Snackster Sam Blog
Our recipes and activities are always Snackster Sam approved and kid approved.
  What am I?I am an exotic fruit that is known for my bright colors and unique appearance. My skin is covered in scales, and I have a sweet, refreshing taste that many people love. Can you guess what I am?  Where I growI'm native to Central and South America. As I've become a more popular fruit, I am grown in more warm, tropical regions around the world like, California, Hawaii, Florida, South-East Asia, the Caribbean, Australia and more! I don't grow on a tree, I grow on a cactus that can grow up to 20 feet tall!  After I'm pickedAfter I'm picked, I am usually allowed to ripen at room temperature for a few days. When I am ripe, my skin will turn from a bright green to a bright pink or yellow, depending on the variety. Then, I can be cut open and eaten, or used in a variety of dishes, like smoothie bowls, salads, and desserts.  Did you guess... Dragon fruitEspañol: pitaya Dragon fruit is a delicious and refreshing fruit. Next time you see a scaly, bright pink or yellow fruit at the grocery store or at a restaurant, give it a try! Dragon Fruit FactsDragon fruit, also known as pitaya, is a type of cactus that grows in warm, tropical climates. The plant has beautiful, bright pink or red skin and white or pink flesh with black seeds. Dragon fruit is a popular and tasty fruit that is good for you because it is high in vitamins and minerals. Dragon fruit cacti have long, vine-like stems that can grow up to 20 feet in length. The stems have small, spiky thorns and large, waxy leaves. The cactus plants produce beautiful, white flowers that have a sweet, floral scent. The flowers bloom at night and are pollinated by bats or insects.  After the flowers bloom, they produce a small, green fruit that gradually grows and ripens into a large, pink or red fruit. It can take several months for the fruit to fully ripen, and when it is ready to be harvested, it falls off the plant and onto the ground.  Dragon fruit is a delicious and healthy snack that is easy to grow in warm, sunny climates. If you want to try growing your own dragon fruit, you will need to start with a small plant or cutting. Plant the cutting in well-draining soil and water it regularly. Make sure the plant gets plenty of sunlight and keep it in a warm, sheltered spot. With a little bit of care and attention, you can enjoy fresh, juicy dragon fruit from your own backyard!  Feed your food curiosity! Snackster Sam provides fun and educational content about food that grows. Join the adventure. Download the Snackster Sam app from Google Play or the App Store!
  What am I?I am a fruit that is known for my bumpy skin and pear-like shape. Some people even call me an "alligator pear" because of how I look. I'm a complicated fruit. You cannot look at my size to tell if I'll taste delicious or am ready to pick. Inside I have a big seed or pit that you can't eat, but the rest is bright green and delicious!  Where I growI grow on trees in warm places like Mexico and California. My tree is a special kind of tree that needs lots of sunshine and water to grow big and healthy. One tree can grow about 150 fruits per year! Don't worry about waiting until I'm ripe on the tree. I will never get ripe there... it's only after you pick me that I will ripen and be ready to eat. Until I'm ready to eat, my skin will be green and my flesh will be hard.  After I'm pickedAfter I'm picked, I can take anywhere from several days to a week or more to ripen. When I am ripe, my skin will turn from green to a darker color, and I will be slightly soft to the touch. Then, I can be cut open and eaten, or mashed up to make a delicious dip or spread called guacamole. I'm often added to Mexican-inspired dishes and salads, and I can even be added to baked goods and smoothies!  Did you guess... AvocadoEspañol: palta Did you guess that I am an avocado? That's right! Avocados are a superfood that are packed with healthy fats and vitamins. They can help keep your heart, skin, and eyes healthy. So next time you see a bumpy green fruit at the grocery store or at a restaurant, give it a try! Learn more and explore an avocado farm! Feed your food curiosity! Snackster Sam provides fun and educational content about food that grows. Join the adventure. Download the Snackster Sam app from Google Play or the App Store!
