Since my child is a vegetarian by choice I have to try a little harder than most parents to make sure he is getting enough protein and iron. Edamame is one of my favorite protein sources for him to eat. It is healthy, super easy, and he loves it! Three requirements for any mom! We eat it quite frequently and anytime we eat it around new friends there are usually two reactions:

1) Their child loves it.

2) The mom has no idea what it is.

So I thought I would share it with all my virtual friends so you can discover this healthy, easy food for your kids (and yourself!) I buy mine frozen in the freezer section with the rest of the frozen vegetables. The one that I get is in a steam bag, so all I do is throw it in the microwave for 3 minutes. Super easy right? One important fact to share is you do not eat the shell, only the beans inside. Part of the fun for my two year old is getting the beans out himself, but if your child is young you might need to help.

Here is all the good stuff you can find in edamame:

• Dietary Fiber
• Protein
• Thiamin
• Iron
• Magnesium
• Phosphorus
• Copper
• Vitamin K
• Folate
• Manganese

With school starting up again, this is a great food choice for lunches. Most people like them cold as well, so if you steam them the night before you can just throw them in your child’s lunch. I also pull these out when my little one is hungry and dinner is not quite ready. I don’t mind him filling up on a nutritious food before dinner. Super easy, healthy, and yummy! Give it a try and let me know. Do you and your family like edamame?