/IFAS Extension Agent IV in Broward County, Florida.

 

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