Why pulses are a menu must-have this World Pulses Day
Overview
To mark World Pulses Day 2026 – recognised by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation on 10 February each year – it’s time to celebrate the humble pulse and explore why pulses should be key players on every menu. From nutrition and sustainability to affordability and culinary versatility, pulses offer enormous value. In 2026, they are not just ingredients – they’re part of a movement reshaping food habits across the UK and beyond.
Pulse or legume - what's the difference?
Even if you’re not sure what pulses are, you’ve probably eaten them. Think of the ubiquitous baked bean. This British cupboard staple is actually a haricot bean (haricot is French for bean, so we Brits are literally calling them ‘bean beans’!). But what defines a pulse?
All tinned or dried beans, peas and lentils are pulses.
Pulses are the dried seeds of the legume family. So while all pulses are legumes, not all legumes are pulses. Fresh peas and green beans are legumes, but once dried, peas qualify as pulses. In the UK diet, peas and baked beans are the most frequently consumed pulses, closely followed by lentils and chickpeas, while a wide range of other pulses remain under utilised on menus and in kitchens.
Why the FAO and national campaigns are shining a spotlight on pulses
Pulses are ancient crops – mentioned even in Homer’s Iliad – yet their role in healthy and sustainable diets has never been more relevant.
Pulses are powerhouses of nutrition. They are naturally low in fat, packed full of soluble fibre, and support digestive and metabolic health by helping to lower cholesterol and stabilise blood sugar. Pulses contribute essential nutrients, from iron and B vitamins to potassium and magnesium, making them vital for balanced diets globally.
As an example, figures from The Food Foundation show that a simple 400g can of red kidney beans can give 36% of the recommended daily intake of protein for a woman and a quarter of the fibre.
Beyond personal health, pulses support food security and farming resilience. They are both marketable and consumable for smallholder farmers, helping to sustain livelihoods and economic stability.
World Pulses Day is not the only initiative encouraging us to eat more pulses. In the UK, a new nationwide initiative, Bang in Some Beans aims to transform how beans, pulses and legumes are viewed and eaten. Led by The Food Foundation and Veg Power, and backed by celebrity chefs, retailers and food businesses, the campaign’s bold mission is to double bean consumption by 2028. It is grounded in the idea that beans are a “win-win-win” for health, climate and equity – healthy, planet friendly and affordable for all.
Pulses and sustainability - better for the planet and the plate
Sustainability is central to the pulse story. Pulses and other legumes fix nitrogen from the air, reducing the need for synthetic nitrogen fertilisers – a major contributor to climate change and environmental degradation. When integrated into crop rotations, they improve soil biology and can boost the performance of subsequent crops.
Many pulses are also adapted to water wise farming systems, so they are well-suited to arid areas. They extract moisture efficiently and leave more water in the soil for other uses. As Richard Dowling, allmanhall’s sustainability manager, explains:
“Pulses are highly water efficient – producing 1 kg of lentils needs 1250 litres, while 1 kg of beef requires 13,000 litres”.
This striking comparison underlines how pulses are not just green in colour, but also green in credentials.
Economic and dietary sense - the rising cost of meals and the affordable protein alternative
At a time when food budgets are squeezed and meat prices are volatile, pulses make clear economic sense. Recent reporting highlights that pulses
can deliver substantial savings compared with meat, with tinned beans priced at a fraction of the cost of the equivalent protein from meat, and offering additional fibre and micronutrients in the same meal. This makes pulses not just a nutritional choice but a budget-wise strategy for caterers.
As Ali Honour, chef and author of Beans, highlights: “While meat prices float into the stratosphere, humble beans remain the quiet overachievers of the food world: cheap, filling, nutritious, and ready to save your dinner and your bank account.”
The “Bang in Some Beans” campaign is encouraging chefs and caterers to rethink weekly menus by including beans in familiar dishes like shepherd’s
pie, chilli con carne and Bolognese. It’s a small but impactful way to stretch budgets while enhancing the nutritional profile of meals.
This is nothing new as far as allmanhall are concerned. We’ve been talking about the nutritional and environmental benefits of pulses for years! Way back in 2023 for example, allmanhall’s Mike Meek highlighted the humble bean as key to both health and sustainability in an ITN interview. Ahead of the game, as always!
Pulses aren’t just for World Pulses Day – they’re for life!
From peas to chickpeas - how pulses can elevate your recipes
As mentioned earlier, fresh peas are legumes, but once dried, they become pulses. Dried peas are harvested at full maturity and left to dry naturally in the field before being shelled. Inside each pea are two halves protected by a husk – once dried, these halves separate naturally, giving us what we recognise as split peas.
