Grocery Coupon Guide

BEANS, GREEN BEANS, WAX BEANS, or SNAP BEANS

When to Buy/In Season:
In Season All Year

How to Select:
Look for: crisp tender beans without scars. Well-shaped pods with small seeds are most desirable. Length is unimportant to quality.

Organic Issues:
Green beans heavily sprayed in conventional farming. Green beans are highly attractive to insects and diseases. Organic growers use a variety of alternative methods to protect green beans against pests:

• Planting soy beans as a trap crop
• Covering plants with fine mesh row covers
• Releasing parasitic wasps to destroy insect larvae
• Spray with neem tree extract

Pesticide Issues:
EWG 2009 Dirty Dozen, green beans rank #16 for highest levels of pesticide residues

How to Store:
Fresh:
refrigerate 1 – 2 days in crisper or plastic bags

Frozen:
To Freeze fresh beans:

Prepare: Shell and wash.

Blanch: Blanch in boiling water for 1-2 minutes. Cool in iced water for 1-2 minutes.

Freeze: Place on tray in a single layer and freeze for 30 minutes. Pack into freezer bags, remove air, seal and label. 2/3 to 1 pound yields 1 pint

Storage: Store freshly frozen beans in the freezer (0F) up to six months

Measurements: 2 to 2-1/2 pounds fresh yields 1 pint frozen

Canned:
Storage: Store commercially canned beans at room temp up to 24 months

Photo Source: beautifulcataya

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