Celebrate Organic September with Suma’s beans, a simple yet delicious way to make small, nutritious changes in the kitchen
There’s something quietly reassuring about a cupboard stocked with beans. Not in a flashy, look-at-me sort of way, but in the comforting knowledge that a nourishing meal is never far away. A tin of butter beans waiting to be stirred through a late-summer stew. Chickpeas ready to become a speedy houmous. Cannellini beans to add substance to a soup made from whatever veg happens to be lingering in the fridge.
Beans are one of those simple ingredients that earn their place on the shelf time and time again. Affordable, versatile and naturally rich in protein and fibre, they bring flavour and substance to everyday cooking while helping us eat more plants. On top of all of this, specifically choosing organic beans can also be a small way to support a gentler approach to food production.
Rich pickings
Organic farming works with nature, rather than against it. By avoiding artificial pesticides and fertilisers, organic farmers focus on building healthy soils, encouraging biodiversity and creating resilient growing systems. Healthy soil is full of life – from earthworms and fungi to countless microorganisms – all playing a part in producing the food we eat.
That connection between soil, food and wellbeing sits at the heart of Organic September, the annual Soil Association campaign celebrating organic farming and food. It’s a chance to explore simple swaps that support a more sustainable food system, and beans are an easy place to start.
At Suma, organic food has always been part of the story. Founded as a workers’ co-operative in Yorkshire, Suma has spent decades making good food more accessible, sourcing products that reflect a commitment to people and planet. Their range of organic beans includes everyday essentials such as chickpeas, kidney beans, butter beans and mixed beans, ready to help with everything from weekday lunches to leisurely weekend cooking.
Store cupboard stars
The beauty of beans lies in their adaptability. They can form the backbone of a hearty salad, bulk out
a warming casserole or become the star ingredient in a simple supper. Toss butter beans with roasted tomatoes, olive oil and herbs. Simmer cannellini beans with garlic and greens. Blend chickpeas
with lemon and tahini for a homemade houmous to enjoy with crunchy vegetables.
Perhaps that’s why beans feel so at home in the slower rhythm that many of us are seeking. They invite us to cook simply, waste less and make the most of seasonal ingredients. They remind us that good food doesn’t need to be complicated.
This Organic September, a humble tin of organic beans might seem like a small choice. But small choices, repeated often, have a way of adding up – for our kitchens, our communities and the landscapes that feed us.
For more information and inspiration, visit suma.coop or follow on Instagram: @sumawholefoods