  What am I?I am a starchy root vegetable that is often used in cooking and baking. My skin can be red, brown, or purple, and my flesh is typically orange or yellow but can be white or purple. I have a slightly sweet taste and a creamy texture that makes me popular in all sorts of dishes.  Where I growI grow underground in the dirt. I grow in many different regions around the world now, but I come from Peru in South America. I thrive in warm climates with plenty of sunshine. I'm often grown in fields or gardens, where my vines can spread out and produce lots of tasty tubers. I'm a hardy plant that can survive in many different types of soil, from sandy to clay.  After I'm pickedAfter I am harvested by hand or by machine, I am cleaned and sorted to make sure that only the best vegetables make it to the store. Some people like to eat me baked or roasted, while others like to use me in recipes like pies, casseroles, and even fries. I'm a versatile vegetable that can be used in all sorts of dishes, from sweet to savory. Give me a try and see what you can create!  Did you guess... Sweet PotatoEspañol: batata Some people call me yam, but I yam a sweet potato! Learn the interesting differences between yams and sweet potatoes here. Do you like sweet potatoes? What's your favorite way to eat it? Watch the video to learn more about sweet potatoes. Ready to try sweet potatoes? Try this fun and easy recipe! Feed your food curiosity! Snackster Sam provides fun and educational content about food that grows. Join the adventure. Download the Snackster Sam app from Google Play or the App Store!
 What am I?I am a small, evergreen tree that can grow up to 20 feet tall. I have large, shiny leaves and beautiful flowers that bloom in clusters. You probably love the delicious treats that are made from me! On Valentine's Day, Americans buy 58 million pounds of my treats!  Where I growI grow in tropical areas around the world, near the equator where the weather is warm and moist. I thrive in these environments and grow fruit the size of a football. My juicy pods are surrounded by a sweet, white flesh that are filled with the seeds. You could eat my flesh raw and it would taste like mango, but it goes through another process to get a flavor you love.  After I'm pickedAfter I am carefully harvested (picked) by hand, my pods are fermented for several days to bring out my delicious flavor and aroma. I am then dried in the sun for several days, cleaned, sorted, and packaged to be shipped all over the world. Then I am ground up and made into the chocolate you know and love! I may be small, but I have a big impact on the world of sweets!  Did you guess... CocoaEspañol: cacao Do you like chocolate? Watch the video to learn more about cocoa beans! Feed your food curiosity! Snackster Sam provides fun and educational content about food that grows. Join the adventure. Download the Snackster Sam app from Google Play or the App Store!
June is Mango month! Celebrate mangoes with these sweet facts.  What am I?You've probably heard of me, I'm the most popular fruit in the world! I was first grown in India over 5,000 years ago. Besides having a sweet, tropical flavor, in India I'm the symbol of love. Giving someone a basket with my fruit is considered a sign of friendship. My seed is hidden inside. It can be hard to slice my fruit, but the sweet taste makes it worth it!  Where I growI grow on trees in hot and humid climates. Most of the fruit that you buy in the U.S. is grown in Mexico and South America. I'm grown around the world so you can enjoy my delicious fruit all year long! My tree grows tall, 100 feet high! For farming, trees are kept shorter so it's easier to grab the fruit.  After I'm pickedFarmers pick me by hand so my skin doesn't break. You can tell when I'm ripe with your senses. If I'm a little soft to the touch and if there is a sweet smell, I'm ready to eat. If I'm not ready, set me in a paper bag at room temperature. My color doesn't tell you if I'm ripe. I can be eaten raw, made into juice or smoothies, frozen, and cooked!  Did you guess... MangoEspañol: mango Do you like mangoes? Did you know there are many different colors of mangoes? Watch the video to learn more about mangoes! Learn more at mango.org All the Ways to Cut a MangoHow To Find a Ripe MangoMangoes are Fun!Feed your food curiosity! Snackster Sam provides fun and educational content about food that grows. Join the adventure. Download the Snackster Sam app from Google Play or the App Store!
