Snap peas are one of our go-to fresh veggies to eat as a family. Here’s how to choose them, eat them raw and cooked, and simple ways to make them easier to chew for little kids.
How to Eat Snap Peas
Snap peas are one of our favorite vegetables to eat because they are naturally sweet and crisp. This makes them a hit with both parents and kids when they’re served raw and cooked. They’re particularly great in the spring and early summer—or anytime when they’re available fresh from the farmer’s market—so if you ever see them in that context, pick some up! (They’re good from the supermarket too.)
TIP: Snap peas are a great source of Vitamin C as one cup has 98% of our daily need for Vitamin C. They also provide Vitamin A, K, and fiber.
Raw Sugar Snap Peas
If you’ve never tried raw sugar snap peas, you’re in for a treat. You can eat the whole pod, with the peas inside, and if you can get them fresh from the farmer’s market, they will be so impressively sweet.
TIP: You may want to break the ends off and remove the long strand that runs along the side—but with very fresh and tender peas, chances are you won’t even notice it.
What to Look for at the Store
Look for snap peas that are free from blemishes, don’t have too many white or gray marks, and that are plump for their size. Ask to sample one if buying from the farmer’s market so you know they are good.
Tips for Storage
To store this vegetable, simply make sure that the pods are dry and store in the crisper in an airtight container or up to 5 days. If you buy them in a bag from the store, you may want to open the bag, line the sides with a paper towel, then clip the bag closed to help remove excess moisture—which can cause mold.
How to Cut Snap Peas for Kids
Here’s a look at how you can serve snap peas for kids, starting after they are about 12/14 months. The exterior can be very chewy, so that’s why there’s a progression here. In the image above, start on the left and work your way to the right.
- You can pop out the peas and serve them raw to kids to start.
- You can cut the whole pod into very thin slivers.
- Chop up the pods and saute until soft.
- Serve them whole, raw to kids 3 and over—or when they’re able to chew them well.
TIP: Remember that there can be a huge flavor difference in raw veggies, so if the kids don’t like them when you first try them, it might simply be that they weren’t very sweet. Try them again or look for them at the farmer’s market.
Best Recipes for Sugar Snap Peas
These are some of my favorite recipes for using snap peas (though in all honesty, we eat them raw 99% of the time!).
- Roasted Sugar Snap Peas Recipe
- Stovetop Sugar Snap Peas with Lemon
- Seared Sugar Snap Peas
- Steamed Sugar Snap Peas
- Stir-Fried Sugar Snap Peas
- Raw Snap Pea Salad
- Baked Snap Peas
TIP: You may also like How to Cut Grapes, How to Serve Nuts, and How to Cut Food for Kids.
I’d love to hear your feedback on all things snap peas, so please comment below to share.
Some of my sugar snap peas contained a small worm or caterpillar/larvae….my daughter randomly opened one as she was munching on them and found it in there!!!! It was horrifying to see that we could have just eaten it or had already munched through some. Going forwards I plan to wash and open them prior to eating.
Oh gosh! (I guess at least you know they were fresh!)
Excellent, cold raw, with a sprinkle of sea salt . No need to remove the string 🥰🥰🥰👍
They are a great vegetable when I don’t want to cook. Summers in Southern Arizona are so hot, I can go for days or weeks eating cold foods only. Snap peas are really good raw and i eat them right out of the bag – I get the pre-washed snap peas from the grocery store so I’m probably paying more, but it’s worth it to just grab the bag from the fridge and eat.
Thanks for the read.
Probably one of the easiest vegetables to eat.
I eat store bagged sugar snap peas. I’ve never cooked them before. They taste fine the way they are. Around here though they’re hard to find outside of whole foods. I assume they’re healthy. I could if I wasn’t paying any attention eat them like popcorn.