New York City, New York – 9 September, 2024
NYC Government Agencies and their providers are teaming up to highlight and include more beans on their menus during Climate Week NYC, from September 22nd through the 29th.
Part of a strategic effort led by the NYC Mayor’s Office of Food Policy and Beans is How – a campaign to double global bean consumption by 2028 – the initiative will raise awareness about the benefits of beans for people’s health and the planet while increasing access to this important food group.
In addition to the city agencies’ participation, chefs and restaurants around the five boroughs, including Dan Barber (Family Meal at Blue Hill), Harold Dieterle (Il Totano), Chintan Pandya (Dhamaka, Adda), Alex Raij (Txikito, Saint Julivert), Tony Liu (The Queensboro), Andy D’Amico (Nice Matin), and Xavier Monge (Marseille) to name a few. All participating chefs will feature bean dishes on their menus beginning on September 22nd through October 16th, World Food Day.
Beans are good for the planet, enhancing soil nitrogen levels, utilizing less water, and producing a lower carbon footprint than many other protein sources.
They are also incredibly nutrient-dense, packed with dietary fiber, protein and complex carbohydrates, with a low glycemic index. They have no cholesterol, are low in fat, and are rich in vitamins and minerals, including potassium, iron, and folate.
As an added bonus, they are affordable, culturally responsive, and have incredible culinary versatility.
With a third of greenhouse gas emissions caused by global food systems, the link between food and climate cannot be ignored. NYC is leading the way in reducing the greenhouse gas emissions associated with the food served by committing to a 33% reduction by 2030.
Last year, NYC Agencies served 219 million meals at schools, older adult centers, public hospitals, child care centers, after-school programs, correctional facilities, shelters and other city programs. As more approved plant-based meals have been added to the database of menu options, beans are an effective way to meet nutritional standards.
By joining the Beans is How effort, participating city agencies will include healthy bean-based recipes in their meal plans at hospitals, correctional facilities, children’s services, schools and more. They will also join a digital campaign to help make the superfood more visible, accessible, and exciting, while encouraging a shift towards more healthy and sustainable diets.
How to Get Involved
The #BeansOnTheMenu initiative is set to elevate NYC’s culinary landscape, encouraging healthier eating habits and promoting sustainable food practices. Join us in celebrating the incredible benefits and versatility and benefits of beans during NYC Climate Week and beyond.
Restaurants and chefs interested in participating in the #BeansOnTheMenu initiative can sign up at bit.ly/beansnyc2024.
Food, climate and healthy eating enthusiasts can join the conversation on social media using the hashtag #BeansOnTheMenu and by sharing their bean-based culinary creations.
Participating Agencies
- NYC Department of Administration for Children’s Services
- NYC Department of Aging
- NYC Department of Corrections
- NYC Department of Early Learning
- NYC Health + Hospitals
- NYC Department of Youth and Community Development
“To reach the City’s climate goals, we have to continue to consider the role our food system plays. We are looking at what’s on our plate. Beans are a delicious, nutritious, protein-packed ingredient in our plant-forward menus that can help us reduce our carbon footprint from food, especially when served in place of red meat. We are grateful to all of the NYC agencies and partners who are celebrating the power of beans this Climate Week and hope this kicks off a sustained effort to put more #beansonthemenu every day.”
Kate MacKenzie, Executive Director, NYC Mayor’s Office of Food Policy
“When you consider how complex our world’s challenges are, it’s hard to find a simpler, more effective solution than getting everyone to eat more beans. Raising awareness about the benefits of beans and making them more accessible through public procurement is a crucial step towards encouraging more people to adopt sustainable and healthy diets on a mass scale.