 What am I?Nearly half of the people in the world eat this food daily. 95% of what is grown is eaten by humans. Evidence shows that humans have been growing this plant for 9,000 years, starting in Asia. I'm not a fruit or vegetable, I'm a grain. My plant grows like a grass and the flower produces the grain that you eat. There are 120,000 different varieties of this grain in the world!  Where I growI'm grown across the world, but mostly in Asia. I grow on the ground in water. When my seedlings (small plants started from seeds) are about one month old, they are moved to a field or paddy that is filled with water. Some paddies are on terraces, which look like steps in the side of a hill. This allows the water to flow down and fill the paddies. I like sunshine and the water keeps my plant cool. It also keeps the weeds from growing so that I can flourish.  After I'm pickedAfter I'm harvested, the grain is separated from the grassy part of the plant. Next I need to be dried and milled. Milling is a process that removes the husk, which is the outer layer around the grain that protects it. After I'm dried and milled, the grain is glossy. To eat this snack, I am cooked or ground into flour. I pair well with vegetables, like stir fry.  Did you guess... RiceEspañol: arroz What is your favorite way to eat rice? Watch the video to learn more about how rice grows! Facts about rice grown in the USA Industry Facts
Source: ThinkRice  Feed your food curiosity! Snackster Sam provides fun and educational content about food that grows. Join the adventure. Download the Snackster Sam app from Google Play or the App Store!
 What am I?I'm the largest of the citrus fruits. I'm twice the size of a grapefruit! I'm as big as your head! I am known for my size and bright colors, both inside and outside. I'm the original. I have not been combined with any other fruit to become something new, but I am used to make new varieties of citrus fruits, like grapefruit!  Where I growI am native to Southeast Asia, and I grow on trees. I like the heat and moisture, so I grow best in tropical climates. The leaves on my tree are large, oval-shaped. I need bees to pollinate my flowers so I can grow. My flowers smell great and are used to make perfume. The wood from my tree is strong and is used to make handles on tools.  After I'm pickedI'm ripe when I easily come off the stem. I won't ripen off the tree, so after I'm picked, I should be stored in a cool, dark place and eaten soon. The fridge is a great spot for me until you're ready to eat! I have a thick peel and "pitch" (the white part under the peel). The peel is sometimes used to make marmalade or is candied. My juicy flesh is sweet. Cut me open and dig in!  Did you guess... PomeloEspañol: pomelo Have you had a pomelo/pummelo before? It's a delicious fruit you will want to try! For the sweetest and juiciest pummelo, eat it in December-February when they are ripest. Watch the video to see the Snackster Sam correspondents test their senses on pummelo! Feed your food curiosity! Snackster Sam provides fun and educational content about food that grows. Join the adventure. Download the Snackster Sam app from Google Play or the App Store!
 What am I?I can grow 6+ inches... per day! I grow in single spears. I am native to the Mediterranean and grew in swamps. I have been found in Egyptian tombs dating 5,000 years ago. It takes 5 years for a new plant to grow spears. A new plant is grown from crowns, or a cluster of roots, not seeds. I do grow a fruit, but it's poisonous to humans.  Where I growI grow on the ground in mounds. I come in three colors - green, purple, or white. If I'm green or purple, I was grown with the sun and produced chlorophyll, which gives me color. If I'm white, I was covered up with dirt and blankets for protection from the sun's rays. The white version is a delicacy (or special) and tastes sweeter.  After I'm pickedBecause I grow as a single spear, I must be hand picked. Plus, since I grow so quickly, it's a race against the clock to harvest me in time. If I grow too big, I will be hard and woody, which isn't tasty or easy to chew. After I'm picked, I'm packaged in bunches with other spears. I'm usually roasted or fried and eaten with some seasoning. Yum!  Did you guess... AsparagusEspañol: Espárragos Asparagus is a lot of work to grow! WARNING - after you eat me and go to the bathroom, you'll wonder, "what's that smell?" I have a byproduct called sulfur after I'm digested. Learn more in the video on the next slide. Feed your food curiosity! Snackster Sam provides fun and educational content about food that grows. Join the adventure. Download the Snackster Sam app from Google Play or the App Store!
