Our news

Tonight’s the night we buy a box of fireworks for a family gathering or head to one of the many impressive public displays taking place around the country.
Bonfire Night, its origins as a celebration of Guy Fawkes’ failure to blow up Parliament in the 17th Century largely forgotten, is now a colourful social event for all to enjoy.
And what better than a nice warming drink – hot chocolate perhaps, or mulled wine – and a tasty snack to nibble on while watching the rockets, Roman candles and Catherine Wheels?
Here at Easy Bean our pick for tonight is the New Mexican Chilli one-pot meal, ideal for adding a bit of spice to the evening, or the African Palava, a delicious combination of brown beans, free range chicken, peanuts, sweet potatoes and spinach.
They’re bound to help Bonfire Night go off with a bang!

Ghosts and witches, spells and zombies - how we love the scary images of Halloween!

Nowadays it’s pure fun and a chance for the kids to go trick and treating to fill up bags of sweets given by kindly neighbours. But the event has its origins in prehistoric times as the day when spirits returned to earth and had to be assuaged with food and drink.

By the ninth century it had blended with Christianity and November 2 was designated All Souls’ Day, a time for honouring the dead.

Celebrations resembled the old Celtic commemorations of Samhain, complete with bonfires and masquerades, while poor people would visit the houses of wealthier families and receive pastries called soul cakes in exchange for a promise to pray for the souls of the homeowners’ dead relatives.

Nowadays, it’s a busy night for mums and dads – and the kindly neighbours who answer the door, So while the kids are out roaming the streets enjoy a time-saving but oh-so-tasty tasty Easy Bean one-pot meal. They’re magic!

We love our ready meal range - they are good for you and good for the planet!

Christina, our Queen of Beans, says: “Beans have more fibre than many wholegrains, are virtually fat free and are high in protein. In terms of saving the planet, pulses are one of the most sustainable, low greenhouse gas emission sources of protein in the world and they need less water and energy to thrive.

“The meals are easy to prepare, and can be microwaved or heated in a pan. Beans and vegetables are infused with herbs and spices, sometimes added to locally sourced meat, all cooked in rich stocks. They are high in fibre, low in fat and salt and also have the benefit of being gluten and dairy free; and furthermore they provide two to three of your 5-a-day.”

‘Nuff said!

We are looking forward to the Hestercombe Christmas Market in Taunton, Somerset - Friday, 15 November to Sunday, 17 November (9am - 5pm). Put it in your diaries and come and say hello!

We are thrilled and delighted with the Great Taste 2019 One Star Gold Award for our crackers - all three varieties!

Great Taste, organised by the Guild of Fine Food, is the acknowledged benchmark for fine food and drink. It has been described as the “Oscars” of the food world. Quite simply the Great Taste logo is the sign you can trust when buying food and drink.

We will be at the Wells Food Festival in beautiful Somerset, on Sunday, 13 October - this coming weekend! - from 10.30am to 4.30pm, to join in the celebration of local food and drink. We hear that there will be more than 150 artisan producers and street food stalls.

There will be a mix of stalls in the Market Place, the Recreation Ground, along the Moat and on the Green, as well as in the Bishop’s Palace and the Town Hall. Something for everyone in other words. There will be lots of fun for families, with an even bigger Discovery Zone, The Bath & West Farm Yard and a Children’s Trail, complete with maps and clues.

Entry is free by the way! Hope to see you there.

All our Easy Bean products are made with old-fashioned loving care, but we have a lot to thank 21st century technology for…

We have many traditional outlets from independent high street stores to big supermarket chains, but many people nowadays like to order their products on the internet because it’s so easy and efficient – just place your order and Hey Presto! it turns up at your door a day or two later.

So we’d like to give a special cyberspace ‘thank you’ to our friendly online suppliers who help make sure our lovely customers get their tasty Easy Bean snacks and ready meals when they want them.

They include The Natural Grocery Store (naturalgrocery.co.uk), Naturally Good Food (naturallygoodfood.co.uk) and The Vegan Kind supermarket (thevegankindsupermarket.com).

Many people find the giant Amazon a quick way to order online (amazon.co.uk), while others prefer Local Food Direct (localfooddirect.co.uk), based in Somerset.

We thought it was worth reminding everyone about our cracker range – perfect for your work lunch boxes or weekend snacks.

The magnificent trio comprise:

RED LENTIL & POPPY SEED

A savoury cracker with a hint of sweetness and a crunchy texture; baked to a light red colour that is speckled with poppy seed. Good for dipping into hummus or any vegetable dip.

GREEN PEA & CHIA SEED

This cracker has a fresh, green vegetable aroma and a texture that flakes and snaps. The savoury wholegrain flavour goes well with dips, hard cheeses or makes an excellent snack.

FAVA BEAN & POPPY SEED

A light golden baked cracker, speckled with poppy seed, that flakes and has crunch. The flavour is savoury, earthy and with a hint of sweetness. A good source of protein, ideal as a snack or serve with dips.

Enjoy!

Yesterday – Monday, September 23 – is considered the first day of autumn. And it’s true that the nights have started to draw in and temperatures start feeling cooler.

However, there are two dates which could be said to mark the start of autumn. One is defined by the Earth’s axis and orbit around the Sun and the second is a fixed date which is used by meteorologists for handy spacing and lengths of the seasons.

Usually when we talk about the first day of autumn we are referring to the astronomical autumn which is defined by the Earth’s axis and orbit around the sun. By that calculation autumn started today and will end on the 22 December.

The astronomical calendar determines the seasons due to the 23.5 degree tilt of the Earth’s rotational axis in relation to its orbit around the sun. Both equinoxes and solstices are related to the Earth’s orbit around the sun.

Meteorological seasons mean splitting the seasons into four periods of three months each. These seasons make it easier for meteorological observations and forecasting. In this system, the first day of autumn is always the 1 September.

The seasons are spring (March, April, May), summer (June, July, August), autumn (September, October, November) and winter (December, January, February).

Anyway, it’s certainly time for some warming and comforting meals. Might we recommend our African Palava one-pot meal, a delicious mix of brown beans, free range chicken peanuts, sweet potatoes and spinach? Enjoy the season of mists and mellow fruitfulness…