how to offer beans and chick peas?

[ann]

Hello, today I am making a birdie bread with sweet potatoes, carrots, egg food, banana, and peas. I wanted to include red kidney beans, corn, and chickpeas, all canned. However, the corn is in water and salt (serving size is 1/2 cup with 250mg sodium per serving). If I rinsed the corn well, would it be safe, or do you think it has already absorbed the salt? The chickpeas are also canned in salt and water, and the kidney beans are canned in water and sugar, but the nutrition facts on the can say "0 grams of sugar per serving". Are these still safe to feed, or should I pass. Also, the chick peas have "disodium edta added to preserve color". That worries me. I probably won’t use any of these, but I figured I should ask for future reference. Thank you~
ps- I'll post pictures of the finished product

 

[Featheredsamurai]

I don't feed canned food because it usually does have salt added, no idea what disodium edta is. If you do use canned foods make sure to rinse it really good to get as much of the salt out as possible.

Frozen is much better than canned, you can easily find frozen veggies with nothing else added. Corn is especially plentiful and inexpesnive, even organic frozen corn isn't that much.

 

[ann]

Thank you, next time I go to the grocery store I'll pick some up. If they have frozen fruit that would be great too.

 

[crimson]

sorry, can't help you with your sodium problem, but like you said, rinsing is your best option.

I get organic beans, split peas,shelled sunflower seeds(for training purposes) ....from a huge health food store, and believe it or not it is less expensive than at the grocery stores. that way I don't worry about any additives.
sometimes I get banana chips,almonds,and pumpkins seeds and add it to their food from the same place.

 

[SolarCat]

People who are dieting are advised to stay away from canned fruits and vegetables simply because there are so many things added like salt or sugar that they aren't really that healthy, whereas frozen fruits and vegetables are just as nutritious and healthy as fresh ones.

If that's what they say for people trying to eat more healthy, I'd imagine it would be a good idea to follow the same advice for parrots in this case!

 

[Grenage]

I'd stick to dried beans; you have to soak them for about 12 hours, but you can always cook more than you need, and freeze the rest.

Every lunch I take to work is a batch-made meal that's been frozen, normally lentil or split pea-based meals. Not sure what the consistency would be like after thawing 'just' the pulses.

 

[Featheredsamurai]

When I make chop mix I buy 16 bean soup(don't use flavor packet), soak it over night and cook it the next day. After mixing all the chop ingredients together I freeze them in baggies and stick them in the freezer. the beans seem to do fine once thawed.

 

[WannaBeAParrot]

Also, for convenience, frozen beans r handy. Gocery stores usually Have few different kinds. I soak dried beans, then boil.

Yes, canned beans definitely retain quite a lot of sodium, not mention BPA.

 

[MonicaMc]

Personally, I'd recommend staying away from kidney beans... they are dangerous if not fully cooked.

Kidney bean - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
WHFoods: Kidney beans

And if you want to stick with healthier/safer options of beans and legumes, only buy them from a health food store. Adzuki, lentils, garbonzo/chick peas, mung and sprouting peas.

 

[ann]

thanks guys :0) i will definitely try dried beans. i especially liked the 16 bean soup idea, and i think black jack will too. i made the bread without the canned stuff, just sweet potato, frozen green peas, carrots, banana, egg food, corn meal, flour, 2 eggs, and a little olive oil and water. black jack liked it, but as usual the finches weren't crazy about it .