 What am I?Almost everyone loves me! 100 billion of my fruit are eaten every year! I've been around for a long time, but the fruit you eat today is much different than the wild ones that were full of hard, large seeds. The fruit today doesn't have any seeds - and that means that I could be wiped out at anytime.  Where I growYou might think I grow on trees, but it's actually a BIG plant! My plant grows from a rhizome (underground stem) and grows a false trunk. What looks like the trunk are actually leaves that grow over each other and grow taller and taller. I can grow as tall a two-story house! Then my plant grows a cluster of flowers called a "hand!" That's where hundreds of my fruit grow, and it's called a "bunch".  After I'm pickedAfter I'm picked, I get more ripe. When my skin is yellow and starting to get brown spots, I'm sweetest and ready to eat. When you're ready to eat it, just peel the skin. If I will be used for baking, it's best to wait until I turn more brown. To help me ripen faster, put me in a brown paper bag.  Did you guess... BananaEspañol: plátano Bananas are a BUNCH of fun! The bananas you eat today don't have a lot of differences, unlike a lot of fruit we've seen on Snackster Sam. Watch the video to learn more about bananas and what might happen if a disease wipes out bananas. Feed your food curiosity! Snackster Sam provides fun and educational content about food that grows. Join the adventure. Download the Snackster Sam app from Google Play or the App Store!
 What am I?When you first see me, you might not notice that I like to be the star! I am native to islands like the Philippines and Indonesia, which have hot and tropical climates. I've become more popular worldwide for my unique shape. I can be sweet or tart.  Where I growI grow on trees. My tree grows slowly and can grow fruit for about 40 years. Unlike most trees in cooler climates, my tree flowers many times each year. I am a green fruit, but when I turn slightly yellow, I'm ready to pick off the tree.  After I'm pickedI can be made into juice, jam, cooked, and of course, eaten fresh. Every part of me you can eat, even my skin that is smooth and waxy. I should be set in the fridge and then eaten soon before my edges turn brown.  Did you guess.... StarfruitEspañol: carambola When you cut into starfruit, it looks like a star! Watch the video to see the Snackster Sam correspondents try starfruit! Feed your food curiosity! Snackster Sam provides fun and educational content about food that grows. Join the adventure. Download the Snackster Sam app from Google Play or the App Store!
 What am I?I’m one of the oldest foods around. There is evidence that I have been cultivated (farmed) for 8,000 years! There are wild plants of me around the world, but many of the varieties you eat came from the ancient farming that started in what’s now the country of Georgia. My flavor is sweet, and I’m fun to eat.  How it GrowsI grow on vines in clusters, and I like a lot of sun. After my flowers are pollinated by the wind and insects, my fruit starts to grow. My vines and fruit need to be pruned (or cut back) to grow healthier fruit. Farmers have developed varieties that can grow in colder temperatures, so you can find me across the world.  After I'm PickedIn the late summer or early fall, it’s time to harvest (or pick) me. Farmers will cut whole clusters with scissors. I’m delicate, so I need to be handled carefully. After I’m picked, I need to be stored in a refrigerator. Then I can be eaten raw, made into juice, wine, jam or jelly, or dried and made into raisins! Oh, my leaves can be eaten too.  Did you Guess... GrapesEspañol: uva There are 8,000 different kinds of grapes, and they are used for different things. Hey, Snacksters! Watch the video to learn more about grapes with the Snackster Sam correspondent! This week, her sister who eats grapes every day joins! Feed your food curiosity! Snackster Sam provides fun and educational content about food that grows. Join the adventure. Download the Snackster Sam app from Google Play or the App Store!
