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English Peas Delivery or Pickup
The Instacart guide to English pea products
About peas
When people think about peas, most think of English peas. Also known as green peas, shell peas, and garden peas, English peas are the most common commercially available peas in North America. These tasty treats are known for their sweet flavor and slightly crunchy texture. Order English peas via Instacart today and have them delivered to your door in as little as 2Â hours!
One of the reasons English peas are so popular is that they're an incredibly versatile legume. Fresh peas are delicious, but they lose their sweetness shortly after harvesting, so a relatively small percentage of fresh English peas hits the market. Most English peas are either canned, frozen, or dried when they are at their tastiest.
English peas might be small, but they are jampacked with nutritional value. These legumes contain the following:
- Fiber for digestive health and blood sugar control.
- Protein, which fills you up to encourage good portion control.
- Antioxidants that build your immune system.
- Carbohydrates for energy.
- Lutein for healthy vision.
- Iron for red blood cell production and transporting oxygen around the body.
- Phytonutrients to reduce inflammation and the risk of heart disease, arthritis, and diabetes.
- Folic acid for a healthy pregnancy.
- Omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids for heart health.
- Coumestrol, which protects against stomach cancer.
- Saponins, which may lower the risk of other kinds of cancer.
Spring to early summer is the peak season for English peas, but these legumes are available most of the year. There are some small, sporadic gaps in the market for fresh peas, but the large number of canned, frozen, and dried English peas ensures that families can enjoy them year-round.
How to tell if peas are ripe
English peas are ready to eat around three weeks after the pea flowers appear. At this point, they taste sweet and have a pleasant texture. As they age, peas develop a coarse texture and bitter taste. The pods of ripe English peas, like all shelling peas, swell and take on a nearly cylindrical shape.
How to prepare peas
You must shell fresh English peas before using them in a variety of dishes or enjoying them on their own. Simply snap the end of the pod, then pull the fibrous string that runs along its length to split it open. You should see between five and eight peas in each pod. Move your thumb along the row of peas to dislodge them from the pod. You can discard the pods, which are much more fibrous than the tasty pods of snow peas and sugar snap peas, or add them to a vegetable broth.
Canned, frozen, and dried English peas are already removed from their pods. These peas can be enjoyed as soon as you remove them from their containers. You can also freeze, dry, or can your own peas to use later.
Enjoy your peas from Instacart in a variety of different dishes. They lose some of their nutrients with long cooking times, so eat them raw, steamed, or stir-fried for the greatest health benefits. Some of the great ways to use peas include:
- Blanching, then pureeing them for a spread, dip, or side dish.
- Raw tossed through a salad.
- Added to pasta, risotto, curry, or soup in the last few minutes of cooking time.
- Sauteing them with a few tablespoons of chicken or vegetable broth for a healthy side dish. Substitute the broth for butter for a more indulgent side.
English Peas Near Me
Buy your favorite English Peas online with Instacart. Order English Peas from local and national retailers near you and enjoy on-demand, contactless delivery or pickup within 2 hours.
FAQs about peas
Store your peas in a plastic bag or container in your fridge's crisper. Keep them in their pods until you're ready to use them, as the pods protect them from early spoilage. English peas will last for a couple of weeks in the fridge, although they'll taste sweetest when you receive them, so try to eat yours as early as possible.
You can freeze English peas, either shelled or in their pods. Blanch the pods or shelled peas, then spread them on a tray in your freezer. Once they are frozen, move them to an airtight container for storage. Your frozen peas will keep in the freezer for up to 12 months. Simply shell them or add the shelled frozen peas directly to your dishes to use them. Cook them for a little longer than fresh peas to allow for thawing time.
Nutritionists recommend eating half a cup of peas, or 170 grams, to enjoy all the health benefits without carb-loading. That serving of English peas has just 62 calories, making them a fairly low-calorie choice. Around 70% of these calories come from carbohydrates. While carbohydrates provide energy, they can also make you feel gassy and bloated if you overindulge.