Wednesday can be a bit of a bummer. Also called “Hump Day,” Wednesday can embody that feeling of being just halfway through the workweek and craving the weekend.
At Humane World for Animals, we’re trying to change Wednesday’s reputation. Instead of thinking of it as a day to get over with, we’re rewriting it as a day of making a big impact for animals through small changes.
Every Wednesday, we are celebrating Beansday—the day we ask people to swap meat for beans each week. This simple ask saves animals, the environment and even your wallet.
We know Wednesdays can be a slog. That’s why we came up with a few easy tips to help you incorporate Beansday into your busy mid-week routine!
Have a go-to meal
One easy way to jump into Beansday is to have a go-to bean dish you cook every week. We have a ton of recommendations, from quick dishes that come together in less than 30 minutes to meals that will test your culinary genius.
Not a fan of cooking? Treat yourself to a takeout bean dish from your favorite restaurant every Wednesday!
Buy in bulk
One of the worst feelings is starting to cook a meal only to find out you are missing a key ingredient. Consider buying beans in bulk to set yourself up for success and cut down on grocery bills. Dried beans are sold in large portions and are typically significantly cheaper than canned beans.
The catch? Dried beans take much longer to prepare. In addition to buying in bulk, consider cooking in bulk. Lots of Beansday recipes can be frozen and reheated weeks or months later. Generally, soups, pastas and wraps are the easiest meals to freeze, our culinary innovation team says.
Tie Beansday into your routine
Is Wednesday your gym day? Lots of bean recipes are quick and easy; the perfect solution when you’re tired after a workout and don’t want to cook an intricate meal. Do your grocery shopping midweek? Make sure to check out all the varieties of beans available at grocery stores.
And for those of us organized enough to maintain a weekly calendar, adding a Beansday reminder is a great way to keep it top-of-mind.
Find your reason
Participating in Beansday has a huge range of benefits. It reduces the number of animals who are killed for their meat. It reduces your environmental footprint, including both greenhouse gases and water consumption. It saves you money. And it’s good for your health.
Whatever your reason for doing Beansday, tap into your passions to help keep you motivated week–after week.
Make it social
Invite your friends and family to participate in Beansday. The message doesn’t have to be preachy; focus on all the benefits you have experienced yourself.
Having a network of people involved can also keep you motivated and help you find new recipes. You can even host a Beansday-themed potluck to try new meal ideas and get everyone through the midweek slump.
Join our email list for more recipe inspo
When you sign our Beansday pledge, you get delicious plant-based recipes from celebrity chefs and the Humane World for Animals team sent right to your inbox.
Don’t know where to start? We recommend our vegan kale Caesar salad, sweet curry chickpea sandwiches, sloppy taco joes and Greek sweet potato flats as good jumping-off points.
With a few simple changes to your weekly routine, you can make a big impact for farm animals around the world. And you can make Wednesdays a little more fun along the way.
Big Bean Energy. Make the swap. Spread the word.
Little beans can make a big difference. Every Wednesday, your small step helps spare animals and build a kinder food system. Simply sign the pledge to swap meat for beans on Wednesdays. Each week, you’ll get delicious plant-based recipes from celebrity chefs and the Humane World for Animals team—making it easy (and tasty) to stick with it.
Some heroes wear capes—and some eat beans.
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We don't need factory farming to feed the world. To ensure everyone has access to healthy and affordable food, we need to change how we think about our food and how we produce it.
Leah Tamblyn/Humane World for Animals
Every Wednesday we're swapping meats for beans. Find Beansday recipe inspo with these dishes from around the world.
Meredith Lee/Humane World for Animals
One simple swap can make a big difference for animals. Every Wednesday, we make delicious, healthy and filling bean-based meals, leaving meat off our plates.