 What am I?I’m used a lot in Mexican food, like salsa verde. The Aztecs grew me 2,800 years ago! However, scientists recently found fossils of my plant in Argentina - so I’m really old! Today, I’m still most popular in Central America (like Mexico). I’m usually green, but I can also be purple or yellow.  Where I growMy plant can pollinate without bees, but I need a friend. So when I’m planted, I grow in pairs. I like to stretch out my stems and leaves, so my plant needs a lot of space in a garden. I grow best in warm climates. Once my flower is pollinated, I start to grow my fruit which is protected in a husk. The husk wraps around the part you eat.  After I'm pickedWhen my fruit fills the husk, I’m ready to pick. Then I can be stored in the refrigerator for a few weeks. Instead of eating raw, I’m usually cooked and added to salsa, soups, and stews. When you’re ready to cook me, just peel off the husk and wash off my stickiness.  Did you guess... TomatilloEspañol: Tomatillo Tomatillo is also called Mexican Husk Tomato. Tomatillo in Spanish means "little tomato." Have you tried tomatillo? Watch the video to learn more. Feed your food curiosity! Snackster Sam provides fun and educational content about food that grows. Join the adventure. Download the Snackster Sam app from Google Play or the App Store!
 What am I?I'm tropical! I have a strong smell that is similar to a lemon but more sweet. There are 150 different kinds of me, and I come in many colors like green, yellow, and red. I'm full of seeds, I can have 100-500 seeds inside! Birds eat me and distribute the seeds so more of my plant grows.  Where I growI grow on shrubs and small trees in tropical regions that live for 40 years. I am native to Central and South America. Today I'm grown in other continents like India and Australia. If the weather is good, my plant can produce crops two times per year.  After I'm pickedThe color and smell let farmers know I'm ready to pick. Farmers handpick me. I can ripen after I'm picked. You can eat me fresh or make me into juice, jam, or smoothies.  Did you guess... GuavaEspañol: guayaba Guava is a tropical fruit that you should definitely try! Watch the video to see the Snackster Sam correspondent test her senses on guava! Feed your food curiosity! Snackster Sam provides fun and educational content about food that grows. Join the adventure. Download the Snackster Sam app from Google Play or the App Store!
 What am I?I'm in an estimated 18,000 products worldwide. I'm used in a variety of sweet and baked foods, and even in perfumes. However, even though I'm known for my scent and flavor, when I'm a fresh bean I have no aroma (or scent).  Where I growI grow on a plant in the orchid family, a popular flower. I used to be only pollinated with a certain bee, but I can also be pollinated with a stick! This helped make me more available across the world. As a fruit, I can grow up to 8 inches in 6 weeks, but it takes nine months for me to mature and to be harvested (picked). I'm most commonly grown on the island of Madagascar.  After I'm pickedOnce I'm harvested, I'm blanched (put in boiling water for a short time) and then set out in the sun to dry for about 10 days. That's when my aroma comes out. Once I'm fully cured, which takes about 4 months, I'm ready to add to your favorite treats - even ice cream!  Did you guess... VanillaEspañol: vainilla Vanilla is anything but boring! Watch the video to learn more about vanilla. Feed your food curiosity! Snackster Sam provides fun and educational content about food that grows. Join the adventure. Download the Snackster Sam app from Google Play or the App Store!
 What am I?I'm one of the world's favorite spices. I'm in some of the most popular desserts. I bet you didn't know that I am the bark of a tree. In ancient history, I was an expensive gift given to important rulers, like kings, queens, and pharaohs.  Where I growI grow on a tree. I am native to Sri Lanka, a small country next to India. My tree grows berries, which you can also eat. To make the spice, only the bark and leaves are used. Farmers plant and grow the tree for two years, then cut the stems at the ground. The next year, many new shoots (like branches) grow.  After I'm pickedAfter I'm cut down, farmers have to work quickly while the wood is fresh. The outer bark is scraped off then the trees are hit to loosen the inner bark. The bark is then cut and dried where it curls into rolls. After its dry, it's cut into smaller sections or ground into powder.  Did you guess... CinnamonEspañol: canela Isn't that amazing that cinnamon is bark from a tree? Watch the video to see how cinnamon is grown and harvested! Feed your food curiosity! Snackster Sam provides fun and educational content about food that grows. Join the adventure. Download the Snackster Sam app from Google Play or the App Store!
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