Split peas are incredibly nutrient-dense: low in fat, high in protein, and packed with fibre, manganese, potassium, and magnesium. Economically, they make sense too – dried peas are cheaper per serving than fresh or frozen, with a long shelf life and minimal waste. Though they require soaking and cooking, the cost savings and nutritional payoff are worth the extra step.
They’re also versatile. A hearty Finnish pea soup can be made by soaking split peas overnight and simmering with onions, carrots, garlic, and a ham hock. For a vegetarian version, omit the ham hock and use vegetable stock instead. It’s a simple dish with big comfort-food appeal.
Mushy peas, a staple of the traditional fish and chip supper, are made from dried marrowfat peas (regular green peas left to mature and dry on the vine) that have been soaked in water and bicarbonate of soda before being cooked until they become soft and creamy. While pre-made versions are available, making them in-house from dried peas is much more cost-effective and delivers an authentic flavour that’s hard to beat. Here’s a great mushy peas recipe.
Beans, beans are good for your heart
Almost every cupboard across the UK has one much-loved and ever-present healthy ingredient: a tin of baked beans. The UK and Ireland are two of the only places in the world that eat baked haricot beans in tomato sauce, with 4.8 kg and 5.6 kg respectively of baked beans consumed per person every year. These humble little beans are full of fibre, and when the majority of the UK population are only getting 19g of fibre a day compared to the recommended 30g, they are invaluable.
According to Tess Warnes, allmanhall’s registered dietitian: “73% of those asked in a recent survey by Bidfood said they knew it was good for their gut health. It’s easy to boost your fibre intake in the morning – two slices of wholemeal toast with baked beans provides more than a third of an adult’s daily fibre intake.”
A simple tin of baked beans can also be used to create a more indulgent dish such as Smoky BBQ Beans featured in allmanhall’s latest Hero Recipes.
Lentils are the world's oldest cultivated legume
As the world’s oldest cultivated legume, it’s no surprise that lentils have become a staple across the globe – from India to the Middle East, Europe, and the Americas.
Lentils are high in fibre and are made up of more than 25% protein, which makes them an excellent meat alternative. They’re also a great source of iron, a mineral that is sometimes lacking in vegetarian diets and they’re packed with B vitamins, magnesium, zinc, and potassium.
Because of their size, lentils cook much more quickly than dried beans and don’t have to be soaked before cooking. They are extremely versatile and inexpensive, which makes them an accessible form of high-quality protein. They are perfect to add to meat dishes as a 50/50 recipe swap for improved sustainability. There’s a great recipe for a slow-cooked beef and lentil pie in our bespoke care edition of Foodsight.
Chickpea, gram, chana, or garbanzo...
Also known as garbanzo beans, chickpeas are a staple bean in the UK. A half cup of cooked chickpeas provides a whopping 6 grams of dietary fibre plus 7g of protein, but no saturated fat and cholesterol. Chickpeas provide folate, a B vitamin necessary for protein metabolism, maintaining cell health and function and preventing birth defects.
According to Tess: “They’re a budget-friendly, versatile ingredient that can be used in many types of dishes and across diverse cuisines. I love roasting them with some olive oil and spices for a delicious and nutritious crunchy snack”. She recommends using this recipe.
There’s a pulse for every occasion
There is a plethora of other beans which you could use in recipes, so don’t limit your cooking to the more familiar pulses.
Also known as white kidney beans, cannellini beans are the largest type of white bean. They are popular in many dishes in Italian cooking, holding their texture in soups and stews, although can also be mashed into fritters or blended into dips. Think of a hearty minestrone soup with orzo pasta and creamy cannellini beans.
A common ingredient in many Mexican and Brazilian dishes, black beans are also readily available in the UK. Packed with vitamins and minerals, and a great meat substitute, they can be used to make the ultimate on-the-go burrito – a wholewheat tortilla wrap filled with black beans, brown rice, fresh tomatoes and avocado.
And don’t forget the humble butterbean – perfect in a delicious masala curry with spinach. Butter beans, also known as lima beans, re large,
creamy-coloured beans that have a soft, floury texture when cooked. They are a useful source of potassium.
Across cuisines, pulses are proving their versatility, from warm salads and dips to rich stews and even desserts! Think of adding pureed black beans to chocolate brownies, or create the iconic Japanese ichigo daifuku – a strawberry and sweet red bean mochi.
Why pulses matter more in 2026
Pulses are being hailed as one of the defining foods of the moment – not because they’re trendy, but because the evidence for their benefits keeps mounting. They are a nutritional powerhouse for both health and the gut microbiome, a more sustainable ingredient than animal proteins, and an affordable way to feed more people with less environmental impact.
This World Pulses Day, allmanhall are championing pulses not only for what they are, but for what they represent: a healthier, more sustainable, way to feed everyone. When you’re developing menus this year and beyond, pulses deserve pride of place.