• Skip to main content
  • Skip to after header navigation
  • Skip to site footer
Real Mom Nutrition

Real Mom Nutrition

A no-judgments zone about feeding a family.

  • About
    • Start Here
    • Work With Me
    • Press
    • Disclosure & Policies
    • Contact
  • New Posts
  • Recipes
    • Most Popular Recipes
    • Breakfast
    • Dinner
    • Snacks
    • Desserts
    • Drinks
  • Topics
    • Picky Eating
    • Packing Lunches
    • Nutrition Advice + Ideas
    • Feeding Teens
    • Sports Snacks
    • For Moms
    • School Wellness
    • Family Life
  • Freebies
    • Free Picky Eating E-Course
    • Free Lunch Packing E-Course
  • Shop
    • No-Stress Dinner Planner
    • Let’s Try New Foods E-Book
    • ALDI 4-Week Meal Plan

29 Ways To Serve Chickpeas That Kids Will Love

by Sally Kuzemchak, MS, RD
  • Share This

Chickpeas are a great source of sustainable protein for your family. Here are 29 different ways to serve chickpeas to your kids.

Chickpeas

(This post is NOT sponsored, but I did receive samples of Biena snacks, which inspired this post because we loved them!)

Are Chickpeas Beans?

Yes! Chickpeas are also called garbanzo beans, and people have been eating them since ancient times. 

Are Chickpeas Healthy?

Absolutely. Chickpeas are a great source of lean, sustainable protein and fiber. A one-half cup serving of chickpeas has six grams of fiber, about a quarter of what kids need in a day. Chickpeas contain iron and zinc, two minerals kids need for growth. And like all “pulses”–peas, lentils, beans–they’re also linked to health benefits such as a lower cholesterol and blood pressure, and perhaps even less risk for some kinds of cancers.

 You might also like: Red Lentil Cookies

What About Packaged Chickpea Snacks?

There are lots of new bean-based snacks on the market–and I’m all for it! Chickpea “puffs” and even chocolate-covered chickpeas are a nice baby step toward the whole food, especially for reluctant kids (and grown-ups). Are puffs the same as eating the whole chickpea? No, but they may help chickpeas seem less intimidating and more acceptable when they’re presented this way, like a bridge toward the real deal.

Biena Chickpea Snacks

Are Dry or Canned Chickpeas Better?

Though both dry and canned beans are pretty economical–and a downright cheap source of protein compared to meat–dry typically costs less. But canned are ready to be tossed into recipes ASAP, with no extra time needed to cook them. And according to Bon Appetit, canned chickpeas are actually the best canned bean around.

How Do I Cook Chickpeas?

Canned chickpeas are cooked and ready to go. If you decide to opt for dry chickpeas, here’s a guide to cooking them on the stove, in the slow cooker, and in the Instant Pot.

29 Ways To Serve Chickpeas To Your Kids: Click to Tweet

What If My Kid Doesn’t Like Chickpeas?

If plain chickpeas haven’t gone over well with your gang, here are some other ways you can introduce them to your kids:

  • Roasted chickpeas (see recipes below)
  • Falafel (a Middle Eastern “fritter” made with ground chickpeas)
  • Hummus (here’s the simple hummus recipe I make)
  • Chocolate-covered chickpeas (we like the ones from Biena)
  • Chickpea Puffs (ditto on Biena!)
  • Chickpea bars & brownies (see recipes below)
Foods made with chickpeas

Chickpea Recipes

If you’re looking for some healthy chickpeas recipes, I’ve collected a bunch. Some of these come from my dietitian friends. I also asked Real Mom readers on Facebook for their kids’ fave chickpea recipes, and those are marked with an asterisk.

Roasted Chickpeas Recipes

  • Roasted Chickpeas With Salt from Kroll’s Korner
  • Cheesy Roasted Chickpeas (Vegan) from Grateful Grazer
  • Crunchy Chickpea Trail Mix from Byte Sized Nutrition
  • Everything But The Bagel Chickpea Toppers from Champagne and Paper Planes
  • Roasted Honey Cinnamon Chickpeas from Weelicious*

Chickpea Bars, Cookies & Brownies Recipes

  • Mini Peanut Butter and Dark Chocolate Chip Chickpea Blondie Cups from Holley Grainger
  • Gluten Free Pumpkin Chickpea Blondies from Once Upon a Pumpkin
  • Peanut Butter Chickpea Bars from Lean Green Bean
  • Chickpea Brownies from Erin Lives Whole
  • Chocolate Pecan Love Bites from Spicy RD Nutrition

Chickpea Dinner Recipes

  • Creamy Roasted Red Pepper Tomato Sauce from Jessica Levinson
  • Curried Chickpea Salad Sandwiches from Nutrition by Jessica
  • Cheese Tortellini in Chickpea Red Sauce from 360 Family Nutrition
  • Middle Eastern Turkey Meatball Sheet Pan Dinner from How To Eat
  • Chickpea Noodle Soup from Cozy Peach Kitchen
  • Chole Indian Spiced Chickpeas from Salubrious RD
  • Confetti Chickpea Salad from Carrots & Cake
  • Sheet Pan Meatballs With Crispy Tumeric Chickpeas from Smitten Kitchen*
  • Roasted Chicken With Cauliflower and Chickpeas from Martha Stewart*
  • Chickpea and Kale Curry from Cooking Light*
  • Chickpea Pot Pies from Taste of Home*

Misc. Chickpea Recipes

  • Snickerdoodle Chickpea Smoothie from Hummusapien
  • Healthy Edible Play-Doh from Smart Nutrition
  • Healthy Vegan Edible Cookie Dough from The Sensitive Table
  • Chickpea Nuggets from My Plant-Based Family*
Food made from chickpeas
  • Share This
Category: Nutrition Advice + IdeasTag: beans, chickpeas, picky eaters, recipes
Previous Post: Greek Yogurt Poppyseed Dressing Creamy Greek Yogurt Poppyseed Dressing
Next Post:Is MSG Bad For You? Here’s The Surprising Truth. Chinese Take-Out Box

Sidebar

Hi! I’m Sally.

I’m a registered dietitian and mom of two, and I believe that every mom can feel successful and confident about feeding her kids, let go of the stress, and enjoy mealtime again. What you'll find on this site...

Free Printable! 5 Things to Say to Your Picky Eater for a More Peaceful Mealtime

Get it!

Copyright © 2023 · Real Mom Nutrition · All Rights Reserved
Banner image by Michelle Daniel Photography
Disclosure & Privacy Policy