This article appeared in the Winter 2016 issue of Pulse Crop News.

We know you love pulses, which is why we want to give you 10 ideas for ways you can help promote the 2016 International Year of Pulses.

1. Eat more pulses! Include pulses more often in your daily diet and in your weekly meal planner, but also choose pulses at restaurants and at the take-away counter.

2. Bring pulses into gatherings with family, friends and colleagues – especially on Jan. 6 for the Pulse Feast! See the Pulse Feast National Committee Kit on IYP2016.org for more!

3. Have you created a recipe? Donate it to the global collection, and it will be featured on Pulses.org. Send your recipes to IYP@emergingag.com.

4. Be social and talk about IYP! Post your pulse dishes, use the hashtags #IYP2016, #Healthyeating, #Recipe or #Pulses and follow IYP on Twitter, Youtube and Facebook.

5. Do you have a blog? Include a link to the IYP website in it. Include links to iyp2016.org and Pulses.org in your social media posts!

6. Contact your favourite local restaurant, your children’s canteen, and office or campus cafeterias and tell them about the International Year of Pulses. They may want to offer new pulse dishes or propose promotions on pulse dishes in their menus.

7. Tell your local grocery store about IYP!

8. Donate pulses to your local food bank.

9. Contact local youth groups and ask them to promote pulses by including them in their activities!

10. Get creative with pulses by working them into dishes you already know or invent new recipes. Have you tried pulses for dessert? Chocolate and beans are a great combination, like in Black Bean Brownies featured on APG’s website in the recipe section. Have you thought about using pulse flours? Add some extra protein to your cakes, breads and cookies, or add pulse puree for extra moisture.

For more ideas on how to celebrate IYP, visit iyp2016.org/toolkits/10-great-thingsyou-can-do-to-promoteiyp2016.