Paul Newnham, CEO, SDG2 Advocacy Hub
“NYC Health + Hospitals offers plant-based meals to our patients as the default choice and the second choice. Having beans on the menu helps us meet our patients’ nutritional needs while making food that is flavorful and comforting”
Mercedes Redwood, MS, RD, Assistant Vice President of Management Services at NYC Health + Hospitals
“We serve over 15,000 meals a day at NYC Health + Hospitals. We use beans in many of our recipes like Mushroom Stroganoff and Sloppy Joes, and they have helped to reduce our carbon emissions by 36%.”
Samantha Morgenstern, MS, RD, CDN, Vice President of Operations, Sodexo Healthcare at NYC Health + Hospitals
“The NYC Administration for Children’s Services strives to serve food that is not only nutritious, but also exciting and full of flavor. This Climate Week, we are pleased to offer #BeansOnTheMenu to children and youth at the Nicholas Scoppetta Children’s Center and our Crossroads and Horizon juvenile detention centers so that they can try some delicious bean-based dishes as a healthier and more sustainable alternative.”
Jess Dannhauser, Commissioner, NYC Administration for Children’s Services
“Beans are a staple in communities and cultures around the globe—from Latin America to Africa, Asia, the Mediterranean, Europe, and everywhere in between. For millennia, beans have been a regular part of our diets. They’re even more beneficial as we age. Beans can help maintain a healthy weight, improve gut health, and reduce the risk of chronic conditions such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and colorectal cancer.
By adding beans to the menus of our older adult centers as part of the Beans on the Menu campaign, we’re offering older adults more nutrient-dense options as a meaningful step toward healthier, more vibrant, and sustainable lives. Our goal is for the tasty, culturally aligned meals to inspire older New Yorkers and their families to eat more beans and reap the many health and environmental benefits.”
Lorraine Cortés-Vázquez, Commissioner, NYC Aging
“The UJCES Adult Club is excited to join the #BeansOnTheMenu initiative during Climate Week. At our Older Adult Center, we are dedicated to providing our members with delicious, nutrient-rich options that align with our values of well-being. Beans are not only nutritious but also support sustainable agriculture. By including more beans in our meals, we’re enhancing our community’s health while contributing to a healthier planet.”
Dina Sadykov, Director, Adult Luncheon Club, UJCES
About #beansonthemenu
Beans is How launched the #beansonthemenu challenge to encourage chefs, restaurants, caterers, cafés, schools, and other food providers to incorporate more bean dishes on menus globally, making beans a visible and desirable food choice. The initiative highlights the unique role chefs and food suppliers can play in showcasing the versatility and tastiness of beans while influencing dietary trends and behaviors towards affordable, healthy, climate-conscious and plant-forward diets.
About the NYC Mayor’s Office of Food Policy
The Office of Food Policy works to advance the City’s efforts to increase food security, promote access to and consumption of healthy foods, and support economic opportunity and environmental sustainability in the food system. The Office works across city agencies, including the Departments of Education, Correction, Social Services, and Aging, to develop and advance innovative food policy. MOFP is critical in integrating an equity frame into food policy priorities and solutions. To accomplish this mission, the Mayor’s Office of Food Policy acts as a thought leader, facilitator, and convener.
About Beans is How
Mobilized by the SDG2 Advocacy Hub, “Beans is How” is a campaign to double global bean consumption by championing beans as a delicious, nutritious, sustainable and affordable food. By advocating for the inclusion of beans in diets worldwide, Beans is How aims to improve food security, increase uptake of healthier diets, and support sustainable agricultural practices. “Beans is How” is supported by a global Coalition of 100+ partners in 50 countries. The NYC Mayor’s Office of Food Policy is a member of the Coalition. For more information about Beans is How, please visit www.beansishow.org and follow on Instagram and X via @beansishow #beansonthemenu.
Media Contacts
- Karen Carzo | Hall PR | karen@hallpr.com | +1 917 434 7034
- Kristin Gutekunst | Campaign Director, Beans is How | kristin@sdg2advocacyhub.org
- Neeti Jain | Strategic Partnerships Advisor, NYC Mayor’s Office of Food Policy | NJain@foodpolicy.nyc.gov
